General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA Catholic, a Baptist, and a Secular Humanist Walk Into a Soup Kitchen ...
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/06/a-catholic-a-baptist-and-a-secular-humanist-walk-into-a-soup-kitchen/277379/Therapy dogs and their handlers from Therapy Dogs International walk down a ravaged street in Moore, Oklahoma. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)
In his Time Magazine cover story last week on veterans and public service, journalist Joe Klein stepped outside the line of his narrative to take a swipe at secular humanists. Describing his personal experience in the aftermath of the Oklahoma tornado working alongside an "army of relief workers" including "church groups from all over the country," he remarked, "funny how you don't see organized groups of secular humanists giving out hot meals..."
It turns out that Klein was wrong on the facts. There were plenty of humanist groups involved in relief efforts - clearing wreckage, raising aid for local relief organizations, donating money to survivors, and supporting food banks. As Dale McGowan pointed out in The Washington Post on June 27, perhaps the greatest irony is that in the very same sentence that Klein took a potshot at humanists, he extolled Team Rubicon, a veterans organization that happened to be the primary beneficiary of a post-superstorm Sandy fund drive organized by the secular charity, Foundation Beyond Belief.
It's also worth pointing out the obvious: many secular humanists, atheists, and freethinkers contributed to disaster-relief efforts even if they did not do so while wearing hats and T-shirts that advertised their belief system. Had Klein made the same point about any other group--such as, "funny how you don't see any organized groups of Hindus, Korean-Americans, or gay activists giving out hot meals"--his aside would have been so obviously offensive that it would never have made it past his editor.
Klein's waffling response when called out by peeved secularists didn't help too much. He took the criticism of his reporting as an opportunity to express some personal opinions on religious questions.
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)To steal from Groucho, I'd never want to be in a club that would take me as a member.
Doesn't bother me too much, really. I don't want to be identified by what I don't believe in. Just by not believing in it, it's kinda obvious that the whole "thing" isn't fucking important to me. I'm more about being identified as "the guy who isn't an asshole." Perhaps Joe Klein's opinion differs on that particular point
xtraxritical
(3,576 posts)OneGrassRoot
(22,921 posts)Thanks for the post, xchrom.
K&R
Orrex
(63,261 posts)It kills me when the media offers him up as a Liberal spokesperson.
ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)Orrex
(63,261 posts)A richly deserved title.
Demeter
(85,373 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)progressoid
(50,011 posts)Im going to be spending the next nine months on book leave, trying to drill down into this area. That means my presence here in the Swamp and the magazine will be limited. Ill miss you. Some of you. And I will be back, when the high sheriffs deem it necessary.
Read more: http://swampland.time.com/2013/06/25/secular-humanist-watch/#ixzz2XjJXhxw7
Demeter
(85,373 posts)Good morning, X!
xchrom
(108,903 posts)Warpy
(111,417 posts)Demeter
(85,373 posts)mountain grammy
(26,663 posts)Personally, I think churches should be taxed.
Stinky The Clown
(67,838 posts). . . . bigger than the stories they write about.
Hey Joe . . . . bite me.
Jerry442
(1,265 posts)...because they were too busy actually helping people instead of sucking up to the bigtime reporter, bragging on how virtuous and generous they are.
marble falls
(57,427 posts)catrose
(5,076 posts)which I don't claim to be exact: "While you were on your knees, why didn't you scrub the floor?"
Hekate
(90,978 posts)He's the best, isn't he?
Long live Terry! With his faculties, of course.
A new Discworld is coming out this autumn!
AlbertCat
(17,505 posts)I was gonna say, He didn't see them because they were not proselytizing and showing off how "generous" and holy they are.
Look closer, Jackass.
Towlie
(5,332 posts)"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." -- Matthew 6, 1-4
sarge43
(28,946 posts)to charities and relief efforts. By the way, I've never deducted any of it from my taxes. Can your church groups say the same?
.
.
.
.
.
.
Didn't think so.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)fund the religious organizations. Coming soon, Christian schools and Christian hospitals, etc.
starroute
(12,977 posts)For example, OpOK Relief is having a clean-up event today:
Saturday 9:00am to 8:00pm (6/29): Major cleanup operation in Newalla this weekend. The property at the end of Blueridge Road East in Newalla has severe tornado damage, and the homeowner has not received any help with cleaning it up. Her trailer was completely destroyed, and her quilt workshop as well. A large number of trees were also decimated by the storm. This weekend, we will be focusing on tree removal and moving some of the debris up to the road so it can be cleared out. Its a large project, and we can use all the volunteers we can get!
Lots more listed at their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OpOKRelief
ancianita
(36,207 posts)KansDem
(28,498 posts)Typical for religionists.
Coyotl
(15,262 posts)Not to mention billionaires
progressoid
(50,011 posts)Well, theres been a bit of a kerfuffle about my observation in this weeks cover story, that you dont see organized groups of secular humanists giving out hot meals in disaster relief areas like Moore, Oklahoma, after the tornados. Let me explain.
First of all, I consider myself a secular humanist. ....
