A bit lighter fare for this morning. In a very, very unscientific and non-indicative bit of polling research, it would appear, at least in Austin, Texas, that atheists are the most charitable. Indeed, one panhandler set up a station where there was an option to declare your religion, or lack thereof, beliefs when donating money to what one can probably assume is a fortified alcoholic beverage habit. I have, using my keen sense for statistics and experiments, come up with several reasons why the results are the way they are. The first is obvious. Atheists are simply more giving, and if you want to get case specific, more giving to panhandlers. Another reason is Texas has a far, far higher atheist population than anyone would ever suspect. Another is atheists have a much higher amount of disposable income. Lastly, the atheists simply saw a well marketed scheme that afforded them the opportunity to both provide said beverage to the man in question and poke a bit of fun at the believers. http://now.msn.com/homeless-panhandler-finds-atheists-give-more-in-donation-contest A homeless man named James likes to turn his panhandling forays in Austin, Texas, into street theater. He staged a little experiment by laying out nine bowls labeled by faith (or lack thereof) and holding a sign asking, "Which religion cares the most about the homeless?" The early returns, as posted to Reddit: The atheists are winning, just as they did in a more scientific poll. There are dollar bills in the atheist, agnostic and Buddhist bowls; the Jewish and Hindu bowls are nearly empty. James' analysis: "The atheists seem very competitive. For them, it's all about the competition." Maybe it's time to redefine the notion of Christian giving. [Source]
I'm not surprised that even American atheists are charitable. I've lived amongst atheists in socialist countries, i.e. real atheists as opposed to conflicted, trouble-making American atheists, and I know that real atheists are utterly and totally indifferent about religion. And unlike Christians, they give from their hearts, and not because they are afraid God is going to "get" them if they don't.
I would argue that the panhandler part is the most important part of this observation. Atheists (and leftists in general) are more likely to throw money at people and pat themselves on the back for having done an essentially meaningless moral deed. Whereas Christians are more likely to actually organize productive group efforts that help large groups of people in need. A church I went to a year ago organized a shoe drive for people in impoverished parts of the world that don't have shoes. It was so successful that one little kid's story even made it into the sermon the next week. Apparently, this little kid (about 6 or 7) wanted to donate his own shoes that he was wearing. And when asked why, he said, "Those people don't have any shoes at all. They need them more than I do." Anyway, just thought I'd mention that. Troll on.
All I know is that THIS atheist doesn't trust any panhandler. I think they're a bunch of phoneys who might as well be working, but choose not to. - - - Updated - - - Woah there. Why are you categorising all atheists as "leftists"? Being an atheist has zilch to do with political leanings.
Myself, I never give money to panhandlers. Never have, never will. Now, I have donated time and money and other things to shelters and organizations that help take care of the homeless, but I refuse to give money to individuals like that. I have myself been homeless several times. And not once did I ever beg. I find such behavior disgusting.
I guess we should give humanitarian of the year awards to athiest who give their pocket change to pan handlers, and then go on about their lives. They're saints, and they don't even know it.
Not necessarily. Another possible explanation is that the atheists donated more because they needed to validate their ego.
It's also important to note that homeless shelters and government agencies advise that people do not give change or money to panhandlers. What this study really demonstrates is that atheists are generally less informed than their religious counter-parts. City of Ventura: Don't give to panhandlers City officials: Don't give panhandlers your money Tough choice: Give to the panhandler or not? Homeless advocates urge people to give to charity instead. Panhandling. Don’t contribute to the problem. There is already an abundance of shelters that provide free housing, food, and medical treatment to the indigent, not to mention SS, Medicaid, and Medicare. Many panhandlers are not homeless or even poor, and many more are just trying to get money for drugs that they can't get from private charities. Way to go gullible atheists?
Yes! You have identified the "heart" of the problem inherent to all socialism! They think with their hearts and not their heads! Bravo!
Actually, from my experience the vast majority of those that are "homeless" suffer from mental illness, drug addiction, alcoholism, and normally 2 or all 3 at once. Out of the 400 or so the shelter I normally stayed at could hold, very few actually worked or tried to find work. Most just spent all day hanging out in the park or around the downtown area trying to find a handout. Out of the 20 or so cots set aside for those like me that worked, maybe 10-15 were actually occupied by those who were employed. And I have never seen anything in the last 10 years to show me anything different. Most of those who are homeless are not "functional".
