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Well, this is twisted: ACS turns down atheist donation
Atheists say the American Cancer Society discriminated against them for their beliefs when they rejected a godless group?s Relay for Life team? and their $500,000 contribution.
The incident happened over the summer, and the story?s now getting coverage in mainstream media (as well as atheist blogs), and putting pressure on the American Cancer Society.
From the Religion News Service:
Todd Stiefel, who channels tens of thousands of dollars to atheist causes from his Raleigh, N.C.-based Stiefel Freethought Foundation, had wanted to organize as many as 100 teams for the ACS? Relay for Life under the banner of the Foundation Beyond Belief. Stiefel said his family would match up to $250,000 raised by the national teams.
After getting an initial nod from the ACS, Stiefel said the charitable group told him in August that it would not support a national team or help keep a tally of donations raised by local relayers.
The American Cancer Society said a relay team sponsored by the Foundation Beyond Belief didn?t fit its new policy that organizes national teams only from corporations, not nonprofit groups?.
This is the second time Stiefel has had trouble donating to a prominent nonprofit group, which makes him wonder if atheist money is tainted. Last March, the Mississippi branch of the ACLU turned down $20,000, saying too many people ?tremble in terror at the word `atheist.??
Last week, ACS addressed the issue with a status update that?s generated hundreds of comments on their Facebook page, many critical of their decision to turn down the group and its money. The society, though, says members of the Foundation Beyond Belief are welcome to join local teams as individuals, just not form their own national team (for which they?d be listed in ACS literature, etc.)
?It?s clear that the American Cancer Society and Foundation Beyond Belief share a passion for saving lives,? the update said. ?We welcome FBB?s participation at our local Relay For Life events and we have not turned down their donations. We have shared this information with FBB and hope they know we welcome their ongoing support and involvement.?
Though atheists have been quick to call foul on this one, others are chiming in too. Fundraising for cancer research helps people of all faiths, regardless of who donated the money.
?The last time I checked, atheists are human beings plagued with all the same ills of humanity; cancer is no respecter of persons,? wrote seminary professor Brandon Withrow, for the Huffington Post. ?And while most people would likely understand not taking money from recognized criminal and terrorist organizations, this situation does not apply. So is ACS essentially slapping the hand of the Good Samaritan? A half-million dollars can go a long way for cancer research and why the ACS would turn this down is (wait for it) beyond belief.?
Re: Well, this is twisted: ACS turns down atheist donation
Sometimes I think people are just looking for something to complain about.
FBB wasn't turned down because of their beliefs (or lack thereof). They were turned down because, as a nonprofit group, they do not qualify for the ACS' national groups program.
Also, there is no one from FBB standing there with a check for $500k. It was an offer for a "potential" of UP TO $500k. They can still donate, they can still do the Relay, they just have to organize in a way that's compliant with the ACS structure. Goodness people are whiny.
I can see where you're coming from and will say, hey, it's not necessarily the group and it's beliefs ACS is turning down. But if your donation and organization structure calls for you to turn down hundreds of thousands of dollars, then you may want to rethink your policy
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It's not that a nonprofit can't organize a team- it's that they can't form a NATIONAL team. National teams get advertising rights, invitations to thank-you dinners, support from ACS national staff, etc.
ACS only allows for-profit corporations to sponsor a national team. They didn't say that FBB couldn't organize a team or teams to attend local relays, they just said that they do not provide support for a nonprofit to create a national team.