Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Pinoy Atheist feeding project

This ariticle by Pinoy Atheist (from a Philippine Atheist group based in Manila) is quite a palate cleanser after my last article on Simbang Gabi superstition. The photos of feeding children in the Cavite neighborhood are absolutely priceless. I love the banner that was displayed, which is a positive message that kids rarely encounter:

"You can be good without religion"

A lesson that many adults still do not understand. I wonder what the adults in that Cavite neighborhood thought of that message?

Thank you Pinoy Atheist, and good luck with your feeding (and education) campaign. I hope to meet you next time I visit your part of the world!

7 comments:

Ruth said...

I used to believe you couldn't be good without religion. I'm starting to believe, some people at least, are better without it. The children in the pictures are beautiful!

Lorena said...

It takes balls to do that in a deeply religious country like the Philippines. I know I would probably be murdered in Latin America if I did something like that.

HeIsSailing said...

Lorena says:

"It takes balls to do that in a deeply religious country like the Philippines. I know I would probably be murdered in Latin America if I did something like that."

I showed my wife your comment and asked her if she felt those atheists hanging a banner like that in a very poor, very uneducated slum area of Cavite was in any way dangerous (we visited Cavite several times over Christmas - my wife is from Paranaque City, about an hour or so drive to the north)

She said that she thought the adults would be a little suspicious of an openly non-religious charity visiting them, but I have never yet met a Filipino who turned down food (believe me, these people love to eat - and I mean that in a good way!) But she said they were in no danger, as they still have more a sense of hospitality to thier own. (I, on the other hand, white anglo-spanglish-saxon that I am might find myself in a bit of a pickle if I tried such a stunt).

She told me, quite frankly, that she would feel safer as an open atheist in a rural slum area in Cavite than a rural slum area in the United States. Interesting perspective..!!

Anonymous said...

I'm thinking of doing some school in the Philappines. As an ignorant foreigner, is this a good thing to consider with my babies?

HeIsSailing said...

Prairie Nymph asks:
"I'm thinking of doing some school in the Philappines."

I am not sure I understand you - are you soon travelling to Philippines? Tell me more - I am interested.

Anonymous said...

I'm looking at school options. Being a homemaker is very difficult for me and my husband is pushing me to go back to school. There is a program in the Philappines that is appealing, but the school requires bible reading and church attendence.
I am still thinking of doing a practicum there, but I do not know much about the Philappines.
Kids complicate the equation :)

Anonymous said...

Prairie Nymph,

Why that far away? (Feel free email me if you'd rather.)

... Zoe ~