Zone1 Beggars at the Intersection: How do you feel about them? What do you do?

[surada]

In my line of work, you get the regulars.

In what country?

 

[Leo123]

Muslim women talk to you intimately?

I never ask about religion.

 

[nomadic5]

what gets to me is when I see young women with children or signs that indicate they have young children

asking for money

Doesn't welfare give them enough?

If I don't actually see a young child w/ this person, I don't believe them

We are supposed t o give to those who ask, but we are also called to be good stewards of what we have... so I can see Christians being confused... as I sometimes am

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

what gets to me is when I see young women with children or signs that indicate they have young children

asking for money

Doesn't welfare give them enough?

If I don't actually see a young child w/ this person, I don't believe them

We are supposed t o give to those who ask, but we are also called to be good stewards of what we have... so I can see Christians being confused... as I sometimes am

.

A woman who can't afford to raise children needs to avoid getting pregnant.

Nothing simpler.

You're right. Unless you see the child, it doesn't exist, and if you do see a child it's likely borrowed for effect.

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[nomadic5]

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A woman who can't afford to raise children needs to avoid getting pregnant.

Nothing simpler.

You're right. Unless you see the child, it doesn't exist, and if you do see a child it's likely borrowed for effect.

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it's funny how sometimes I see a homeless person (or one who appears to be) and I am compelled to give him/her something and other times I see one and... for some reason, I don't feel compelled...

Maybe it's just a mood I'm in... plus, I have never been well off myself... so I don't know... what little I can give probably isn't going to help anyone much...

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

it's funny how sometimes I see a homeless person (or one who appears to be) and I am compelled to give him/her something and other times I see one and... for some reason, I don't feel compelled...

Maybe it's just a mood I'm in... plus, I have never been well off myself... so I don't know... what little I can give probably isn't going to help anyone much...

.

You give like a Catholic -- according to your ability.

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[nomadic5]

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You give like a Catholic -- according to your ability.

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well, sometimes I feel guilty because I'm probably not doing that...(could actually give more but... insecure about $$ )

Then there's the fact you just don't know if the person is really as needy as he/she seems. If you take the Bible seriously, it says to give to those who ask... doesn't say Give only if you think they are on the up and up.. no, just give...

Like you, I had family who didn't help me when things went awry... (well, you didn't say that exactly but it's kind of presumed?)

so I became insecure about money...

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

well, sometimes I feel guilty because I'm probably not doing that...(could actually give more but... insecure about $$ )

Then there's the fact you just don't know if the person is really as needy as he/she seems. If you take the Bible seriously, it says to give to those who ask... doesn't say Give only if you think they are on the up and up.. no, just give...

Like you, I had family who didn't help me when things went awry... (well, you didn't say that exactly but it's kind of presumed?)

so I became insecure about money...

.

In lots of municipalities, they have signs on the panhandlers' favorite corners, asking folks to give to the charities that support their legitimate needs, instead of giving cash directly to them, so I do that.

And members of churches everywhere will volunteer their time to cook and serve a hot meal to the needy. I support that.

I also do a silly, extravagant thing. Whenever someone starts a thread that hates on Mike Lindell, I try to balance the karma by going to his website and buying one of his wonderful bathrobes and a pair of slippers, and donating it to a needy disabled Veteran.

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[Mashmont]

It’s almost always a white guy. That is what I noticed.

We have systems in place to assist them.

I would say it's 50-50.

 

[nomadic5]

I also do a silly, extravagant thing. Whenever someone starts a thread that hates on Mike Lindell, I try to balance the karma by going to his website and buying one of his wonderful bathrobes and a pair of slippers, and donating it to a needy disabled Veteran.

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Lindell gives to disabled vets?

I was thinking of doing that. I know they accept any size donations... or presume they do anyhow..

I bought one of Lindell's pillows and it really is the most comfortable one I've ever had. I bought it a retail outlet so probably paid way less than Lindell's site? Anyhow...

I love how Lindell didn't seem to care if people liked it or not.. he was going to speak the truth about the election steal. There was a guy on Hannity last night who doesn't want Trump for pres.. but wants some other R. I don't know if he would vote for Trump if he were the nominee (?) but it strikes... always strikes me when people say they don't like Trump... that they do not love this country. Trump did so many things for the US... I mean, this Hannity guest was saying positive things about Chris Christie, whom, if I heard correctly, left NY with a 14% approval rating!

huh?

Christie can't even figure out if he likes Trump... but actually, he did figure out that he doesn't...

nuff said... Anyone who is against Trump is OUT in my Cred Book...

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

Lindell gives to disabled vets?

I was thinking of doing that. I know they accept any size donations... or presume they do anyhow..

