Wasn’t sure if I wanted to add this, but I guess I will. The difference in how we handle charity makes sense to me, because I sense an unwillingness in atheist communities (or at least in me and the people I know) to ask for help in the first place compared to religious communities.
This year, I was unable to go to university because I went to a private school for grades 10 − 12, and my dad got sick and has been unable to work this year. We did not have enough money for me to pay for most of my courses so I took this year off to work, and might take next year off as well. My parents asked for help at church (and this was actually after I stopped attending) and were able to get almost half of the money we still needed. I feel kind of bad about accepting money from people who I just decided to stop meeting with, but since I am going to have my work cut out making enough this summer as it is, I am glad that they helped. When I have problems, I tend to focus on what I could be doing to fix them so much that I kind of forget that it would not be an issue if I could swallow my pride and get help. Maybe religion conditions you to think that all of your problems are insurmountable if you don’t try and get assistance from someone else, I am not sure.
Wasn’t sure if I wanted to add this, but I guess I will. The difference in how we handle charity makes sense to me, because I sense an unwillingness in atheist communities (or at least in me and the people I know) to ask for help in the first place compared to religious communities.
This year, I was unable to go to university because I went to a private school for grades 10 − 12, and my dad got sick and has been unable to work this year. We did not have enough money for me to pay for most of my courses so I took this year off to work, and might take next year off as well. My parents asked for help at church (and this was actually after I stopped attending) and were able to get almost half of the money we still needed. I feel kind of bad about accepting money from people who I just decided to stop meeting with, but since I am going to have my work cut out making enough this summer as it is, I am glad that they helped. When I have problems, I tend to focus on what I could be doing to fix them so much that I kind of forget that it would not be an issue if I could swallow my pride and get help. Maybe religion conditions you to think that all of your problems are insurmountable if you don’t try and get assistance from someone else, I am not sure.