The Homeless and their courage

[Tigg]

It’s those types of beliefs, which seem deeply ingrained in our society, to look the other way when encountering the homeless. To say that the homeless, as a whole, actually want to be homeless is utter nonsense!

Please re-read my post. WHERE did I say we should look the other way? I have merely tried to get the sympathizers to actually understand the problems and respect the mindset of the homeless. I have seen panic on some of their faces when shelter is offered, even on a winters night, at the thought of being confined. I have seen many even unable to sit and eat in the soup kitchen dining room because they cannot function if asked to do so - they would rather wrap their food in a napkin and take it outside.

So…I’ll ask you again, Robert…what would you have us do in dealing with the homeless? As we lock them away in shelters (for their own good, of course ) and you would need to use locks or else they will not stay for more than a night. Do we also tie them down to medicate them since recent reports say that more than 2/3 of them suffer from mental illness? Do we force them into a regular routine as we serve them three meals a day and determine what time they should go to bed? In other words, is your solution to the homeless dilemma to simply institutionalize every single one of them?

1 John 3:17-18
“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

“Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.”
~ Proverbs 21:13

Isaiah 58:7-10

Thus says the Lord:
Share your bread with the hungry,
and shelter the homeless poor,
clothe the man you see to be naked
and do not turn from your own kin.
Then will your light shine like the dawn
and your wound be quickly healed over.

Your integrity will go before you
and the glory of the Lord behind you.
Cry, and the Lord will answer;
call, and he will say, ‘I am here.’

If you do away with the yoke,
the clenched fist, the wicked word,
if you give your bread to the hungry,
and relief to the oppressed,
your light will rise in the darkness,
and your shadows become like noon.

Do you read the Bible? Do you believe it and try to follow it?

LOVE!

Why the scripture directed to my post? How did I possibly give you the impression I do not feed or clothe the hungry and that I do not shelter them with my donations?

 

[Robert_Sock]

Please re-read my post. WHERE did I say we should look the other way? I have merely tried to get the sympathizers to actually understand the problems and respect the mindset of the homeless. I have seen panic on some of their faces when shelter is offered, even on a winters night, at the thought of being confined. I have seen many even unable to sit and eat in the soup kitchen dining room because they cannot function if asked to do so - they would rather wrap their food in a napkin and take it outside.

My sincere apologies if I misunderstood you.

You said: Can you understand that for many of them being homeless, despite it’s obvious hardships, is a principle of freedom without restraint and one they are not willing to give up?

It’s this type of statement the caused me to comment on how your style of thinking leads to apathy towards the homeless.

So…I’ll ask you again, Robert…what would you have us do in dealing with the homeless? As we lock them away in shelters (for their own good, of course ) and you would need to use locks or else they will not stay for more than a night. Do we also tie them down to medicate them since recent reports say that more than 2/3 of them suffer from mental illness? Do we force them into a regular routine as we serve them three meals a day and determine what time they should go to bed? In other words, is your solution to the homeless dilemma to simply institutionalize every single one of them?

I believe that every human being deserves to be fed and housed.

“Life’s prime needs are water, bread, and clothing, a house, too, for decent privacy.”
-Sirach 29:21

If a person declines these basic necessities, they should certainly be allowed to. In no way do I feel that they be locked up or forced to take medications, except through court order.

Why the scripture directed to my post? How did I possibly give you the impression I do not feed or clothe the hungry and that I do not shelter them with my donations?

Just a reminder what the Bible says about caring for those in poverty, not just for you, but everybody reading the post.

LOVE!

 

[Tigg]

My sincere apologies if I misunderstood you.

You said: Can you understand that for many of them being homeless, despite it’s obvious hardships, is a principle of freedom without restraint and one they are not willing to give up?

It’s this type of statement the caused me to comment on how your style of thinking leads to apathy towards the homeless.

I believe that every human being deserves to be fed and housed.

“Life’s prime needs are water, bread, and clothing, a house, too, for decent privacy.”
-Sirach 29:21

If a person declines these basic necessities, they should certainly be allowed to. In no way do I feel that they be locked up or forced to take medications, except through court order.

Just a reminder what the Bible says about caring for those in poverty, not just for you, but everybody reading the post.

LOVE!

okay…thanks for replying!

 

[Robert_Sock]

okay…thanks for replying!

 

[WilT]

We need to see Christ in all these people.

