Thread: To my fellow christians. What is your lame half-way exscue for not helping homeless

I want to know YOUR exscues for not helping homeless people. I live a million miles from the nearest city and have no way of getting there. perhaps also I should learn to spell eh? I apoloogizeto anyone who had to read that wretched spelling.

They are already inheriting the earth. What more do they need?

Originally Posted by Xaqaria

They are already inheriting the earth. What more do they need?

Touche. Nice Bible quote.

I am really surprised and disappointed in some of you, my fellow DV members. I know some of you are young but your level of ignorance is astounding if you truly believe that homeless people choose to be so because they are merely lazy.

But go ahead and continue spouting such privledged drivel from your comfortable, sheltered lives (and if have a computer and can spend the night posting on DV instead of worrying about where you are going to sleep or get your next meal, then yes, you are privledged). Certainly don't take into account the multi-layered factors that contribute to people having to deal with undesirable conditions. But hey, if not thinking about (or doing anything about) your fellow human beings suffering needlessly makes your life easier than I guess ignorance is bliss.

I don't know what the statistics are in the United States, but here in Canada, the leading reasons for people becoming homeless are:

Sexual or Physical abuse - Nobody wants to be abused and often escaping into the street is the only option many individuals feel they have. This is especially true of young people who are probably not farmiliar will local organizations that could help them with counseling or assist with a financially secure exit from their current situation.

Mental illness - Whether schizophrenia or depression (brought on by abuse) this is a big one, especially since there has been little genuine assistance for people struggling with mental illness (government or otherwise) until recent years. This also covers drug addictions, since many who turn to drugs feel genuinely hopeless and are trying to escape a reality they have not learned how to deal with (or conquer).

Poverty - Stable housing is a problem when you cannot afford it. Keeping a steady job is a problem when you do not have stable housing. Low income students often miss opportunities to expand their post-high school education because of financial issues and cannot learn skills or trades that will help them better their lives and allow them to afford stable housing and keep a well-paying, steady job. Poverty is a vicious cycle that ultimately effects all levels of society when the underclass have to rely on social assistance.

I know it is easy and convenient to brush off social and economic issues when you do not have to deal with them yourself, but please educate yourselves about the subject before saying something that is going to make you look incredibly callous and ignorant. I do not mean to offend anyone, but this is a touchy subject for me.

The following link is informative if anyone is up for a read.

National Coalition for the Homeless research

You know, I read an article once about some unknown reporter spending a week as a "homeless" person. He basically begged for change the entire day. Now, maybe he was just lucky, but it came up to the equivalent of about $7/hour. That's close to minimum wage. If you combine that with welfare, they are making more than many honest people. Plus, they don't pay taxes or rent (well, I'm sure many do pay rent, but play the homeless part during the day). Things aren't always as they seem.

Some practices, though, I'll never understand... like holding a sign with lots of writing on an on-ramp. People can't be stopping for that, they're too busy... talking on the phone, while using their iPods... while driving. But I digress

I believe everyone deserves a second chance, but I don't think giving our change or donating to the organizations that feed the homeless is the correct answer. If we have a better infrastructure to feed the homeless, we'll just have more homeless. We need to offer them a place to stay for a month, a shower, and an opportunity to work for real. The unfortunate fact is that most of them would turn it down. One of my neighbours was talking to someone who seemed to be doing pretty well about buying a home... Her reason was not "I can't afford it", but rather, "I don't want to give up my free money from the government"...

YES, many are lazy... and some of them aren't. I think we should find a way to pick out the ones that are either not lazy, or medically incapable of pulling their own weight, and help them out more, and do it somewhat at the expense of the lazy ones with no excuses.

Originally Posted by Replicon

You know, I read an article once about some unknown reporter spending a week as a "homeless" person. He basically begged for change the entire day. Now, maybe he was just lucky, but it came up to the equivalent of about $7/hour. That's close to minimum wage. If you combine that with welfare, they are making more than many honest people. Plus, they don't pay taxes or rent (well, I'm sure many do pay rent, but play the homeless part during the day). Things aren't always as they seem.

Source, plz.

Some practices, though, I'll never understand... like holding a sign with lots of writing on an on-ramp. People can't be stopping for that, they're too busy... talking on the phone, while using their iPods... while driving. But I digress

Lack of education, lack of knowledge of skills or trades, desperation, etc.

I believe everyone deserves a second chance, but I don't think giving our change or donating to the organizations that feed the homeless is the correct answer. If we have a better infrastructure to feed the homeless, we'll just have more homeless. We need to offer them a place to stay for a month, a shower, and an opportunity to work for real. The unfortunate fact is that most of them would turn it down. One of my neighbours was talking to someone who seemed to be doing pretty well about buying a home... Her reason was not "I can't afford it", but rather, "I don't want to give up my free money from the government"...

"A friend of a friend of mine said... and since I no nothing of the circumstances that person is in, it must be true!"

And there is something to that story that you are purposely leaving out, or just don't know about. It seems unlikely that a person who is homeless can go straight from the street to buying a home. There is no social assistance in the world that provides the amount of money to do so. Sounds like a bunch of bullroar to me.

YES, many are lazy... and some of them aren't.

