Recently I added the attachment included in this post to my primary website. It made me ask why I have never personally known of any community service openly provided and sponsored by a group of atheists. I'm not saying it has never occurred. I'm just saying that I have never been aware or seen such an event. As such, I'm thinking such an activity must not be all that common.
Why?
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Likely it's because trying to organize folks who identify as atheist is like herding kittens.
A quick search online and I found numerous examples . A quick online search does not even require imagination. Put out a little effort.
On the flip side , I agree with Cyberlyn. We are like cats. I supported a charity lat year. Our workplace raised over $6000 for Juvenile Diabetes Research. I don't give a shit if most of the donors were Christians. Just as long as my money did not pay for laying on of hands. There is enough groping of juveniles going on in churches as it is.
In my city in New Zealand, the university was located in a leafy suburb on the right side of the tracks. I read in the newspaper that kids from the wrong side of the tracks were spending around $2,000 a year in transport costs alone in addition to tuition, making the path to higher education even steeper for them. So I approached the principal of a high school in a poor suburb and offered to a set up a scholarship to pay transport costs for three kids a year. I funded that for several years. The principal said it was very Christian of me, so I had to set him right on that. But I didn't do it because I was an atheist. I just like to make things a little bit fairer when I can. I also sponsored three children in India from elementary school to university age through Save the Children. Atheism doesn't equate to selfishness or a lack of concern.
That's a good question. I'm not sure, but I think that Humanist organizations are common in European countries. Humanists have a common set of priorities and concerns that lend themselves to a shared vision and mission. The fact that Atheists frequently share nothing in common except a disbelief in god makes us a pretty heterogeneous bunch. Also, having an expressly atheistic community organization would require that all members gird themselves for a showdown with outraged religious people with their beer drinking NASCAR supporting family members who collectively support their second amendment rights to show up anywhere with loaded weapons and angry faces. While that is a showdown worth having, the population of those willing to attend is pretty small.
Outside of all that, I think you have a good question. Those of us who have a humanistic outlook are deeply interested in the well being of others, so there really ought to be such groups. I'll be interested to see what others say.
I realize that there are those who are "closeted" or would face an enormous amount of persecution if he/she chose to openly participate in an atheist community activity like a soup kitchen for the poor, meals-on-wheels for the elderly, transportation for the disabled or elderly to doctors visits, etc.
I also believe there are those who want, like me, to be a part of an atheist organization that displays our morals, compassion and love for mankind on a practical and needed basis. Our service need not be an in-your-face display of atheist militancy. Rather, our service and genuine concern for others would be enough to bring about thought and questions regarding the principles and practicality of atheism. Maybe I'm different than others, but I've always been more influenced by deeds rather than speech. I would hope that my deeds of compassion and empathy for others would speak louder than any propaganda that could come out my mouth.
You could volunteer at any soup kitchen and wear a pin that says"Atheist".
That would be an act of an individual ... not that of a group of atheists as presented in the opening post. The vast majority of us participate in community and/or charitable events as individuals. The opening post was about participating in atheist group community and/or charitable activities.
What has a greater impact? One atheist individual participating in a community charitable event OR an atheist group sponsoring an activity with 100 atheists being present and volunteering their time, efforts, talents and skills for the benefit of the community?
Greater impact on what? Peoples opinion of atheists or the focus of the charity?
I don't know how common place it really is, but it isn't hard to find a pile of news articles about Christian charities rejecting Atheist contributions (money/volunteers).