toldailytopic: Homeless people: how should a society handle them?

[This Charming Manc]

You can do charity by distributing some of your extra income ........

Does this simple fact pass you by ? which are you stupid or dishonest ?

Yet you do not give away all of your extra income. Hypocrite. Don't say you give it away. You are on the internet.

 

[Selaphiel]

I agree with St.John Chrysostom:

“The poor man has one plea, his want and his standing in need: do not require anything else from him; but even if he is the most wicked of all men and is at a loss for his necessary sustenance, let us free him from hunger.”

“When you see on earth the man who has encountered the shipwreck of poverty, do not judge him, do not seek an account of his life, but free him from his misfortune.”

Leave the judgment of their worthiness to God, the duty of the Christian is to help the poor.

 

[Grosnick Marowbe]

A fair question .......

to much badly done charity can create enablement, we nee dot be both wise and discerning in what we do with charity.

However any sensible reading of the NT as a whole would lead me to believe charity is fundamental to a Christian lifestyle and is seen as a virtue throughout the NT.

The Old Testament also speaks of God's concern about the poor!! Personally, I don't trust a lot of "professional charity organizations!"
I believe there's too much room for fraud and dipping into funds, for
those who are in command of such organizations...I'm certain, a huge
amount of monies collected go into "administration/facilitation" needs before anything actually makes it to where it does the most good!!

I believe the hands-on approach is the most successful! Giving directly to those whom you personally believe are needy. A family, group, or individual!! Furthermore, if you attend a church where, you know that 100% goes to the "less fortunate," that would be a good way to share!!

We live in a world where it's possible to be taken advantage of. However, as a christian, the giving should be in the name of the Lord,
with no concern other then; our duty to minister to the poor. Let God sort out who is truly needy, and whom is taking advantage!! It's better to err on the side of being taken advantage of, then be skeptical, and not help anyone!!

The non-Christian also ought to err on the side of being taken advantage of, rather then "not provide for their fellow man; in the name of being humane to others!!"

 

[Grosnick Marowbe]

I agree with St.John Chrysostom:

“The poor man has one plea, his want and his standing in need: do not require anything else from him; but even if he is the most wicked of all men and is at a loss for his necessary sustenance, let us free him from hunger.”

“When you see on earth the man who has encountered the shipwreck of poverty, do not judge him, do not seek an account of his life, but free him from his misfortune.”

Leave the judgment of their worthiness to God, the duty of the Christian is to help the poor.

Amen!!

 

[Grosnick Marowbe]

It's best if the poor be taken care of by individuals, then by society as a whole!! Of course, that's in the "best-case scenario!!" When the government is in command of helping the poor, it falls way short of expectation...It would be best for all, if individuals took on the responsibility, by at least offering someone a meal, a bag of chips, or at least something, rather than, look upon the poor as; not deserving respect as a human being!!

 

[chrysostom]

I agree with St.John Chrysostom:

“The poor man has one plea, his want and his standing in need: do not require anything else from him; but even if he is the most wicked of all men and is at a loss for his necessary sustenance, let us free him from hunger.”

“When you see on earth the man who has encountered the shipwreck of poverty, do not judge him, do not seek an account of his life, but free him from his misfortune.”

Leave the judgment of their worthiness to God, the duty of the Christian is to help the poor.

how can I not agree with this?

let's bring back begging
it is the only way
and
just give
if
asked

 

[agnostic_gnostic]

I did volunteer work at a crisis center. Believe it or not we were told not to tell an alcoholic the health dangers of drinking. That only increases their desire for alcohol. They are self destructive and because they may have religious objections or simply fear death they choose slow suicide. Addiction is both a biological problem and a spiritial one. Jesus said,love others as you love yourself. He did not say, love others and hate your self. Imagine Jesus when approached by a prostitute saying, Get out of here scum and go to he**.

 

[Grosnick Marowbe]

If you can afford it; one way to help the homeless would be to, purchase some small plastic bags, place a Spiritual tract, and if you can afford it, a small pocket sized New Testament, and a "grocery store, five or ten dollar gift certificate! Then, when you come across a "homeless sign bearer" offer them this small token of help!! It feeds them physically and spiritually!! I know an unemployed person with very little money to spare, who still makes sure they continue to minister to others in this fashion!!!

 

[Granite]

These are the most unkind and uncharitable words I have ever heard from a professing Christian. I am ashamed.

But I will report my post before you do. I am in a freakin bad mood today so why not report my own post.

What I've heard from most Christians here so far is hateful, callous, murderous, sadistic, and willfully vicious. And this is during the holidays, mind you.

What exactly is wrong with you thick-skinned stiff-necked money-grubbing sociopathic wretches?

The poor will always be with you. Take care of the least of these. Give away your possessions.