No! No, no, no, no, no! The majority of homeless are not lazy! Please provide proof of this claim that the homeless choose to be so because they are lazy. Provide links to studies - legitimate studies - that confirm this destructive and ignorant stereotype. Nobody chooses to be homeless. Circumstances, often beyond the control of the individual, drives them into situations that are not pleasant.

I think we should find a way to pick out the ones that are either not lazy, or medically incapable of pulling their own weight, and help them out more, and do it somewhat at the expense of the lazy ones with no excuses.

I don't even know how to respond to this ignorance. Yes, let's set up a pre-determined list of conditions in which all homeless people must be pigeonholed, regardless of the multitude of circumstances relevant to each thinking, feeling individual, otherwise they can just fuck off and live in misery because it is not worth our time to try and understand why anyone would seemingly "choose" to live in poverty, insecurity, and hopelessness.

Originally Posted by Lucid_boy

I live a million miles from the nearest city and have no way of getting there.

As excuses go, that's a pretty terrible one. Why don't you donate to charity, recycle, conserve energy, or stop buying so much crap? Any of those would eventually help the homeless, as well as countless people in third-world countries.

Originally Posted by thegnome54

As excuses go, that's a pretty terrible one. Why don't you donate to charity, recycle, conserve energy, or stop buying so much crap? Any of those would eventually help the homeless, as well as countless people in third-world countries.

You are assuming he doesn't do that already. He never said he didn't donate to charities.

Besides, he was talking to Christians. I'm not sure if he is one or not

I don't think that question is fair. Whether people donate to charities or not doesn't really determine whether or not they help out the homeless. I donate a certain amount every year to various causes of my choice. And it just so happens "the homeless" aren't one of said causes. Not donating to a PARTICULAR cause does not make you non-generous.

Originally Posted by M-Cat

You are assuming he doesn't do that already.

No one does all of that

He said 'fellow christians', implying that he is one, and he also provided a clear excuse for his own non-contribution (that he's too far to go to them), which implies that he feels like he should do so if he were closer.

I do feel that I should go help the homeless and, for clarification, I am a christian. I just want to know why no one really helps who jesus calls the least of theese

because materialism drives us more then charity unfortunately. Those who are Christian and give to charity and use up a lot of their time volunteering are very likely to have a sharing personality anyway.

Other Christians give because they feel they must, not because they necessarily want to.

So i would say the main reason is that although being Christian brings judgment from God into the equation and tries to enforce giving. Humans cannot easily override the need of self preservation, which now a days technically could be seen as self greed.

Originally Posted by Lucid_boy

I want to know YOUR exscues for not helping homeless people. I live a million miles from the nearest city and have no way of getting there. perhaps also I should learn to spell eh? I apoloogizeto anyone who had to read that wretched spelling.

Oh finally, a thread in Religion/Spirituality that isn't about ten paragraphs (seven lines) down!

Posting point - Because people do not do it, I give them a penny? It's not going to count for the probable tenner he's getting. He'll just waste it all on alcohol anyway. And ofcouse, giving him a tenner would be quite bad too, as I rarely get money from others, Ironic to say in this post.

From my experience, homeless people as a whole just want you to give them money so they can go buy more drugs or whatever it is they're using. If you took them by the hand and led them to a facility where they would get genuine help, they would escape.

Originally Posted by Mes Tarrant

From my experience, homeless people as a whole just want you to give them money so they can go buy more drugs or whatever it is they're using.

Exactly - Hence there be no point. Although (as you said) if you did show them the way, I'm sure they would be back to normal again. But then if they broke the rule I woudn't help them again.

Yes, I think a lot of homeless people are just lazy (at least 90&#37. Yes, a lot are addicted to a substance, which is their fault. It is an illness which can be fixed. They choose not to fix it. They choose to not work, or make money.

The retarded ones.... well.... even money wont help them. So they should be in a looney house.

Originally Posted by Lucid_boy

To my fellow christians.

This should be addressed to all people, Christians, muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Wiccans, agnostics, deists and atheists. Everyone in society should help the needy when they are able.

I am not able to donate a lot of money because I am only sixteen and only have a part time job, and I don't have money to spare. However I always drop change into a homeless person's hat/cup/tin/whatever in the city, and I have put money in charity tins at the supermarket and stuff like that.

Originally Posted by Valdyr

This should be addressed to all people, Christians, muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Wiccans, agnostics, deists and atheists. Everyone in society should help the needy when they are able.

I am not able to donate a lot of money because I am only sixteen and only have a part time job, and I don't have money to spare. However I always drop change into a homeless person's hat/cup/tin/whatever in the city, and I have put money in charity tins at the supermarket and stuff like that.

Seriously...I'd rather live on the street than with you.

What's that supposed to mean?

Originally Posted by Valdyr

What's that supposed to mean?

I'd rather live in the no class society.

....

Did I somehow give the impression that I believe in or approve of a class system? All I said was that when I can, I try to help the needy, even if it is just in minor ways, and that I believe everyone should help the needy, not just Christians.

Originally Posted by Lucid_boy

I want to know YOUR exscues for not helping homeless people. I live a million miles from the nearest city and have no way of getting there. perhaps also I should learn to spell eh? I apoloogizeto anyone who had to read that wretched spelling.

mine is

God wouldn't have made them homeless if he didn't want them to be homeless.