When an atheist

[frogmarch]

does a good deed, a common response from Christians is that the Christian god was working through the atheist, and that it was actually their god that did the good deed. However, when Christians do something good, they get the credit for it.

Whenever I hear this bs, I ask the Christian who said it why their god would perform a good deed through an atheist. What would be in it for their god? Would the atheist suddenly believe that it was really not they, but the Christian god, who’d done the good deed, and become Saved? I’ve never heard of that happening. Would the recipient of the good deed think that he or she could see through the atheist’s pretense of being a caring person and believe that the good deed was done by the Christian god, and that the atheist was merely a tool? I’ve never heard of that happening either, although if the recipient was a Christian, it could.

End of rant. I just get so fed up sometimes.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

1. A signboard message from the church down the street from me is apt

"Atheism is the dark room where evil is developed."

Unfortunately, there are many, many Christians with this attitude, so anything positive you do can only be explained by gawddidit.

[frogmarch]

2. And along with

"gawddidit," there's also the attitude that atheists who do good must have had Christian upbringings - and some of it stuck.

Atheism is the dark room where evil is developed. I'll keep my eye out for that one. Sheesh.

[Warren Stupidity]

4. Close the door, dammit, you're ruining my evil.

[AtheistCrusader]

19. Looooool

Sigh.

I remember those days. Formaldehyde in the clothes, rubylith for the screen printing, developer stink in the darkrooms. That weirdly sweet chemical stink...

[skepticscott]

5. The Good Samaritan

Atheist Version..

[dimbear]

12. The moral of the Good Samaritan trope is that you can be a good person even if you're only a second

class Jew, i.e. a Samaritan. Jesus' big tent stretches that far, but that far only.

The atheist mostly doesn't make any such restrictions.

[JNelson6563]

11. Glad I saw it before deletion!

Great post! I do little good deeds for people pretty regularly and don't share them with others either. I never thought to mention my atheism. Good idea.

Julie

[defacto7]

14. Can I throw in my 2 cents?

Don't delete this. It's a good lesson for all of us. It's not an "I'm better post", it's like a teacher or a leader post. Self confidence is good. It's not arrogant to be confident and proud of what you do, who you are and what you think. What the xtians do is false humility for a brownie point in heaven. What we do when we do something humanitarian is the real thing. That's what you did... the real thing. Be proud of it and show us the way!

BTW, you are not blowing your own horn... you are blowing the horn of reason!!

[A HERETIC I AM]

15. You flatter me unduly.

While I am flattered by your point that I am blowing the horn of reason, I do what I do because it is right.

Because I am a human.

And all others are my brothers. I am by no means perfect, nor do I, nor can I help everyone that needs it. But when I can, and when I am inclined, I do.

What the xtians do is false humility for a brownie point in heaven

Exactly. Faith on credit.


I appreciate your kind thoughts.

[defacto7]

17. OK, ok...

don't catch me on a technicality.

By sharing your story you are helping in another way. By caring and being there and helping out, that is what makes you a great human being and a role model for other atheists. It has nothing to do with being perfect or all inclusive. And by making sure these people know you are not some self serving xtian you are blowing the horn of reason whether you mean to or not... and you should.

Just don't delete.

[Curmudgeoness]

6. God works in mysterious ways.

Very very very mysterious.

God never has done things that make much sense, so why are you trying to figure this out? It is so obvious---there wasn't any Christian around at the time, so he had to make due.

[defacto7]

16. "God works in mysterious ways"

I think the scripture goes like this:

God works in mysterious ways, his wonders to deform.

[Apophis]

7. I've seen atheists do more good than christians in my town.

Atheists do good for others while xtians are in it for themselves.

[amuse bouche]

8. I tell the theists

if you need a book full of fear and threats to make you a moral person, then how moral are you really? Personally I find those types scary and have no trust in them

I would much rather be part of a group that is good, with no expectation or desire of reward or punishment

[Warpy]

9. I've found it a good policy to limit the amount of horseshit

I pay any attention to. It helps the blood pressure.

Another good help is saying "You would think that, wouldn't you? Well bless your heart."

I always mean that in the southern sense.

[Taverner]

10. It's that whole Calvinist "Total Depravity" thing

They think good things only happen because god is working

[dimbear]

13. If God is working thru the atheist, He ought to strike off some of the poor bastard's time in hell.

Fair is fair.

[cynatnite]

18. I gave a little cash to a pregnant homeless woman over the weekend...

she said "gawd bless you."

I never say anything when someone says that to me after giving them money, but I always want to say "Please, don't. I'm an atheist." I don't because I don't want the focus to shift to me. That's not why I give money.