The Huffington Post Tara Kelly First Posted: 10/17/11 04:02 PM ET Updated: 10/18/11 02:40 PM ET
When philanthropist Todd Stiefel approached the American Cancer Society (ACS) about donating $250,000 in matched grants, he probably didn't expect his offer to be turned down a few months later.
But according to Alertnet, that's what happened after offering a donation that could potentially raise half a million dollars by joining up with Foundation Beyond Belief, a secular charity funded by atheists, freethinkers, and humanists.
Stiefel proposed atheists around the world participate as part of a national team in the ACS Relay For Life fundraiser.
The Examiner reports, the ACS denied the FBB an offer to compete in the national fundraiser, saying it was only open to corporations, even though other charities were invited to take part.
Instead, Alertnet explains ACS was happy to receive the donation, just not have them participate nationally at the Relay For Life event.
Last Thursday the Foundation Beyond Belief decided to go public with a statement from Executive Director Dale McGowen:
As you may have heard, a planned project by Foundation Beyond Belief to raise up to a half million dollars through the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life program was recently tabled when ACS declined to allow us to create a national Relay team as other non-profits have done."
But ACS refuted the statement. "It's essentially untrue...We never turned down any donation...The American Cancer Society is all about staying well and saving lives...The relay for life event is the most successful event, we are inclusive and plural," said Greg Donaldson, ACS's Vice President for Communications in a phone interview with the Huffington Post.
Donaldson also explained ACS never directly dealt with Foundation Beyond Belief before. "My organization has had no conversations with the Foundation Beyond Belief. We've been talking to Todd [Steifel] for two years about how we can work together," Donaldson said. "Our organization is being used and that is really regrettable," he added.
The Examiner reports that angry comments soon began appearing on the ACS Facebook wall, with commenters threatening to never donate to ACS again and questioning why one organization is allowed to participate in the Relay For Life while others were barred from it.
ACS responded to several individuals denying the claims and explaining their decision.
This is not the first time Foundation Beyond Belief or atheist groups have encountered difficulties when donating to charities. According to the organization's statement, it is the fourth rejection, but they continue to work with 70 other charitable organizations.
Correction: A previous headline on this story indicated that the American Cancer Society was turning down money from Foundation Beyond Belief. The American Cancer Society has indicated that they will accept donations, but Foundation Beyond Belief's requests to participate in Relay for Life nationally have been declined.
Does The American Cancer Society Have A Problem With Atheist Money?
Read your Bible, from Genesis 1:1 all the way through to Revelation 22:21, and don't lift 2 words out of God's Holy Word, out of context.
Jesus told Peter; "Thou hast rightly judged."
Furthermore, we are told in Holy writ that, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, for they are Spiritually discerned."
And; "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us who are saved, it is the power of God."
God has indeed called believing Christians to be fruit inspectors, as the Bible tells us; "By their fruit ye shall know them.
Much more is said in the Bible, which I have read some 25 times, but I'll trust you'll prepare yourself to meet your Creator, as the Bible tells us that each one of us shall give an account of himself to God. You will not be held accountable for your neighbor.
In closing, we are told that every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
And we have all these wonderful people we can read about in these books of Potter. Wonderful stories that teach us morality and how to live our lives, and that believing in magic (and using magic on muggles!) is better than being without magic, and therefore left out of the wonderful kingdom of Hogwarts.
Oh how sad for those people who do not believe in the magic of Harry Potter. Perhaps we should call upon our Father Figure Dumbledore that these poor fools will one day see the light, that Harry Potter is a great wizard, and he made a great sacrifice long ago and destroyed Voldemort. And through Harry we shall one day see the kingdom of Hogwarts. All you need to do is believe in Harry Potter, and he shall grant your prayer, or not, and you will only know if your prayer comes true if it does. And if it doesn't, then Harry decided not to use his magic for you. But he will never tell you which way he decides, you can only guess at it.
Keep the faith! Expelliarmus forever!
Well the American Cancer Society has turned down this money, because of principles, and would never take donations and give them to fund smokers rights.
The breasts grow considerably during pregnancy while under influence of high levels of the hormone estrogen, a known carcinogen. Estrogen causes the woman's normal and cancer-vulnerable breast lobules to multiply. If she has an abortion, she's left with more places for cancers to start in her breasts. If she has a baby, then other pregnancy hormones mature her breast lobules into cancer-resistant lobules during the last months of pregnancy. She's left with more cancer-resistant tisue than she had before she became pregnant
An April 2009 study by Jessica Dolle et al. of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center examining the relationship between oral contraceptives (OCs) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive form of breast cancer associated with high mortality, in women under age 45, contained an admission from Dr. Brinton and her colleagues that abortion raises breast cancer risk by 40%.
The study found that "a statistically significant 40% increased risk for women who have abortions" exists, and that a " 270% increased risk of triple negative breast cancer (an aggressive form of breast cancer associated with high mortality) among those who used oral contraceptives while under age 18 and a 320% increased risk of triple negative breast cancer among recent users (within 1-5 years) of oral contraceptives," also exists.
Sorry about that.
I will alway support the American Cancer Society, as I have since my loving mother passed away from cancer, but now I do it with a much invigerated feeling that not only do they stand for finding a cure but also for principles. Why take 1/2 a million from an organization who represents demonistic influences because money from that source will surely only bring dispare.
Congratulations to the American Cancer Society. God Bless them, and those who support them and stand by them.
He can not fix the economy.
He can not stop war waged for profit.
Free thinking is all inclusive.
Not accepting charity is about as narrow minded as you can get.
/God has all the money he needs, but he can fix the economy if only a small portion of what is earned is spent doing his work.
/God can stop the war for profit, but isn't the problem most people have is a war for poverty. Seems more are trying to be poor than wealthy.
Would you expect that your family member who needed some money took some off of a drug dealer, or a bank robber? How about just a petty thief? Maybe from someone who said to them I will give you this so long as you never speak to your father again. Would that be OK?
consider your position carefully, eternity is a very long time.
I'm so glad your god made me an atheist.
Your thought process is that of a six year old.
Those of you so fearful of not getting into heaven are turning away charity?
Your god seems so judgmental.
I had the impression he was all embracing and all loving.
Why are you believers looking so grumpy?
A non-believers money won't give you any diseases.
And I'm afraid we can't wait for your god to cure cancer.
I am absolutely delighted that the ACs turned down this money. It would be about as bad as taking a stolen toy and giving it to your children as a birthday gift.
Wait, you have a bible that speaks?
We respect your decision and will pray for those of our lost friends with conviction and compassion in our hearts.