I will continue to help and allow the kid to help this worthy cause, but I found the day almost intolerable with all of the christian postulation.
I just want to help...
Having to listen to an endless parade of dead guy on a stick love and mastery of the universe just gets old. In a case like this I get irritated and mostly keep my mouth shut unless directly asked a question.
As one would expect this was trouble waiting to happen, and it did, at least I was able to smooth the situation down to a reasonable rumbling (I have lots of experience with this) and all seems well at the moment.
In this case I found myself defending another religion as several bronze age primitives felt the need to harass someone who is likely one of the few Buddhists in the entire community. I ended up letting out the “A” word (atheist) in the exchange and the “cat is out of the bag” now.
At least I have the small support of the even smaller community of Buddhists in town, and lots of folks who may not have the ability were able to eat a traditional meal today.
I know this isn't why you did it, but thanks for doing something for others.
ReplyDeleteOn another note... why aren't there more secular charities? I think the Christian monopoly on organized caring is a real turn off for non-Christians who would otherwise chip in. I used to volunteer at a blood bank and work with inner city youths in after-school reading programs, but dealing with the preachy religious nuts who used this as a platform for wrangling more butts into the pews of their church eventually made me give it up. I would even say that for a time, I looked down on volunteering as nothing but assholes trying to make up for what horrible people they were, or at least a cheap means of spreading religion.
It really is an unfortunate situation.
I do things for others because I do like to help. I don’t like people most of the time unless I can have a conversation or feel like I helped someone with something, that is why I do what I do for a "living.”
ReplyDeleteI am also not stupid enough to think I can change the world, local is the "best bang for the buck.”
I am also an anti-thiest so having the religious use my efforts to promote religion sticks in my craw, but feeding some thankful folks is just a nice thing that overcomes the vomit that rises in the craw with the religious.
I had the chance to meet a local Buddhist that was nice.
The local animal shelter is secular...
Animals are nice and all... but they aren't people. One of my bigger philosophical beefs with animal right activists is that we have people being treated horribly, so why are we spending so much time and energy on animals?
ReplyDeleteAlso, a lot of animals shelters are government run, and I'm not sure I'm looking to get a government job again. This might be why they're secular, since the big, evil state is (in theory) secular.
The local shelter is volunteer and community supported.
ReplyDeleteA person who beats an animal will beat and abuse another human.
Empathy is a good thing, human or animal.
Empathy, mercy, and altruism is much more useful and descriptive than sympathy.