Humanism, atheism and other freedoms

We are all capable of being moved by the plight of Haiti. You don’t need to be told – by either earthly or unearthly authority – that the victims of the earthquake need and deserve our help.

Compassion and empathy are human attributes. They are a cornerstone of humanism and the source of morality, in all cultures and at all times. Faiths may claim ownership of moral codes, but for them to assert that their brand of belief is the only route to good and honourable action is as bizarre, arrogant and unjustifiable as claiming that only through religion can you walk on two legs.

We feel because we are human.

And because we are human, we want to help.

And now there is a way of giving for those who want to ensure that their money does not go to aid organisations that confuse faith with compassion.

The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science has set up a fund that will be distributed to two organisations:

• Doctors Without Borders (Médecins sans Frontières)
• International Red Cross

To donate, go to: Non-Believers Giving Aid