There is an issue to utter lack of government and by this I mean Federally okay REAL ID government identification. A real issue this forces the homeless to stay in the Underground Economy hell I can't get the new ID and I'm on paper not street homeless. One homeless man to get his birth certificate for example must go to his county of birth with a court order to get the record in that state to get one - or they must have a REAL ID copied with proof of residence (two proofs). So with issues like this how do homeless get into the system and the longer these draconian laws are in place its going to get worse.
What on earth are you talking about? Sorry, but what you are saying really makes no sense at all. I got my birth certificate with no problem at all, $14 and a notarized letter to the county records, and I had it 2 weeks later. And this is the computer age. As long as you have had an ID in the past, you can generally get a replacement. I was in Alabama and wrote a letter to California, new Drivers License a week later. So I really do not know what this is all about, other then you are trying to push some kind of agenda.
The REAL ID law changed this in Florida to get a state ID with the yellow star on it ,I could make an analogy here to one group of people in Nazi Germany, you need - 1. Birth Certificate 2. SS Card 3. Proofs of a Residence (lease, bills, bank statements and similar - what if you don't have those at all) Now to get a birth certificate from my state of birth I would need a REAL ID photo ID or proofs of residency and a notarized form (again must show an ID for that what if you don't have one - at least in my state). I for example don't bank, don't have bills the few I do have are pay go with purchased cards services, don't get government mail and although I have a birth certificate and social security card frankly at this point refuse to get a REAL ID even if I could meet the requirements. I don't want the documents scanned into a central database. I do have an expired old ID card and some non-government ID options. But for a homeless person they are in deep even if they can get an ID under state law if they change addresses they must get a new ID in ten days and pay $6.25 with new residency proof. But the overall issue here is post 9/11 if your in an odd place getting an ID is not an option your a normal person in the system its clearly easier for you. The older rules were fine you had to get proof of a mailing address with two pieces of mail to it, a birth certificate, social security card they checked those out and handed them back to you without scanning and issued the ID (I can't drive so need a state ID). When it was changed to a residence it shafted me good.
Get off the pipe. State ID with a yellow star? No bank account, No ID? No Birth Certificate? Yet you log onto and post online at 11PM, even though you are apparently homeless? Give me a break. And nice try. However, you state clearly that you have a Birth Certificate, and that is one of the very forms of ID you need. You are just being contrary, and I wish you all the lick living behind the closest garbage can. Of course, you can always emigrate. Try Mexico or Cuba, they are always looking for people. But you wanna whine because you have to get an ID card? Sorry, off-topic, not relevant, and no pity here.
I have a pay go wireless service I get a card every month and send in the number over the internet to add time. No information other than that is needed. Ever check the damned Real ID law I need a birth certificate, a social security card and two proofs of residency and that has if you get the ID a yellow star on it maybe you should check. It can be worse ever see NJ they have a far worse requirements. As for leaving the US why would I leave even without an ID I can function okay in the Underground Economy and its not illegal if a citizen to not have a government photo ID. I'm Federally considered homeless I'm not street homeless but unstable in housing. And why is it off topic the plight of the homeless was brought up one major issue now is the Real ID law if they want an ID many now can't hope to get one and no ID their options are very limited.
Yea, all I can say is you need to get off of the underground economy and join the real one. Maybe see a doctor about that paranoia issue you have. And if you want to go on about ID, then why not make a thread with that as a topic and talk to your heart's content? This thread is about something else altogether.
That pretty much sums it up Why would anyone, religion aside want to donate to a person's drug addiction? If anything that just makes atheists look the worst. How many Hindus live in Texas? That'd be like setting up a donation bowl for atheists in Saudi Arabia alongside a bowl for Muslims, then claiming this proves that Muslims are more generous than atheists.
This is an interesting experiment. If an atheist believes there is no God, then they must compensate their love and charity in other ways. It's also interesting because most atheists I know are good people. They usually don't like religious fanatics, of course, but a homeless person usually says, "God Bless you" when I have given plenty of dollars to them.
I had a lady ask me for some money while I was sitting in my car at the supermarket. I apologized as I didn't have any cash/change on hand and she said God bless, I wished her the same back and I am technically an 'atheist' since I don't believe in a higher power. I just don't see the point in arguing over something so petty when there are much worse things happening in the world to be concerned about like the fact that this poor woman was so desperate that she had to beg for change at a supermarket.
