you, i can't think of any, either. not big, well-known ones.

as a point, some years ago, a Secular Humanism group i was involved with [being a theist, i wasn't considered really part of the group, but we worked together on things fairly often] was trying to get other groups to start local micro-charities. one of the groups we approached was a local college's Libertarian Society [they had a more official name, but i can't remember it - we called everything a "club", but they hated being called "The Libertarian Club", so...] and to be honest, we weren't [as a group] hopeful when we approached them. Libertarians have a sort of bad name in the "Charity" field. i was one of the few who didn't think we'd be wasting our time, because even if the *GROUP* didn't participate, members might [i was raised on Heinlein...]
and the whole club decided to. quickly. like, RIGHT THEN. the president? guy in charge, anyway, heard us out, and then said something like "This is a great idea! we can spread the word while helping people, and helping people makes us look better, and then maybe people will actually LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT WE BELIEVE! why didn't we think about this before?"

sadly, it didn't last long - that guy graduated, and the next guy basically said "we aren't a church" - but while it lasted, it was good. they gained several members and etc.

there are many aspects of the Libertarian position i agree with; the general stance on charity is where i start to fall off. if that follows. [not the only place, but it's one of the big stumbling blocks]

there are places where it might be easier - Atheism+ is a new movement that is, in part, focused on activism and charity outside/without government *AND* religion.
and as the guy said - it makes you look good, helps spread the message AND helps people in general. i don't see a downside :)

[PS: here via Vyckie]

i am not the blog writer. i am not a frequent blog visitor. i am not anyone.
BUT
i have had similar questions leveled at me. because i mentored teens for years, and more than one of my teens had suffered abuse at the hands of a member of the clergy. various, by the way, not just Christian. and the question is always: WHY are you *ONLY* attacking THESE kinds of people, the people who commit these crimes who also happen to have a religious vocation?"
[in my case, i *DON'T* just attack those who are clergy, but people always seem to assume i do. and ignore all the instances where it's others. neither here nor there.]

and here's what i'm going to say:
first: these are people playing sheep-in-wolves-clothing. they are using their power and position to prey on the weak. they DESERVE to be exposed.
because, further, due to socialization, people tend to try and reject the incident, the implications, everything! "Those sorts of things don't happen here!" or, if they do, "We made a mistake, but people make mistakes, it's now in God's hands"
and... it's not wrong [if one is a theist] to say "ok, God, we've done all we can here. the rest is up to you."
BUT
but it doesn't help the HURT of the person hurt to be blown off like that. and it *IS* being blown off.
FURTHER, shite like the blog owner has quoted, being told he "Can't be moral without God" - that's bullshit. and here's the proof. being good? has NOTHING to do with God, else these men and women COULD NOT commit these sins; they are DEDICATED to doing God's work, but can then break even commandment of God and man like this?

and, i'd like to add a bit of a mis-quote: "do not bother your brother about the mote in his until you've removed the log from your own."
religions have a REALLY bad habit of attempting to impose their OWN morality upon others - of saying "this is the ONLY way to be "Good", the way that WE SAY is the right way. if you do what we say, you ARE Good. you are Bad otherwise. WE are Good, this RELIGION is Good, it is the ONLY RIGHT WAY. you MUST follow THIS Religion and THIS Way to be good" - and, in the meantime, they're harboring evil of this level.

because religion? it isn't about *GOD* at all! religion was created BY Man FOR Man. didn't Jesus say that those wailing and crying in the street, praying in screams, that they wouldn't/couldn't be heard by God, because they were doing it for attention from other people, doing it for PRIDE and not for God - but that if you go into a closet, alone, and whisper to God, you would be heard? that where two gathered in his name, there was God?
FAITH is all you need. religion can be nice. but God is everywhere and everything; religion is merely a pair glasses one puts on to SEE God. and if the prescription is wrong, what you need is a different one - a different religion. it doesn't matter WHAT you call God, but THAT you call God.

and these people, pretending to do God's work while prey upon the weakest, those that Jesus ordered his follows to care for the MOST ["As you do unto these [children], so you do unto me", isn't it?] THEY are the epitome of everything wrong with religion.
THOU SHALL NOT JUDGE. and... you are. no one knows the time and place of their death, and no one knows what happens to them in the hereafter. that was stated quite firmly. all the people running around saying "You are going to Hell" are breaking a commandment more absolute and more RELEVANT than any of the 10 commandments [which... didn't the whole Jesus Came thing mean that the Law was fulfilled, and there was a NEW Law? it was ONLY "Love God. Love your neighbor as you Love yourself. Judge not, lest ye be judged." and... that's IT. that's the WHOLE of the Law!]

these people NEED to be exposed, as much as any - yet people are often more reluctant to expose and to deal, because it FEELS like an attack against God. it's NOT - it's an attack against RELIGION. which, i repeat, has NOTHING to do with God. God is FAITH. religion is a crutch.