So, the American Cancer Society turned down a five-hundred thousand dollar donation from an atheist group last summer. That's right. The ACS turned down five-hundred thousand dollars! FIVE-HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLCARS!!!Why? Because it was being donated by an organization of godless heathens? Not according to them, but c'mon. What do you take us for, ACS? A nation of empty-headed dummies? You turned down a hefty donation from a group of cancer-hating citizens because they don't believe in God. Or a god. Or any spooky, planet-crafting, animal-building, human-programming spiritual force. They simply believe that we are and then, after we die, we aren't. Oh, yeah, and they wish there were a cure for cancer. They wish there were a cure for cancer so much that they raised half-a-million dollars for the cause. And you, American Cancer Society, said, "Oh, no thanks, atheists. We're fine." Ugh.
From examiner.com:
Thursday, the Foundation Beyond Belief issued a formal statement indicating that their offer to raise up to a half million dollars through the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life program was recently tabled when the American Cancer Society declined to allow the Foundation to create a national Relay team as other non-profits have done.
While the American Cancer Society (ACS) claims their inability to work with the Foundation Beyond Belief (FBB) has nothing to do with the Foundation's godless stance, the evidence indicates otherwise. The fact is, the ACS allows other non-profits to participate in the national relay, and the only conceivable reason for the ACS to disallow the FBB from participating is their somewhat controversial position towards religious belief.
I considered shoehorning in my old "Here's Why I Absolutely Hate All Religions" rant here, but I couldn't exactly get it to fit right. Sure, the ACS's percieved fear of backlash from religious organizations if they had accepted a donation from atheists highlights the unforunate power religion--specifically Christianity--holds over American society, but in the end it's the ACS that wussed out. Any church that would refuse to donate money to cancer research just because a donation from a group of atheists and free-thinkers was also accepted is beyond horrible. I don't think there are any churches like that. I hope there aren't any churches like that. Can you imagine?
Why does it matter who the money is coming from? We all hate cancer, right? Christians, atheists, Muslims, Jews, that weird alien-worshipping cult: we all want cancer to "hit the road," correct? The ACS should be taking any and all donations anyboy is willing to fork over.
And if I may stick it to the religious for just a moment--please, let me take my one jab--at least we know the atheists are donating money to cancer research without any ulterior motives. They're doing so because it is the right and decent thing to do. They aren't counting on bigger mansions in the afterlife, they're simply insuring that everyone can live a comfortable, cancer-free existence in this life.
(You can read more about this story here. And here. You can disagree with me in our comments section. You can also agree with me there. You can also write something about ordering Viagra online, but I'd rather you not.)