There is, I know, something mealy-mouthed and uncommitted about my squishy spirituality. And that is part of what I was thinking about when I made the observation about organized groups of secular humanists not being present in disaster zones. As a society, weve lost a good deal of our sense of communitarian commitment. Thats not a novel observation, of course. It was best made by Robert Putnam in Bowling Alone, twenty years ago. But the churchesdisdained and sometimes ridiculed in my part of the world, Acela worldstill have it. Many of their teachings are improbably literal and sometimes close-minded to the point of ugliness; but the church groups are always out there, in droves, when a disaster happens.
There was a time when secular service organizations had a greater sway in this country and, no doubt, a greater presence when disaster struck. But thats not true nowalthough, it is certainly true, as my critics point out, that secular humanists, including atheists, can be incredibly generous. I never meant to imply they werent. But they are not organized. The effects of this post-modern atomization is something Ive been trying to puzzle through for most of my career. Thats why I find the military, and the community values that are at the heart of military culture, so intriguing. Thats why I find the groups featured in my cover story about public service this week so inspiring. I believe that they sustain an essential part of citizenship that the rest of us have lost track of, the importance of being an active part of something larger than yourself.
sarge43
(28,946 posts)Jerry442
(1,265 posts)rurallib
(62,477 posts)Joey, Joey
If you want to join a religion you can. They'll take your money - they really don't give a shit about your soul......
And sign up for that military you love maybe it will save some poor kid......
Hissyspit
(45,788 posts)Uhh...?
secondvariety
(1,245 posts)that starts with "...a bit of a kerfuffle..." is better ignored.
Skittles
(153,261 posts)"..........something mealy-mouthed and uncommitted about my squishy spirituality"
sarge43
(28,946 posts)Run that community values thing by a gay who summarily discharged just because he was gay or a service woman who was raped, ignored and summarily discharged because she was pregnant or the African American who was assigned to a slo mo career field simply simply because she was black and female.
Hate to take the shine off, but the military can be a pit of rabid wolves that eat their own. But you would have known that had you bothered to sign up.
MisterP
(23,730 posts)Kurovski
(34,655 posts)When our neighborhood in a small coastal town lost power for one week during major storms in the state (during which I-5 was literally underwater), we all took care of each other.
Klein hangs out with the kind of political sociopaths who seek power. He's far removed from what happens in the world with people who are not roiling with self-interests. If he's not presented with someone wearing a tee shirt telling him otherwise, he must simply assume the status quo.
AlbertCat
(17,505 posts).....the importance of being an active part of something larger than yourself.
Speak for yourself Joe...what you mean "we"?
MADem
(135,425 posts)Read more: http://swampland.time.com/2013/06/25/secular-humanist-watch/#ixzz2Xm2SUbWy
ananda
(28,891 posts)As the article stated, some organized groups have a clear ID and advertize
themselves giving and caring. Secular humanists are just people who have
a certain philosophy and world view independent of organized religions
and charities.
In fact, I'm a secular humanist who happens to be a theist. But I don't
advertize it or use it as a brand.
DreamGypsy
(2,252 posts)at Foundation Beyond Belief
CURRENT FOCUS: OKLAHOMA CITY TORNADO RELIEF EFFORTS
RECIPIENTS: Operation USA and Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma
DONATIONS TO DATE: $44,100 (28 May, 12:00 PM ET)
Foundation Beyond Belief is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation created to focus, encourage and demonstrate humanist generosity and compassion. We select and feature five charitable organizations per quarter, one in each of the following cause areas:
Education
Poverty and Health
Human Rights
The Natural World
Challenge the Gap (charities based in other worldviews)
Members join the Foundation by signing up for a monthly automatic donation in the amount of their choice, then set up personal profiles to indicate how they would like their contribution distributed among the five categories.
Active members can advocate for causes and help us choose the new beneficiaries each quarter. We also host a multi-author blog focused on humanism, philanthropy, and the intersection of the two.
Giving members: 1,431
Volunteers: 2,850
Humanist Giving (Q2) $46,255
Crisis: OK Tornado $45,105
LLS Giving (2013 to date) $3,210
Total since launch: $983,480
roody
(10,849 posts)DeSwiss
(27,137 posts)- Now we know......
K&R
progressoid
(50,011 posts)I'm just watching Season 8 of Peep Show.
And Mitchell and Webb did a great bit about miracles...
CarmanK
(662 posts)Kurovski
(34,655 posts)the 1% will toss his ass to the curb. The Fellowship is a harsh and busy mistress.
While actively dismantling Democratic 'gubmint in a headlong rush, it still has time to keep tabs on those not fully promoting the proper mythical narrative.
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)watching them from clouds? Come on, that just makes no sense."
LostOne4Ever
(9,292 posts)Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)progressoid
(50,011 posts)Deep13
(39,154 posts)...human unity, the beauty and dignity of persons, and the duty to care for each other.
I do not believe in anything supernatural.
If you believe in the above virtues, then we are on the same side even if you believe in what I consider to be imaginary friends. We will not agree on that and I consider myself free to argue my own perspective.
I've given a lot of money to what I considered worthy causes over the years, but never to soup kitchens. My problem with them is that they seem to be designed more for making middle class volunteers feel good than they are about ending poverty. After the people are feed, they are still dirt poor.