Atheists Scare American Cancer Society

[Roody]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Iv9fdAfCoE

Just wow....

[Opine]

Oh look, it's this thread again.


I do agree that the ACS turning down the money is a "just wow", though.

[Covarr]

These threads never end well.

[nfitc1]

Can some mod please lock this? I can't be objective in a response to this. I will say I find it offensive and leave it at that.

[Shankifer]

The title may be offensive but the content is legitimate. The ACS is bigoted for denying a donation from "Beyond Belief" or whatever they call themselves.

[DarkFang]

The title may be offensive but the content is legitimate. The ACS is bigoted for denying a donation from "Beyond Belief" or whatever they call themselves.

^ This.

I think if the title was changed then maybe people wouldn't take it so offensively.

[NxK]

I wonder if it would be more offensive if one had rather stated "Why Americans are stupid" than "Why religion is stupid". What do you think?

[nfitc1]

The title may be offensive but the content is legitimate. The ACS is bigoted for denying a donation from "Beyond Belief" or whatever they call themselves.

I completely agree. Change the title and I'll be fine with it.

[Roody]

okay poor choice in title but this sort of thing makes my blood boil when someones opinion about the after life  takes  priority over lives and the sad thing is its going to happen more and more because of the "suing culture" we've become

[nfitc1]

Read ACSs official response:

"We feel a need to address some of the comments posted on this Facebook page and a recent blog post related to the relationship between the American Cancer Society and Foundation Beyond Belief. We hope to clarify some misinformation and correct any misconceptions.


The Society has not turned down the Foundation Beyond Belief’s generous donation offer and we definitely don’t want to discourage the group’s participation in Relay For Life. We are grateful for their interest in saving lives from cancer. In fact, we continue to discuss with this group ways in which we can work together.

The Foundation sought to participate in Relay For Life’s National Team Program, which is a program for corporate donors and supporters. The Foundation Beyond Belief is not a corporate entity, so our representative offered alternatives to the National Team Program that are consistent with the way in which Relay For Life works with other foundations, student groups, social and philosophical organizations, and other types of groups across the country that do not meet the criteria of the National Team Program. Our representative encouraged participation by the Foundation Beyond Belief at the community level, and offered to make introductions to local Relay events in communities wherever the Foundation has affiliates across the country. The Society has similar relationships with millions of individuals representing similar organizations nationwide.

It is true that there are some recognition benefits available only to groups that are part of the National Team Program, and it is regrettable that some people may feel offended that the Foundation Beyond Belief would not be eligible to take advantage of those benefits. In managing Relay For Life, with thousands of community events and millions of passionate participants nationwide, we strive to deal fairly and consistently with everyone.

We sincerely hope we can find a resolution to this situation that is agreeable to all concerned , because it is clear that we all share a passion for Relay and our mission of helping people stay well, get well, find cures, and fight back against cancer. And at the end of the day, saving lives is what it is all about.

Reuel Johnson

National Vice President, Relay For Life"

The actual problem lies in ACS not acknowledging FBB's corporation status. Someone may have told ACS that FBB is not and ACS hasn't done all the research (pun intended), but it's not because they won't take atheist money. Someone, probably from FBB, told some media reporter "ACS won't take our money because we're secular" and reporters do what they do and they ran with it thinking that was the end of the story.

These "Young Turks" seem to have done just that without all the information. They use phrases like "...you can only assume that..." and making judgments when they don't have all the facts. Jayar just thinks it's a PR move. Do they even know what a non-profit organization is?!

[Opine]

Phew, thanks for posting some clarity NFITC1.
I was hoping ACS would come out with a statement making sense of the issue.

[Roody]

That official response doesn't explain their odd behavior  and why they allow a NPO like girl scouts to join their "Relay For Life" group and not FBB


The most update blog about this situation : http://bigthink.com/ideas/40745

In my opinion  one ACS's highly paying donaters doesn't want to be associated with the FFB in anyway or form, the FFB should have taken its money to a less picky and more open minded organisation the second they were told they wouldnt get what they want.

[nfitc1]

Girl Scouts IS a corporate entity. They were chartered by the US congress in 1950. They even have a book on what it means to be a Girl Scout Corporation.

FBB doesn't have many of the traits of a corporation. The have a 501(c)(3) tax exemption status, which can be granted to corporations, but that doesn't define them as a corporation.
"A corporation is a legal entity that is created under the laws of a state designed to establish the entity as a separate legal entity having its own privileges and liabilities distinct from those of its members." FBB does not have that legal status and not created or charted by any government agency.

In order for ACS to allow what FBB wanted, FBB as an entity has to be legally accountable. It's a legal issue, nothing else. I could probably keep saying that until I'm blue in the face and died from asphyxiation (through some divine intervention I spelled that correctly on my first try! o_O) and people who already take FBB's side would never believe it. Probably just because they don't understand (won't bother to take the time to learn about) the differences between corporations and organizations.
It's like minorities almost always seem to claim discrimination when they're denied some official service. It might be discrimination, but there might also be other factors involved.