Helping Others
Helping Others
Religion and psychology share many characteristics, but one that receives too little attention is the idea that they can help us become better people. Religion can make us more humane, more caring toward others. Psychology can be used to alleviate people's suffering. Of course, it doesn't always work out this way -- people may use religion to inspire hatred toward others, or a twisted mind might devise an experiment that results in psychological harm -- but my personal inclination is to see how we can benefit others.
When I began this page, it was early in April, 1999, and there was fighting in Yugoslavia. News reports suggested that the government forcibly moved one million people from their homes, and killed those who resisted. In response, a coalition of countries bombed facilities, equipment, and people in Yugoslavia, resulting in injuries and deaths of people whose only crime was that of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. By the time that you read this, the conflict in that area of the world may have been resolved... I certainly hope so. But history suggests to us that in all probability there will be another conflict or disaster deserving our attention. Humanity suffers when we ignore the pain that others feel. There are many ways that we can try to alleviate such suffering. The following organizations are actively engaged in just this task, and would welcome your help. Get involved!
- The Hunger Site donates food to hungry people throughout the world, and all you need to do is click your mouse to view a page of advertisements. I try to click the link every day. If we all do, it will make a difference!
- Adventist Development and Relief Agency, http://www.adra.org
- American Friends Service Committee, http://www.afsc.org
- American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, http://www.jdc.org
- American Jewish World Service, http://www.ajws.org
- American Red Cross, http://www.redcross.org
- American Refugee Committee, 612-872-7060
- Baptist World Aid, http://www.bwanet.org
- Brother's Brother Foundation, http://www.brothersbrother.com
- CARE, http://www.care.org
- Catholic Relief Services, http://www.catholicrelief.org
- Christian Children's Fund, http://christianschildrensfund.org
- Church World Service, http://www.churchworldservice.org
- Direct Relief International, http://directrelief.org
- Doctors Of The World, http://www.doctorsoftheworld.org
- Doctors Without Borders, http://www.dwb.org
- Feed The Children, 800-328-2122
- Food For The Hungry International, http://www.fh.org
- Food For The Poor, http://www.foodforthepoor.org/
- Global Volunteer Network
- International Aid, http://www.internationalaid.org
- International Medical Corps, http://www.imc-la.org
- International Orthodox Christian Charities, http://www.iocc.org
- International Rescue Committee, http://www.intrescom.org
- Latter-day Saint Charities, 801-240-6311
- Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Service Center, 801-240-5846
- Lutheran World Relief, 800-597-5972, http://www.lwr.org
- MAP International, http://www.mag.org
- Mercy Corps International, http://www.mercycorps.org
- Operation USA, http://www.opusa.org
- Oxfam America, 800-77-OXFAM
- Salvation Army World Service Office, 703-684-5528
- Save The Children, http://www.savethechildren.org
- U.J.A. Federations of America, 212-566-8610
- United Methodist Committee on Relief, http://www.gbgm-umc.org/units/umcor/
- U.S. Association for the UN High Commissioner For Refugees, 202-296-5191
- U.S. Committee For Unicef, http://www.unicefusa.org
- World Concern, http://www.worldconcern.org
- World Food Program, http://www.wfp.org
- World Relief, http://www.wr.org
- World Vision, 888-511-6423
Support the Psychology of Religion Site by buying books at Amazon.com.
Back to Psychology of Religion Home Page ...or.... 
Top of this file
Email me - delete the "_delete_me_" portion: mnielsen_delete_me_@georgiasouthern.edu