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Post by Professor S. on Jul 13, 2021 9:37:03 GMT -5
Jesus said to remember the poor and help them. Go and do likewise There's helping and then there's enabling. If someone has a drug/alcohol problem, you aren't helping them by handing them cash--other than giving them a little push down the road of destruction. I've a brother who dealt with drug addiction for too many years. He would've been forced to clean up decades earlier, before his body and mind were nearly destroyed, had it not been for a well-meaning family member who constantly bailed him out, paid his bills, and handed him cash. Far from helping him, this person just made it possible and more convenient for my brother to continue doing damage to himself and everyone around him. People don't change until the pain of being the way they are outstrips the pain of changing. There's also an epistle in that Book where someone says if a person doesn't work, they shouldn't eat. bigwoolie and others have the right idea. It takes more than throwing cash at a problem to solve it; people need responsibility and self-respect. I highly recommend this book: When Helping Hurts. |
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Post by trailboss on Jul 13, 2021 19:00:42 GMT -5
I could not agree more with the professor's assessment.
Sounds like he commented on my life experience with a brother.
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Post by terrapinflyer on Jul 13, 2021 20:24:54 GMT -5
If I am alone, I don't let them engage and politely say no and keep moving. That is solely for my own safety, not a judgement on how I think about how one should treat panhandlers. I can, however , tell that the longer the sad spiel is, the less likely it is to be true. A friend's relatative's daughter was living on the street with her boyfriend. Everything they did was a hustle, a scheme.
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Post by Professor S. on Jul 13, 2021 20:25:49 GMT -5
I could not agree more with the professor's assessment. Sounds like he commented on my life experience with a brother. It's amazing how real life experiences dispel the BS idealistic stupidity |
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Post by Legend Lover on Jul 14, 2021 5:33:39 GMT -5
Jesus said to remember the poor and help them. Go and do likewise There's helping and then there's enabling. If someone has a drug/alcohol problem, you aren't helping them by handing them cash--other than giving them a little push down the road of destruction. I've a brother who dealt with drug addiction for too many years. He would've been forced to clean up decades earlier, before his body and mind were nearly destroyed, had it not been for a well-meaning family member who constantly bailed him out, paid his bills, and handed him cash. Far from helping him, this person just made it possible and more convenient for my brother to continue doing damage to himself and everyone around him. People don't change until the pain of being the way they are outstrips the pain of changing. There's also an epistle in that Book where someone says if a person doesn't work, they shouldn't eat. bigwoolie and others have the right idea. It takes more than throwing cash at a problem to solve it; people need responsibility and self-respect. I highly recommend this book: When Helping Hurts. I agree. I would buy food rather than give money...or help in other ways. Giving money doesn't really get to the root of the problem, unless you're giving enough to buy a new house...but even then, it might still never get to the root of the problem. |
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Post by taiguy66 on Jul 14, 2021 8:27:40 GMT -5
I like all the responses here, you guys are some fine individuals. For my part, my wife and I will occasionally give a dollar or two cash, but more often she will go into the fast food place they are close to and buy them something. Now these aren't the freeway panhandlers these are obviously homeless folk that happen to be sitting near the place, usually not even begging but just trying to find some shade. Those folks are always appreciative when my wife or youngest daughter walks up with a bag of food for them. Flip side of this however. Years ago, when I lived in McMinnville Oregon i was approached by a well dressed gent who claimed to be a veteran down on his luck and trying to get to somewhere else. I'm a vet, I have a soft spot for vets. Had I any cash on me Id have given it to him. Thankfully I was flat broke at the time. Fast forward 6 months, I'm at the same WalMart and the same guy approaches me with the same story. Seems he was just passing through but passing eternally slowly. I Smiled and politely declined. I wanted to point out the flaw in his scheme but I decided to just leave it alone. The sad part of this is I know there are a lot of down on there luck veterans, but I now am suspicious of anyone claiming to be a vet in need... I know there are many vets in need but that is low! Good to hear from you Terry….. |
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Post by taiguy66 on Jul 14, 2021 8:30:47 GMT -5
I've been homeless. I quit a riding job in Chalice, ID that went south and hitch hiked to Cody, Wyoming years ago. Boots were bad run over at heel and had holes in the soles that were so bad I wrapped them in duct tape every morning. I had my duffle bag and sleeping bag, but some jackwagon had stolen my saddle. Got into Cody with $19.00 in my jeans, no job, no home and no contacts. Got some groceries and paid 6.00 for a spot in a campground to spread my bed roll where I could get a shower. Next day I called ranches all day from a payphone. Another 6.00 that night, and I was flat busted. The next day, the lady running the park offered me a bowl of soup, a sandwich for lunch and another night in my spot if I would pick up all the cigarette butts in the campground. I did. Next day, I got a job hauling hay for her dad, and the old guy paid me $15.00. That covered supper that night, another night's sleep and tomorrow's breakfast. Next day, the owner of an outfit I had called came by, talked to me, and offered me a job on the spot for $350.00 a month and a spot in the bunkhouse. I took it. And was happy for it. I had showered every day, stayed shaven and respectable, kept my shirt tucked in, said "yes, sir" and "yes, ma'am" and took any job offered until I got the job I wanted. I never lost my dignity or self respect. There is "homeless" and then there is "homeless". I'll give the shirt off my back to the one, cuz I've been there. The other one? Im a bit of a hard sell. Wow… truly inspirational cowboy! Thank you for sharing this! |
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Post by toshtego on Jul 14, 2021 8:42:48 GMT -5
Jesus said to remember the poor and help them. Go and do likewise Mohamed also said that and it is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. I am not sure passing out money in parking lots is what either of them had in mind. |
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Post by Gypo on Jul 14, 2021 9:55:56 GMT -5
When you think of the poor first most people think of poor is without money. There are many types of poor. Poor heath, poor in spirit, poor in the mind. Jesus said the poor you will always have but that he would only be here for a short time. There are so many different factors in the homeless problems today. I would expand on this but it includes politics that nasty little thing we do not talk about here for very good reasons. I to was once sleeping in my truck with 6 rubber made trash cans in back with everything I had left. My brother stored my guns and my bed for me. I had a job but divorce and child support and unpaid bills just to name a few. I had no money left. I also had a drinking problem that added to the situation. We in California have 25% to 30% of the nations homeless and it is a huge problem and expense. Starting fires, mountains of trash, rivers have so much human waste in them they are unsafe to go in the water and I know they get hit by trains all the time! I have stepped away from helping those who will not try and help them selfs.
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