Peace

 

[WilT]

And once again we conveniently overlook the facts because in our opinion, we know what is best for them and our sympathy has blinded us to them as human persons!

Have you personally talked with the homeless? I have. Have you observed their behavior and characteristics? I have. Have you actually listened to what they say and take note of their own opinions and desires and what they do not care for?

Can you recognize the fact that the majority (at least the ones I’ve come into contact with) do not hold to our standards of living? Can you understand that for many of them being homeless, despite it’s obvious hardships, is a principle of freedom without restraint and one they are not willing to give up?

To us they are in the worst possible circumstance. But to them it is their own free choice so what would you do to prevent their free will? Are you going to force them into shelters (which would be tantamount to them as being imprisoned?) Some of them would consider that the very worst possible scenario which would take away the last vestiges of their dignity. So please tell us …what would you have us do to forcibly improve their condition?

 

[WilT]

The other day I tried giving $ to a extremely discouraged transient. He shook away my help twice and he wouldn’t say a thing. I’m not sure I properly addressed his needs!

 

[WilT]

:console::winter::snowing:
Even though they are homeless they will give you a ‘thank you’ or a ‘God Bless You’ after receiving Charity. They have great support among one another and protect themselves from the wolves that lurk to harm them. Some of the stories you may hear one can see the work of the Lord in their life of suffering and at times neglect. Christ is among them following them closely. May God continue to walk with them and with us by showing more charity to them on a more regular basis. Pax

 

[Seraphim73]

I might also say that society allowing children to become homeless is a crime of child neglect committed by society and whoever else has the means to help but turns their heads away.

LOVE!

I would say that societies don’t have obligations, people have obligations. So if a person allows a child to become homeless then that is their responsibility as a person.

 

[Midwest88]

Most of the homeless people I encounter have mental disorders.

@ R. Sock:

 

[WilT]

And once again we conveniently overlook the facts because in our opinion, we know what is best for them and our sympathy has blinded us to them as human persons!

Have you personally talked with the homeless? I have. Have you observed their behavior and characteristics? I have. Have you actually listened to what they say and take note of their own opinions and desires and what they do not care for?

Can you recognize the fact that the majority (at least the ones I’ve come into contact with) do not hold to our standards of living? Can you understand that for many of them being homeless, despite it’s obvious hardships, is a principle of freedom without restraint and one they are not willing to give up?

To us they are in the worst possible circumstance. But to them it is their own free choice so what would you do to prevent their free will? Are you going to force them into shelters (which would be tantamount to them as being imprisoned?) Some of them would consider that the very worst possible scenario which would take away the last vestiges of their dignity. So please tell us …what would you have us do to forcibly improve their condition?

 

[WilT]

I’m on disability with limited income. The thought of my someday becoming homeless produces great anxiety in me, and I doubt that I could endure it if it ever happened. I’m not as courageous as many homeless people.

LOVE!

RobertStock my prayers are with you. Yes, the thought of being homeless and on the streets can be frightening. I women I met was kicked out of her daughters home and was on the streets at night. Luckily the area We’re from is somewhat safe but it is always much harder on a women. This anxiety can lead one to a complete nervous breakdown but as humans it can overcome. One never loses the presence of Christ during this time eventually this can be overcome too. Many of us are one paycheck away from homelessness.

 

[schaeffer]

I was homeless for awhile a couple years ago.

I don’t know that I was courageous, but I know it was darn scary. A meth addict broke into my car and took anything I had left of any value including my medication. I carried a large wrench for personal protection. I carried anything of value with me in a back pack at all times after the car incident.

Meaning I never let my netbook out of my sight, it was pretty much all I had left, and it is necessary for applying for jobs etc these days.

I know several women my age that have been homeless and/or living out of their cars for periods of time, sometimes with children. They are not and were not alcoholics or addicts and were actively seeking work.

Those experiences changed us forever. I am terrified of being homeless again. It is very very scary and very very dangerous.

 

[WilT]

I was homeless for awhile a couple years ago.

I don’t know that I was courageous, but I know it was darn scary. A meth addict broke into my car and took anything I had left of any value including my medication. I carried a large wrench for personal protection. I carried anything of value with me in a back pack at all times after the car incident.

Meaning I never let my netbook out of my sight, it was pretty much all I had left, and it is necessary for applying for jobs etc these days.

I know several women my age that have been homeless and/or living out of their cars for periods of time, sometimes with children. They are not and were not alcoholics or addicts and were actively seeking work.

