A Classic - The Homeless Preacher

[Suhar]

We are called to serve the poor and people in need. - which is loving our neighbor. It sounds like you have not experienced a great deal of love from your neighbors, Suhar; it often fosters that kind of 'pull ourselves up by our bootstraps' mentality, which is contrary to the community-minded focus of Jesus and the gospel message. Communities serve one another and we, as Christians are called to model this approach, which is in direct opposition to the radically, individualistic, me first culture of post modern America. We should not be in the business of judging the actions of people who are in need. Instead, our love for others should be patterned after the Grace that God gives to us.

I believe Hell will be a place of radical individualism - Heaven will be a place where we depend on, and serve one another as one body.

[SIZE=13.5pt]I came up from the very dirt of the dirt of this society. I can tell you with an opinion of an expert that the only poor and homeless people are the ones that fake it or the ones that choose to stay that way.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=13.5pt]Being Christian does not equal to being stupid.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=13.5pt]I can still remember which stores have open dumpsters and not compressors. I can still remember what time deli depatments dump their best stuff. I can still survive on $20 per week if I have to. I lived like a feral dog once and I can do it again if I have to but I will never hand over one penny to professional con artist that stands on the corners.[/SIZE]

 

[aspen]

The problem I am seeing with your testimony of poverty is that you are communicating that your experience is the only experience - as if, you are the only person who was really poor and the only person who was honest enough and industrious enough to work his way out of it.

Your experience and the Grace that God gave you is supposed to bring you to a new understanding of compassion and empathy, not contempt and righteous indignation.

 

[Suhar]

The problem I am seeing with your testimony of poverty is that you are communicating that your experience is the only experience - as if, you are the only person who was really poor and the only person who was honest enough and industrious enough to work his way out of it.

Your experience and the Grace that God gave you is supposed to bring you to a new understanding of compassion and empathy, not contempt and righteous indignation.

[SIZE=medium]I was not poor. Poor are the people that have little. I had nothing. One suitcase and clothes on the back do not qualify to “poor’ level. Not American “poor” anyway. Oh by the way poor people speak language of the country they live in. I did not.[/SIZE]

 

[aspen]

Ok, so you were even more destitute - sounds like more righteous indignation, to me. Why are you so bitter?

And what about the children of the poor? Are they just as lazy and criminal?

 

[Suhar]

Ok, so you were even more destitute - sounds like more righteous indignation, to me.

[SIZE=medium]I care greatly what it sounds like to you…..[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Oh wait maybe I do not?[/SIZE]

 

[aspen]

Aren't you concerned about the tone of your posts? Why are you so angry towards homeless people? And lazy people, for that matter?

 

[Suhar]

Aren't you concerned about the tone of your posts? Why are you so angry towards homeless people? And lazy people, for that matter?

Homeless people are lazy people. They are homeless because they are lazy. I was homeless and chose not to be one. They chose to be homeless.

I am not angry in the slightest. I just tell you about reality that is all. Been there done that trying to tell you what it is like, that is all.

 

[aspen]

Why are you assuming that I do not know what poverty looks like or feels like?

 

[Suhar]

[SIZE=medium]You are trying your hardest to sound like a high end snob. Doing good job of it by the way…..[/SIZE]

 

[Selene]

Too lazy to do your own “research”? Park your car just far away from being seen from money making corner and watch the scam go on. There is a schedule well kept to a minute. One “vet” gets out another gets in. All of the panhandlers are professionals. As with any money-making enterprise professionals always get read of amateurs.


[SIZE=medium]Being Christian does not equal to being stupid.[/SIZE]

I don't see anything wrong with the research and therefore don't care to re-invent the wheel. There are a very small percentage of homeless people who panhandle; therefore, not ALL panhandlers are con-artiists. Being homeless does not necessarily mean a person made a bad choice. It has more to do with circumstances beyond their control. For example, some homeless people are mentally ill.....and mental illness is not something a person can choose not to be. Iforrest made an excellent comment under this thread, and I agree with him. He stated the following:

Let the con-artist panhandlers degrade themselves begging on the streets. My God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and he can afford some theft. But woe to us if we allow these tricks to harden our hearts to the truly needy.

