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I am an atheist and I think it is vital to try and help where needed. I have been an active member of Amnesty International, Greenpeace, Survival and Shelter ( to help homeless people) for over 25 years, and also do work for the "Newspaper for the blind" locally , and Help the elderly. I also give money monthly to "sight savers" as well as take part in various local activities. I spent 2 months with "Medecins sans Frontieres" over 20 years ago in Ethiopia and Eritrea and it was an amazing experience. I feel it is paramount to "stand up and be counted" and give back to people who are less privileged. I also write to my member of Parliament on various social issues on a regular basis and try to lobby the government to protest about what I see as unfair and unjust in our society. To me this one of the major component of being a human being. If we are not part of the solution , we are part of the problem and being actively involved is the only way. I always find it really annoying when people moan about issues, and say "someone ought to do something". We are the someone and if we don't do it nobody will.
My giving back & volunteering is not based on my religious views... but because of something "I" want to do. I wouldn't enjoy volunteering if I felt "forced" .... into it. The things I do normally come from the heart - not a book or sermon.
One of things I do on a regular basis is donating whole blood and pheresis... People constantly tell me to go "downtown" and donate so I can get $50 a week for my donations. If I needed the money that bad... I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea since pheresis is usually a 2 hour procedure. Yet... I wouldn't feel like I was donating if I was doing it to "get something" out of it. That's just me though
I am also an atheist but feel volunteering/giving back is a vital part of being part of a human community. I work in non-profit and have been a part of Amnesty International, Literacy Volunteers, Meals on Wheels, Planned Parenthood, and many HIV/AIDS causes. We can't just wait for prayer to change things. It is vital that we are active citizens, in whatever causes we participte in.
Location: Ohio, but moving to El Paso, TX August/September
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I've done tons of volunteering. I was with Make-A-Wish foundation and Starlight foundation for 5 years. Since being here in OH, I am very involved with my synagogue (on the board and a member of Hadassah).
Unfortunately it won't let me pick both the top two answers.
I definitely think that anyone who can volunteer, should volunteer. I volunteer at church, at our kids' school, with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and several other small "task forces" related to "urban" issues in Grand Rapids.
As a type one diabetic let me say thank you I don't know if you can edit a poll, but I should have combined one and two because I think a lot of people do both! Including the person who made this poll.....ooopppssss!
Last edited by little_thirsty; 07-19-2007 at 02:20 PM..
As part of YOUR religious faith, do you believe its important to give back to others?
I believe it is important to give back to others no matter what your faith is. It is a moral issue for everyone including all faiths and non believers alike,
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I don't know if you can edit a poll, but I should have combined one and two because I think a lot of people do both! Including the person who made this poll.....ooopppssss!
