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Many statistics and people say that atheists aren’t charitable people. However, they seem to miss that the nation’s largest charitable foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was founded by an atheist – Bill Gates.
It was reported by the Associated Press today that several charitable groups have committed to continue charitable giving during this time of economic crisis. Among those committing to do so is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. What’s more is they have gone a step further.
Though Microsoft has experienced a decline in profits, it was announced this week that the foundation is increasing its giving percentage from five to seven.
According to the report, “[a]s of mid-January, 50 of the nation's largest foundations had committed more than $100 million in grants aimed at reducing foreclosures, keeping food bank shelves stocked and providing services to the homeless and financial counseling for others.”
You can see Bill Gates' annual letter here.
Comments
"Many statistics and people say that atheists aren’t charitable people. "
Could you cite these 'many statistics'? It sounds like you're making stuff up here
Atheists don't tend to give as much to charity (google "atheists are generous they just don't give to charity")
Trina, I'm aware of the contention that Bill Gates is an atheist due to some comments he's made but I haven't ever found anything where he comes out and directly says "I'm an atheist". Also, the articles implying he is an atheist aren't very recent, and people some times undergo conversions. Does anyone have anything recent and definitive?
Geneva, there have been studies implying atheists give less to charity than their Christian counterparts. I don't have the links at hand so I'll just have to ask you to take my word for the following: The study found Christians give more to charity, BUT when one accounts for giving to charity NOT through the church, they're pretty equal. There are also confounding factors not accounted for, like atheists tend to be better educated and wealthier and look to the government to take care of the citizenry and see their taxes as a form of charity to the citizens (same for me!). The amounts given are self reported instead of documented amounts. You would expect a Christian to report being more generous than an atheist. I've seen the actual questionnaire and the questions about religious affiliation came before questions about charity thereby "priming the pump" to self report greater amounts of charity. Lastly, atheist seem to provide their charitable dollars to the humanities like museums and zoos while Christians tend to go more for direct human aid.
It's a real mixed bag.
Wow, must be nice having barrels of money lying around!
RT
www.total-privacy.us.tc
Atheist or not we need more generous people like Gates. He is cut from a different cloth.
Thank you Melinda and Bill.
Why is Microsoft mentioned in this piece? The Gates foundation has nothing to do with the company.
Well, that's what happens when you develop your own morals rather than pulling them from the dark ages!
That is a bunch of BS his wife is catholic. He's just pleasing her most likely. Beside's he is Agnostic at best.
One must take the assertion that Christians give more for humanitarian reasons with a grain of salt. The ministries have made it quite clear that the charity is only for the purpose of bringing the word of their god to the downtrodden. If they can not be converted then the charity is withheld and given to others so that they may be converted. Several high ranking church officials have been quoted as stating that conversion is the focus of their charitible actions and that anything else is a waste of the church's time.
The most generous and caring people I know are all atheists. Its a myth to think that you need to be irrational to be good.
The Gates foundation is shaped by Melinda gates,Bills wife.Bill Gates said.You know,I wouldnt be doing the foundation if it wasn’t for her, and shes really shaped where we’re going with it. Bill has said of his philanthropic efforts. And
Melinda has a clear agenda on a range of issues. Melinda is a Catholic,a Validictorian of Urseline Academy a Catholic Girls School. Bill Gates said : In terms of doing things I take a fairly scientific approach to why things happen and how they happen. I don’t know if there’s a god or not, but I think religious principles are quite valid. He also said There’s a lot of merit in the moral aspects of religion. I think it can have a very, very positive impact. Warren Buffets money was given to and is also controlled by the Gates foundation. So Atheists were NOT the factor in the foundation, and a Catholic is guiding it. Any questions for or against religion are pointless and stupid. We are what we want to be, its our choice and nobody elses business.
Barna Group June 2007.
Even subtracting church-based giving, active-faith adults donated twice as many dollars to charitable causes last year than atheists and agnostics
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