Give to honor the Lord, and you will be rewarded in heaven, even if your gift is stolen away. Let them heap judgement upon themselves for the sake of a few dollars. When they stand before the judgement seat of Christ he can point to each and every gift and say, "look what I have given you and what did you do for me in return?" I would not envy them on that day.

 

[Suhar]

I don't see anything wrong with the research and therefore don't care to re-invent the wheel. There are a very small percentage of homeless people who panhandle;

[SIZE=medium]There is no percentage of panhandlers that are truly needy. None. Not one. Not a single one. If there is a person who is really in need he/she is very quickly pushed out of territory. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]I know those people. It is a money-making business and trespassers are not allowed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Live in your white castle and believe in dreams, fairy tails, Santas and unicorns. Real life is not part of your reality,.[/SIZE]

 

[Selene]

[SIZE=medium]There is no percentage of panhandlers that are truly needy. None. Not one. Not a single one. If there is a person who is really in need he/she is very quickly pushed out of territory. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]I know those people. It is a money-making business and trespassers are not allowed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Live in your white castle and believe in dreams, fairy tails, Santas and unicorns. Real life is not part of your reality,.[/SIZE]

You say that if there is a person who is really in need he/she is very quickly pushed out of territory.....so that the con-artist can take over the panhandling?? This then shows that there is indeed a REAL person in need who was panhandling, but being pushed out by the con-artist. Already, this alone shows that small percentage. How did you know that these people in need were pushed out by those con-artists??

You also judge all homeless people as lazy, regardless of the fact that some of them are mentally ill. For someone who has once been homeless, you show no compassion to your fellow man who is homeless.

 

[Dodo_David]

Folks, it appears to me that 3 topics are being discussed in this thread: panhandling, short-term homelessness and long-term homelessness.

Short-term homelessness can happen to anyone, whether it be via a natural disaster, a financial crisis created by a health problem or a job lay-off.
Plenty of industrious people have become homeless. To claim that they are lazy is to make a false claim.

Long-term homelessness can be the result of untreated mental illness or untreated substance-addiction.

 

[marksman]

Suhar said -Homeless people are homeless by choice. I was homeless and I chose not to be one.

You have contradicted yourself here. You said homeless people are homeless by choice then you said you were homeless and chose not to be one.

If you were homeless, you must have chosen to be so according to you.

 

[Suhar]

You say that if there is a person who is really in need he/she is very quickly pushed out of territory.....so that the con-artist can take over the panhandling?? This then shows that there is indeed a REAL person in need who was panhandling, but being pushed out by the con-artist. Already, this alone shows that small percentage. How did you know that these people in need were pushed out by those con-artists??

You also judge all homeless people as lazy, regardless of the fact that some of them are mentally ill. For someone who has once been homeless, you show no compassion to your fellow man who is homeless.

Mentally ill should to locked up in mental intitution

I knew people who came up from homelssness. Build a shack from constraction scap or a tent in "green zones" of city. I have seen some that were well built and well cocealed.
Get a job. Do not tell me "economy" there are always some entry level jobs.
Save money, buy cheap car.
Save money ger a room and then an appatment.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

You have contradicted yourself here. You said homeless people are homeless by choice then you said you were homeless and chose not to be one.

If you were homeless, you must have chosen to be so according to you.

If you read between the lines, I think you'll see he's saying that he chose not to remain homeless. Some people choose to remain homeless.

 

[dragonfly]

You have contradicted yourself here. You said homeless people are homeless by choice then you said you were homeless and chose not to be one.

If you were homeless, you must have chosen to be so according to you.

Good to see you back here, brother. Are you well?

 

[marksman]

Good to see you back here, brother. Are you well?

As well as to be expected under the circumstances I believe is the term. I am feeling my age as I am battling cancer and coping with radiotherapy.

But hey, I have had a very good innings and scored lots of runs so can't complain, many thanks.

 

[dragonfly]

As well as to be expected under the circumstances I believe is the term. I am feeling my age as I am battling cancer and coping with radiotherapy.

But hey, I have had a very good innings and scored lots of runs so can't complain, many thanks.

May you know the peace of God in all your circumstances, and His love keeping you to the end. I will be praying for you.

 

[marksman]

May you know the peace of God in all your circumstances, and His love keeping you to the end. I will be praying for you.

Thankyou so much. I do appreciate your support.