Those experiences changed us forever. I am terrified of being homeless again. It is very very scary and very very dangerous.

my :heart:heart goes out to you and those ladies with children schaeffer

 

[WilT]

mprnews.org/story/2014/09/09/homelessness-on-the-rise-st-paul?refid=0
homeless indiv. steadily increasing since 2006. Dorothy Day Center overwhelmed with people in need:crutches::winter::takeoff:

 

[mikekle]

There is no reason why anyone should be homeless in the US right now, there are so many houses either abandoned or in foreclosure, that if they were allowed to stay there until something can be done with them, or work out some kind of plan to pay to live there, a good use could be found for all the empty houses instead of them becoming drug houses… Kinda strange so many of these homes end up with drug dealers living there and doing business out of them, but if a homeless person would walk in, they would likely have the police there so fast their head would spin…where is the sense in that? LOL

 

[WilT]

good idea Mikekle, I personally would like to see abandoned apts or hospitals being opened up for them to live in. This would be essentially a good idea where the weather is cold and stormy.

 

[ThinkingSapien]

There is no reason why anyone should be homeless in the US right now, there are so many houses either abandoned or in foreclosure, that if they were allowed to stay there until something can be done with them, or work out some kind of plan to pay to live there

Some experiments with housing homeless have found that putting homeless in a house can lead to a lower cost on society. I recall a case in which a homeless man that was prone to addiction ended up in the hospital a lot. This racked up hospital expenses that were essentially distributed to other people in the hospital. When the same man was put in a home he was less inclined to engage in his addiction and the cost of housing him was far less than the medical and other expenses that came from him being homeless.

There were objections to such programs becoming more widespread though. Some felt that it was unfair that people that had little income be left to struggle while some one that makes no income be rewarded and have their basic needs covered for them. There are also some of the same objections that you may have heard before about why certain neighborhoods limit the number of houses that can be rented out. I won’t get into how just or unjust that the objections may be, but only point out that there may also be significant objection against it which could make implementing such a plan over a wider area to possibly not be without it’s objectors.

a good use could be found for all the empty houses instead of them becoming drug houses… Kinda strange so many of these homes end up with drug dealers living there and doing business out of them, but if a homeless person would walk in, they would likely have the police there so fast their head would spin…where is the sense in that? LOL

Hmmm…That may vary from state to state. If a person is successful at occupying a home for longer than a certain period of time they may end up with squatter’s rights. There have been higher instances of squatting with the higher number of foreclosed homes (and presumably a higher number of people looking for places to live). If a person squat’s long enough getting the person out may require that an owner go through an eviction process. If a person is able to stay in a house enough years than he or she can claim the deed to the property.

 

[ThinkingSapien]

Meaning I never let my netbook out of my sight, it was pretty much all I had left, and it is necessary for applying for jobs etc these days.

This reminds me of what some one else was saying when talking about where to draw the line for the poverty level some time ago. To some as long as some one’s most basic life-supporting needs are met (a place to live, food to eat, access to water) then the person will to some be considered living in an acceptable state and the person is not in need of further assistance. But in any society there may also be relative needs. To apply for a job you will need to have suitable clothing for that job or else it may be challenging to find some one to take you seriously. Access to a computer and/or phone may also be necessary for finding a job, and so on.

 

[WilT]

Thinkinsapien, your on to understanding the homeless plight. One needs the basics to begin to succeed and get themselves off of homelessness and poverty. The essentials were partially mentioned:
Shelter: for safety, storage, showering and cooking, dressing, and sleeping
Food: Luckily the government is providing this for the homeless and poor
Transportation: car, bicycle, or bus access
Others: Cell phone, computer access,
Today, 90% of employers are asking to respond by computer

It is hard for anyone to get off of homelessness if they have nothing to eat
It is hard for anyone to get off of homelessness if they don’t sleep
…if they are not safe and get attacked while on the street
…if they carry along all their personal needs with them
…if they don’t have a place to shower
…if they don’t have clean close to wear
…if they can’t get to work (the longer the distance to work the harder it is to be steady)
…if it rains they will get wet
…if they have no way of communicating outside or receiving calls without a phone

These are just some of the perils the homeless face and many others. I haven’t mentioned
the negative treatment they receive from business, their own families, and even their Churches.
A lot of ignorance, fear, and hatred is seen and felt out in the street. Shall we Pray