I bought one of Lindell's pillows and it really is the most comfortable one I've ever had. I bought it a retail outlet so probably paid way less than Lindell's site? Anyhow...

I love how Lindell didn't seem to care if people liked it or not.. he was going to speak the truth about the election steal. There was a guy on Hannity last night who doesn't want Trump for pres.. but wants some other R. I don't know if he would vote for Trump if he were the nominee (?) but it strikes... always strikes me when people say they don't like Trump... that they do not love this country. Trump did so many things for the US... I mean, this Hannity guest was saying positive things about Chris Christie, whom, if I heard correctly, left NY with a 14% approval rating!

huh?

Christie can't even figure out if he likes Trump... but actually, he did figure out that he doesn't...

nuff said... Anyone who is against Trump is OUT in my Cred Book...

.

No, I order the merchandise and donate it to local Veterans' organizations.

If you bought your pillow at a retail outlet, you probably paid way MORE for it than you would if you went to his website and used a discount code. He offers 60% off most of the time.

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[nomadic5]

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A woman who can't afford to raise children needs to avoid getting pregnant.

Nothing simpler.

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I disagree. It is not always simple to see this... especially when you are young enough to actually help create (with God) another human being. Parents do not always talk to their children about that and other extremely important issues.. and so these children go out into the world, and sometimes they are children until htey are 40! and they make mistakes like having children b4 (w/o) marriage. It is a tragedy.

I hope all the parents reading this realize just what a HUGE job it is to raise WISE children... There's a rare word these days: wise...

 

[nomadic5]

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No, I order the merchandise and donate it to local Veterans' organizations.

If you bought your pillow at a retail outlet, you probably paid way MORE for it than you would if you went to his website and used a discount code. He offers 60% off most of the time.

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well, I can't do delivery at this time... long story...

But thanks for the info, didn't know that. I paid $20. Is that more or less than 60%?

lol

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

well, I can't do delivery at this time... long story...

But thanks for the info, didn't know that. I paid $20. Is that more or less than 60%?

lol

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Well, I paid $60 for one in a local Fred Meyer store in Seattle. Sorry, I can't figure percentage without a calculator.

But $20 is a deep discount for buying the pillow in a retail outlet!

.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

I disagree. It is not always simple to see this... especially when you are young enough to actually help create (with God) another human being. Parents do not always talk to their children about that and other extremely important issues.. and so these children go out into the world, and sometimes they are children until htey are 40! and they make mistakes like having children b4 (w/o) marriage. It is a tragedy.

I hope all the parents reading this realize just what a HUGE job it is to raise WISE children... There's a rare word these days: wise...

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Agree. Not a lot of wisdom around these days.

Interesting. I really admire the Catholic approach to marriage. Was just thinking about this because I drove past the church today where a wedding was taking place.

The fact that you can't get married in the Catholic Church without a LOT of counseling, thereby proving that you realize the seriousness of the commitment you are making, is a pretty inspiring thing to ponder.

I still like the standard that I have wanted for so many decades -- that everyone should have a reproductive system that doesn't work until activated, when the committed couple have proven that they are ready, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually, to have children.

Although the leftists will explode in rage at the idea that I think we should be able to take away their ability to make babies that they can sacrifice to the evil one.

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[nomadic5]

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Agree. Not a lot of wisdom around these days.

Interesting. I really admire the Catholic approach to marriage. Was just thinking about this because I drove past the church today where a wedding was taking place.

The fact that you can't get married in the Catholic Church without a LOT of counseling, thereby proving that you realize the seriousness of the commitment you are making, is a pretty inspiring thing to ponder.

I still like the standard that I have wanted for so many decades -- that everyone should have a reproductive system that doesn't work until activated, when the committed couple have proven that they are ready, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually, to have children.

Although the leftists will explode in rage at the idea that I think we should be able to take away their ability to make babies that they can sacrifice to the evil one.

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yeh, and sometimes that is LITERAL, that last thing you say. I've heard of Satanists getting pregnant just to sacrfice the baby...

but hey... freedom of "religion" eh?

sick. This proves how Christian beliefs, those shared by 90% of those calling themselves Christian, should "rule" in society.. to protect ALL persons, including the hated (by many) unborn...

I mean, this is where Catholics and Protestants agree: TheWord... and when there is a difference of opinion on what the Word means... we know that something like 80% of the Bible (the New T, that is) can be easily u/stood by a 10 year old... THAT is what we can base society's laws on... and we kind of did...

until 2020

r

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

yeh, and sometimes that is LITERAL, that last thing you say. I've heard of Satanists getting pregnant just to sacrfice the baby...

but hey... freedom of "religion" eh?

sick. This proves how Christian beliefs, those shared by 90% of those calling themselves Christian, should "rule" in society.. to protect ALL persons, including the hated (by many) unborn...

