Is it actually sinful not to help the needy?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Robert_Sock
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Robert_Sock said:
Did you ever hear the “Parable of the Poor Widow?” I think it applies today more than ever before!
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The widow was not being held out as demonstrating an objective standard to be met. She showed great love of neighbour, (by virtue of giving so much of what she had, though it was so little) and the parable explains that the gifts of others who might make give far larger sums may in fact be far less praiseworthy.

The positive precepts are directional. The negative precepts define minimum standards below which one must not descend.
 
Charity is such a central part of the Judeo-Christian tradition which cannot be underscored. At the very least, everybody can pray earnestly for those in need.
 
Robert_Sock said:
Did you ever hear the “Parable of the Poor Widow?” I think it applies today more than ever before!
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So what you’re saying it is evil for people to have any money at all, and that God only wants the people who took a vow of poverty - nuns and monks. All laypeople go to hell in your mind because they had a bank account with money in it.

That is a messed up worldview.
 
BobCatholic said:
Posting a scripture does not answer my question.

Are you saying that anyone who does not take a vow of poverty, goes to hell. This means only monks, nuns and clergy go to heaven. Laypeople like me are out of luck.
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What you’re asking me is absurd… where did I ever suggest that? The purpose of this thread was simply to ask whether or not it’s a sin not to help the needy, which I believe it is. Are we obligated to help the poor in every situation? I do not know, but I personally say a little prayer for the needy when I do not contribute monetarily. Can our obligation to help the poor lead to our becoming scrupulous? In my own estimation, of course, but being scrupulous is not a sin as far as I’m aware of, whereas not helping the poor in some manner is sinful.
 
Robert_Sock said:
What you’re asking me is absurd… where did I ever suggest that?
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Because you absolutize it without any exceptions whatsoever.
Are we obligated to help the poor in every situation? I do not know,
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Now you’re changing your message from absolute to maybe seeing that there may be another view. Maybe.

Remember the 3 conditions for mortal sin.

One of them
2) free choice. If someone is broke, out of work, or worried about finances, how are they to give away money they need for themselves to help the poor, without committing another sin?

“Hi Honey, I gave away our last paycheck to this homeless guy, and we can’t pay the rent and we will get kicked out, what to do now?”
 
“Charity is a noble virtue, superior to all other virtues, knowledge, and gifts. Charity embraces God, unites angels to men, and transforms the sons of men into sons of God and friends of the saints. It was charity that made Christ be born of a virgin and be crucified for our salvation. Charity cleanses the soul from sin and draws it to love God with one’s whole heart, mind, and soul; it also inflames it and fills it with a marvelous sweetness. Charity justifies sinners, makes slaves into free men, enemies into friends, foreigners into fellow citizens, strangers into acquaintances, and wanderers into settlers; the proud become humble, the stubborn meek, the lukewarm fervent, the sad happy, the stingy generous, the worldly heavenly, and the unlearned wise. All this comes about through charity, which is poured into the hearts of the faithful by the Holy Spirit and given them from heaven.”
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— Thomas à Kempis, p. 57
From “Bountiful Goodness”
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Note that I personally do not think this applies only to monetary charity in each and every situation, but to spiritual charity as well, such as praying for people.
 
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