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dmcgowan's blog
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Personal comment from executive director Dale McGowan Some ethical questions are difficult, and some are not.
When something so clearly indefensible happens, the obvious ethical response is to condemn it, period -- to say it was wrong, and not add a "but." Fortunately many atheist, humanist, and Pastafarian blogs are doing exactly that, without equivocation. Now Friendly Atheist and FBB board president Hemant Mehta has gone one step further, putting ethics into action by organizing a ChipIn drive to raise money to repair the damage. The power of this gesture is incredible. Whether your interest is in showing that atheists are ethical, or bridging the gap between worldviews, or rising above tribalism, or opposing antisocial action, or in simply doing the right thing, it's hard to imagine a better opportunity. Some commenters have opposed the idea, saying they would never give money to a church for any reason, that the churches already have enough tax-free money to fix the damage, that the money would indirectly support proselytizing, that "they would never do the same for us," and more. Though it's fine to make a personal choice one way or another, I find these particular arguments really disappointing and shortsighted. Whether they need the money utterly misses the point of the symbolic gesture against the act itself. Arguing that "they would not do the same for us" implies that we should measure our moral incentives on the lowest common denominator of those around us. I could go on for pages of Internet here. But I do understand where these arguments come from. A lot of us have been wounded by religion. There's no diminishing that reality, and it takes time and effort to get past the all-consuming influence of that justified anger. We should never stop opposing the ill effects of religion, but we do need to make sure that anger doesn't blunt our ability to reason, to discern, and to act ethically -- including the willingness to act more ethically than others. Fortunately, many are rising to the challenge to do the right thing in this situation, expressing our opposition to the unethical incident without asking the victim's worldview. Some are even going further by donating to right the wrong. It's an extraordinary opportunity to demonstrate humanism at its best. I hope that those of you who see the game-changing power of that gesture will add your support as well. By way of full disclosure: Hemant has named FBB as the recipient of any overflow from this drive. I for one hope we don't receive a dime -- that instead, every bit goes toward this unique ethical gesture. Kudos to Hemant for leading the way.
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Two churches in Bend, Oregon were 
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Early this morning, total donations from the members of Foundation Beyond Belief to our featured charities quietly surpassed $100,000. That money has done a lot of good in our one and only world -- feeding the hungry, educating children, providing access to health care, protecting biodiversity, fighting climate change, and supporting organizations that work for peace and basic human rights. One of the central ethics of humanism is mutual care and responsibility. In the absence of a supernatural caretaker, we know that the responsibility for improving this world rests where it always has -- with the people who live, think, feel, and act in that world. The humanists in this unique philanthropic community have made the choice to step forward, becoming more active in creating a better world as an expression of our worldview. For the remainder of 2011, we'll be working to increase our impact even more, connecting our members more tangibly to the work of our beneficiaries and increasing our own direct efforts through a humanist volunteer corps. In the meantime, thanks so much for your help in reaching this landmark. And on we go to the next! Dale McGowan, Executive Director |
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It costs NOTHING to become a Foundation Partner, and all Partner groups get a handsome web badge to tell the world about their engagement with humanistic giving. Added bonus: If you have members who are also individual Foundation members, their monthly contribution accrues to your group's total as well. A dropdown menu at the bottom of your Manage Donation page gives you the option of linking your contributions to one of our current Partners. Since launching the Partners program in September, five groups have signed on, raising $2,475 for our featured charities, and we're ready to welcome countless more. (We'll be introducing you to one of these groups in a coming post.) Interested in becoming a Foundation Partner? Representatives of existing groups compatible with the Foundation's mission and approach may apply by clicking this link: |
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The Foundation Partners Program gives existing organizations a way to engage in humanistic giving through Foundation Beyond Belief. Partner groups collect donations from their members to support our featured beneficiaries and the Foundation itself. Partners are encouraged to set goals, conduct fundraisers, and help connect their members to the outstanding work of our featured charities. 
