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Helping Haiti because it makes us feel good
Whenever natural disasters strike, there follows an outpouring of humanity. We have a deeply evolved psychological need to help people who are suffering, especially when heart-rending images enter our home. The tear-streaked face of an orphaned child, or the look of desperation in a father's eyes as he searches through rubble for his family touch our hearts. We are shaped by Darwinian natural selection to be empathetic.
Most people never think about the reasons such behaviors have arisen in humans. In fact, there is often such a simplistic view of Darwin's theory that many people argue such generosity toward others, especially strangers, is impossible.
That's where the religious apologists step in. Atheism, many claim, is just too 'selfish' a world-view to do good.
The real facts, however, are very different. All humans, independent of their religious identity, fall along the normal bell curve of generosity, kindness, and caring. Some are generous, some are not, and it has little to do with whether or not they are religious. But whereas religious people often give through their churches, when atheists commit acts of kindness they usually don't identify themselves as such. This omission feeds the myth that atheists are not involved with the community because they have no god to tell them what to do: no divine instruction manual to feed them the meaning of 'good'.
Over the past week, I've witnessed an incredible outpouring of atheist generosity. On Jan. 16, The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (RDFRS) along with a dozen other secular organizations and bloggers formed Non-Believers Giving Aid (NBGA), a permanent fund set up to assist secular disaster relief organizations. In the case of Haiti: Doctors without Borders and the International Red Cross.
The word went out across the internet and on the first day of operation the fund reached over $100,000. That giving has continued and now NBGA has reached over $400,000 with all the monies going for relief aid. At the present rate we shall reach half a million dollars soon. But even more stunning than the money are the numbers of donors. Over 9,000 people giving from over 50 different countries with an average donation of around $30. While there have been a few large donations, the vast majority come from people identifying themselves as non-believers who simply want to do something, even if they don't have much themselves.
But it is not just disasters that spur Atheists on to action. I just spent Sunday morning with a group in Austin, Texas, called Atheists Helping the Homeless. As we handed out socks, gloves, soap, and such things to the 40 or 50 homeless people at 8.00am, a few yards away under the freeway was a church group setting up to give out food. Not without the sermon first, however. I never heard a single AHH volunteer ask if anyone was an atheist, tell them why they should be an atheist, or that atheism would lead them to happiness.
It is not that we atheists are claiming the moral high-ground. We commend our religious counterparts for giving aid. It is just that we admit we do it because it makes us feel good. Some people might criticize our motive, but then they open the door to the criticism that doing good to get into heaven is not exactly a selfless act either.
So perhaps the one motto on which atheists and theists can agree is 'just do good.'
By
R. Elisabeth Cornwell
|
January 25, 2010; 9:15 AM ET
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Posted by: TXatheist | January 26, 2010 6:50 AM
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One of the many critics of NBGA asked "Why don't they just give to an existing charity like Christian Aid?" quite unaware of the irony of their words.
I am certainly glad there is a charity that won't divert any of my money to solar-powered audio bibles, or conversion, or indoctrination, or brass bands.
Posted by: hugh7 | January 26, 2010 3:04 AM
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One of the many critics of NBGA asked "Why don't they just give to an existing charity like Christian Aid?" quite unaware of the irony of their words.
I am certainly glad there is a charity that won't divert any of my money to solar-powered audio bibles, or conversion, or indoctrination, or brass bands.
Posted by: hugh7 | January 26, 2010 2:47 AM
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I have never been comfortable about blowing my own horn for helping someone who has needs while I have a bit more than I need to get by. I have changed my mind because religious groups have promoted lying about nonbelievers.
I have always looked at the noise about religious donations as the worst sort of bragging. I haven't changed my mind about that.
I am now happy to have an official group that I will not hesitate to give donations to.
Posted by: mickle1 | January 25, 2010 7:34 PM
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Do the right thing because it's the right thing to do - that's really the only reason you need.
Posted by: lepidopteryx | January 25, 2010 4:47 PM
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I donate to all sorts of organization and causes. My religion, or lack thereof, has nothing to do with giving; it is just the right thing to do.
Posted by: emonty | January 25, 2010 4:41 PM
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Atheists who help others do so because they believe it is right, not because they are trying to buy their way into Heaven.
Posted by: bpai_99 | January 25, 2010 4:35 PM
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I'd just like to point out that the contributions mentioned by Elizabeth must represent a serious undercount of the number of non-believer donors and of the amount of money non-believers have donated. I wasn't aware of the NBGA activities so last week I donated $100 to the American Red Cross and $100 to Doctors without Borders (that's in addition to my usual annual donations to those two organizations). So even a (gasp) GAY atheist can be good.
Posted by: GayAtheist | January 25, 2010 2:42 PM
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Atheists are helping in Haiti because, contrary to what religionists like to accuse, we DO believe in something bigger than ourselves.
Six billions times as big.
Posted by: WmarkW | January 25, 2010 1:16 PM
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Very good Elizabeth!
I feel even better about donating when I know that the help for the Haitian people is based on the science of medicine and logistics. I want to support the first responders who continually evaluate the effectiveness of their methods and procedures. I am proud to support their efforts and donated through NBGA last week.
Most people never think about the reasons such behaviors have arisen in humans. In fact, there is often such a simplistic view of Darwin's theory that many people argue such generosity toward others, especially strangers, is impossible.
How true. Educating ourselves and our children about what we actually know about ourselves and our world is surely one of the most important public and private missions we have today.
We are going to have to think and feel our way out of many problems in this complicated world!
Posted by: -ID62- | January 25, 2010 1:01 PM
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Thank you for some sense Elisabeth. And thank you for the donation update.
People who donate just donate - the good thing about donating as an atheist is that there are now collection points for the donations.
I have never been comfortable with the idea of the attached proselytising strings with church collected aid.
Now there's an alternative. Excellent!!
Posted by: VeroniqueD | January 25, 2010 12:32 PM
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Outstanding Elizabeth! RDF rocks my world view! Keep up the good and important work.
Posted by: JohnBGriffith | January 25, 2010 12:12 PM
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It was a pleasure to meet you Elisabeth. Every penny we get goes straight to buying toiletries in case anyone had that question. Please check us out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFYeBGxFsYw