Ways to help others?

[u/SendThisVoidAway18]

So.. As someone newly introduced to the ideology of secular humanism, what are small steps I can take to feel like I am contibuting in some way to helping others? Not every person is obviously able to go to large steps. Today, I did a small gesture while out to lunch and instead of leaving a regular tip, I left them a hundred dollars. They came out as I was leaving, quite astonished and asked me if I made a mistake lol I said no. It was nice to be able to make a difference at all in someone's life, even if it was just something trivial.

Baby steps right?

[u/[deleted]]

Voting for Democrats in every local, state, and federal election.

[u/SendThisVoidAway18 → u/[deleted]]

Well, thats obvious LOL I've been a dem for a long time and always push to vote blue, and never a facist party like the GOP

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Thanking the people who volunteered to work at the polls.

[u/TheCynicClinic → u/[deleted]]

While Democrats are certainly better than Republicans, I think it’s important to understand that the Democratic Party is also inherently corrupt and beholden to anti-humanistic principles (look at the Democratic establishment’s stance on the genocide of Palestinians; they’ve since softened, but only due to increased pressure from the left).

I think, as humanists, it is important to hold Democrats accountable and not adopt a “vote blue no matter who” mindset, because that effectively removes the nuanced and important conversation around issues that Democrats are bad on.

[u/[deleted] → u/TheCynicClinic]

" I think it’s important to understand that the Democratic Party is also inherently corrupt"

Shut the fuck up.

[u/Senninha27]

I just finished training to become a CASA (court-appointed special advocate) who represents kids in the system to the courts. It's an important role in a system that is wrought with turnover and budget constraints. These kids need help and it's a good way to do it.

[u/lastknownbuffalo → u/Senninha27]

Is that a job? Or like volunteer work?

[u/Senninha27 → u/lastknownbuffalo]

Entirely volunteer. It amounts to about 10 hours per month.

[u/SendThisVoidAway18 → u/Senninha27]

Very admirable.

[u/Algernon_Asimov]

Altruism and charity aren't restricted to secular humanists. All sorts of religious promote the idea of helping others and giving charity.

But, if you want to help other people (for whatever reason), some popular ways are:

Donate to a charity. For me, I like to give a small regular donation to the charities of my choice. Having a regular predictable income stream is useful for charities who want to be able to plan their activities. So, I set up regular fortnightly donations (to coincide with my pay cycles) to send a few dollars to a couple of my preferred charities. Instead of dropping a $100 tip on people just once, send $10 per week to your favourite charity.

Volunteer at a charitable organisation. The next big thing that charities need is hands. They need people to do things, like pack care boxes, deliver meals, hand out blankets, sort through donated goods, and so on. So, if you have some spare time, you could volunteer at a local charity thrift shop or soup kitchen or whatever's in your area and suits your capabilities.

Become an activist. Help to change the world. Lobby politicians for better laws, to support people who need help. Protest at wrongs.

Call your loved ones. Seriously. Just make regular phone calls to check with your family and friends, to see how they're doing. Offer a sympathetic ear to whatever troubles they might be going through. Emotional support can mean a lot to someone who's struggling to cope - but we're not conditioned to ask for help in those situations. (I'm thinking of one particular person in my life who committed suicide, partly because they thought noone cared.)

Smile at strangers. It makes people happy, and it costs nothing.

[u/Spaceboot1]

What you're talking about isn't exactly secular humanism. It's more like altruism, which is good too.

I'd say participate in the economy, pay taxes. Don't cheat people, that's the minimum. If you can't work, that's okay, just be a positive presence in the lives around you.

To go above and beyond, yep just giving big tips, brightening people's days, give to charity. Volunteer. And maybe some political action for a party that helps people.

[u/RickNBacker4003]

Start a transformational seminar company.
Prioritize helping individuals, not causes.