This is what you were told to do by the son of man.

Instead, you're going on about how we should allow the destitute to starve.

You're embarrassments to your supposed faith, and to the human race.

 

[Nick M]

Er, have I denied I have a roof over my head? :dunce:

What does that have to do with anything? You are a hypocrite. You cry that others are uncompassionate, yet you do not give all that you can give. Cry and stomp your feet all you want. You are a hypocrite.

 

[PureX]

These days "the homeless" is a very mixed lot of people. Many are just regular folks who got screwed by a society and culture that cares more about money and profit-taking than it does about people. Many are mentally ill, forced into the streets by the Reagan administration, when it decided to close the mental health asylums and put them all out on their own. And many are drug and alcohol addicts who have lost everything in pursuit of a chemical oblivion. So there isn't going to be one simple answer.

The people forced into homelessness by our Darwinian economic system should be given whatever help they need to re-enter productive society. The mentally ill should be put back into safe houses where they can be helped to achieve whatever level of self-sufficiency they are able. And the addicts and alcoholics should be given meals and a place to sleep, and an open opportunity for rehabilitation if they should ever choose to take it.

Some street people will want to remain on the street, and that's their choice. Some will take some help occasionally, and some will successfully return to productive society if we can give them the help they need to do so.

There is no 'one-size-fits-all' solution, and just handing them Bibles isn't going to help them. They need food, shelter, a lot of personal attention, and a society that actually WANTS them. And right now they have very little of any of these.

 

[chrysostom]

Many are mentally ill, forced into the streets by the Reagan administration, when it decided to close the mental health asylums and put them all out in the streets.

when I was in India I saw this naked guy in the bazaar
he was almost fat
he did not ask for money, had no place to put it
he did ask for food from the vendors
and
obviously got enough to eat
he was very peaceful
and
no threat to anyone
and
free as a bird
after thinking about this, I had to conclude this was better than locking him up in an asylum

 

[Stripe]

:thumb: I've never been on the streets, but to think that spending just a night on some cold pavement without any amenities is sobering, and I wonder just how many who callously write off their own kind have ever actually experienced it....

In four different countries!

 

[This Charming Manc]

Hmmm fortunately most aren't like this, here we a small school of people, with bad addiction to the tea party, a crazy understanding of Christianity shouting very loud about there warped exception of Christianity.

Some of most generous, sacrificial and complete giving to the poor I know about comes from Christians.

Most of us are like me we try to be good to the poor from the extra that we have and don't sacrifice our lives to it.

These Nutters here there the exception not the rule, its what happens when Christianity and right wing politics get to entwined.

What I've heard from most Christians here so far is hateful, callous, murderous, sadistic, and willfully vicious. And this is during the holidays, mind you.

What exactly is wrong with you thick-skinned stiff-necked money-grubbing sociopathic wretches?

The poor will always be with you. Take care of the least of these. Give away your possessions.

This is what you were told to do by the son of man.

Instead, you're going on about how we should allow the destitute to starve.

You're embarrassments to your supposed faith, and to the human race.

 

[Stripe]

...any sensible reading of the NT as a whole would lead me to believe charity is fundamental to a Christian lifestyle and is seen as a virtue throughout the NT.

Leave the judgment of their worthiness to God, the duty of the Christian is to help the poor.

When the government takes your money under threat of imprisonment via taxes in order to help poor people, this is not charity or "Christian duty" (to borrow an oxymoron).

And when we talk about the homeless, we are:

...speaking of street people. The type who live under bridges and spend most of the day drunk.

 

[Stripe]

What I've heard from most Christians here so far is hateful, callous, murderous, sadistic, and willfully vicious.

Name one example. :loser:

 

[Psalmist]

What I've heard from most Christians here so far is hateful, callous, murderous, sadistic, and willfully vicious. And this is during the holidays, mind you.

Name one example. :loser:

Me, I've been stepping out the box and comfort zone.

:dizzy: :sozo2:

:crackup:​

 

[TomO]

toldailytopic: Homeless people: how should a society handle them?

:think:








lain:

:idunno:

 

[Granite]

Hmmm fortunately most aren't like this, here we a small school of people, with bad addiction to the tea party, a crazy understanding of Christianity shouting very loud about there warped exception of Christianity.

Some of most generous, sacrificial and complete giving to the poor I know about comes from Christians.

Most of us are like me we try to be good to the poor from the extra that we have and don't sacrifice our lives to it.

These Nutters here there the exception not the rule, its what happens when Christianity and right wing politics get to entwined.

Eh, agreed. Funny: I've had several folks here take umbrage with the second bit of my signature but I've never once had anyone complain that my "Social Darwinists" bit is inaccurate. Odd, that.

 

[oatmeal]

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