I mean, this is where Catholics and Protestants agree: TheWord... and when there is a difference of opinion on what the Word means... we know that something like 80% of the Bible (the New T, that is) can be easily u/stood by a 10 year old... THAT is what we can base society's laws on... and we kind of did...

until 2020

r

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Amen.

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[TruthNotBS]

In the past two years, I have noticed an epidemic of people begging at major intersections in my city. At a big four-way stop, you'll see them at all four medians. They're working in tandem. All have cardboard signs. All begging for help.

What do you do about it?

My first impulse is anger. I'm angry that they're implicitly lying about how they'll use the money, probably going for drugs or booze. The other thing is my charity solicits in front of certain stores. We have to go through a lot of red tape to get permission and permits to solicit. From the business; from the state; from the strip mall owner. And it absolutely frosts me to see these beggars at those same strip mall exits panhandling for themselves...not for charity....to buy drugs and booze. They didn't ask permission from anyone. It angers me even more when dunderheads give them money.

Now as a Christian, I wrestle with this. I feel bad that I get angry. I've talked to two priests about this. Both said I shouldn't get angry. One said that rather than give them money, I should engage with them and offer to accompany them to a restaurant and have a meal with them. The other priest said I should be pleasant and treat them like a human being, though I don't have to give them anything. He said "How rotten must their lives be that they would stand out there, regardless of what they do with the money?" He had a point. People addicted to drug or alcohol are not happy or well people. Anger isn't the proper response.

One time I did as the first priest instructed. The very next day after I talked to him, I was sitting in the parking lot at Lowe's looking at my phone. A woman tapped on my window and asked for money for something to eat. I thought it was divine providence. So I offered to go into the Kroger's and get her some fruit and bread and such. But that wasn't what she had in mind. She wanted to eat at the Sonic across the way. So I said fine and let her order. She got a meal deal with fries and a drink. I bristled at what I considered a junk meal, but went with it. I paid $8.64. Trying to make conversation, I asked her name. She refused to tell me. We talked a little bit about her circumstance. Everyone in her life was a f*cking asshole by her account. At the end, she asked for money. I declined. She thanked me for the meal and went on her way .

Pope Francis when asked the question, said he would not only talk to a beggar kindly, he would give them money. He said "So what if the person wants to buy a glass of wine. Who among us doesn't have a guilty pleasure?" I don't see it that way. I see it as enabling an addiction. I was talking to a woman who works in the ABC stores. She said she'll see these guys who were out panhandling come in with stacks of bills to buy liquor. Homeless professionals advise people to NOT give beggars money, that you can give them vouchers for the local shelter. It is a fact that most homeless are not beggars, and most beggars are not homeless.

So how did I feel after my encounter with the woman at Lowe's? Ambivalent. I felt sort of good, but also sort of like a sucker. Probably more the latter. I definitely didn't like getting her a junk meal, but I guess that wasn't the point. I liked that she seemed appreciative, and may it did help her a little. But I decided I probably would do it again if given the same circumstance, at least not in the same way.

I have softened recently, when I considered the plight of a neighbor girl my daughter's age who fell into drugs. Nice family, good neighborhood. But she just went bad. Now they don't know where she lives. She has a child her parents have adopted and take care of. What if it was this neighbor girl whom I've know since she was six who I saw pandhandling on the street corner? I wouldn't be angry then. I would feel compassion and sorrow. I'd ask her if she needed anything or to be driven somewhere. But I wouldn't give her any money.

Any thoughts about this topic?

House them, it's that simple. After that, we provide them with drug rehab counseling, medical care, and job training. etc, whatever they need to get back on their feet and become law-abiding, productive members of society. That's much more cost-effective than allowing them to remain homeless drug addicts.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

what gets to me is when I see young women with children or signs that indicate they have young children

asking for money

Doesn't welfare give them enough?

If I don't actually see a young child w/ this person, I don't believe them

We are supposed t o give to those who ask, but we are also called to be good stewards of what we have... so I can see Christians being confused... as I sometimes am

A Hispanic woman stopped me outside of the grocery store begging for money to feed her starving children. She was pudgy enough to have eaten one or two. I told her to cook the weakest of her children and feed it to the rest. If they are still starving, take the next weakest and feed that one to her remaining children. Keep it up until only the strongest one survives. That's how many children she is to have.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

House them, it's that simple. After that, we provide them with drug rehab counseling, medical care, and job training. etc, whatever they need to get back on their feet and become law-abiding, productive members of society. That's much more cost-effective than allowing them to remain homeless drug addicts.

That is exactly how we got into this mess we are in.