Expert: Philip A. Stahl - 9/9/2010

Question
what is your religious perspective, e.g Christian, Buddhist?

how do you react to extreme poverty throughout the world?

how do you personally help the poor?

do you think yourself and people in general are capable to support a sponsor child or a organisation helping people in extreme poverty?

do people need religious motivation to make a difference in the world?

if you were capable why do you choose to/ or not to support people in extreme poverty?

what do you believe your religious framework is doing towards helping extreme poverty become extinct?

Answer
Here are the answers, in the sequence asked:

a) atheist - i.e. this is an atheist forum

b)Dismay and disappointment that humans are unable to stop over-populating the planet and placing themselves at the margins.

c) I donate to a number of different charities designated for the purpose.

d) Helping one or two people even by sponsorhip will never ever be enough if the majority of humans continue reproducing beyond the capacity ('carrying capacity') of the planet to support them.

e) No.

f) I help people in groups -via organizations-  by regular contributions. I have no illusions whatsoever this will make a dent in "solving" any global poverty as long as reproductive rates exceed the resources available.

g) Since I don't have a "religious framework" - given atheism is most assuredly not a religion, this is not really relevant.

Besides, no religion or any collaboration of such will make poverty extinct so long as people reproduce beyond the planet's ability to support them. (Look, for a cautionary tale, at what happened to the Easter Islanders. This is now on the verge of happening to humanity as we approach 'Peak Oil'. For more on this consult:
www.dieoff.org and read all the material therein carefully!)