What can we do for "bums"

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CHRISTINE77 said:
There are all kinds of street people as we call them in the Northwest where I live and work. Some are obviously mentally ill, alcoholic and drug addicted. Some are young kids running around, not even poor, just trouble makers. Some belong to groups like the Rainbow tribe and some are gangs, they steal and beat up other street people.

Portland, Oregon has many homeless shelters, drug programs and food kitchens, and it attracts more and more of these kinds of people because they know they can get a lot of freebies here and won’t get put in jail for vagrancy or anything. They camp out in the middle of downtown, and many aggressively panhandle, ride public trains with their pit bulldogs and generally are very dirty and stinky. Needless to say, I do not have much sympathy, although I am sure there are some who genuinely are lost. The best thing to do is give to your shelters, food banks, St. Vincent de Paul or other charities, if you want to help.
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Yeah I think this advice has been the general consensus. But it is like I said, many of these people are dishonest etc. because that is all they have ever known. Some of them resort to violence out of desperation, others because that grew up around violence. It is a sad thing. That is what I mean by spiritual poverty. I have seen a film about Saint Don Bosco who worked with boys who were like this… he had a lot of success bringing these boys to conversion. But he also had a lot of charm and patience. I am wondering if it takes a special kind of person to reach out to the people of the streets. Because the gospels say that we all have to help them, and I don’t know where to begin. I guess a soup kitchen it is then.
 
I used to regularly donate a dollar to bums.

I’ve since changed my perspective on that though, even if they are not all addicts, a significant percentage are… and I’d rather not finance the local drug dealer or liquor store.

Every now and than, if I know I’ll be driving by one, I’ll sometimes grab a fast food burger to hand them. I’ve been startled how many weren’t really interested in food though, especially the one’s carrying signs that they’re hungry :rolleyes:
 
CompSciGuy said:
A name is a name, and I’ve always heard ‘bum’ used to describe a homeless person that begs for money.
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It just seems to lack charity, in my honest opinion. We don’t know what causes are behind their situation. The Church teaches respect, compassion, and sensitivity towards homosexuals, I would imagine it would require the same for a homeless person. 🤷
 
Prodigal_Son1 said:
It just seems to lack charity, in my honest opinion. We don’t know what causes are behind their situation. The Church teaches respect, compassion, and sensitivity towards homosexuals, I would imagine it would require the same for a homeless person. 🤷
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Hmm I just thought it a sort of short-hand expression for “homeless person who begs for money” as opposed to just “homeless person.” But if it is disrespectful then I won’t use it.
 
CompSciGuy said:
Hmm I just thought it a sort of short-hand expression for “homeless person who begs for money” as opposed to just “homeless person.” But if it is disrespectful then I won’t use it.
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Once again I will post this video to answer your question hopefully. It is absolutely uncharitable and places a judgement on a person you know nothing about.

“Ronald Davis- I’m not a bum, I am a human being” m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=GThh6bU0-OU&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DGThh6bU0-OU
 
raaucoin said:
Quit calling them bums.
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Amen - Here they are generally just generically identified as ‘homeless’ or at worst ‘vagrants’, but they can be so for a number of reasons. The reality is that ALL can find some sort of official housing here in the UK and Western Europe, but it most cases it is not forced upon them.
 
The other morning I was walking to my bus stop in the early dawn and I saw a touching sight up the road. A homeless man had been drenched in the heavy rain that had been falling all night and was walking unsteadily down the street. A young man started talking to him, and then took off his outer jacket and gave the homeless man his inner jacket. That really made me think about true charity.
 
I’ve been homeless a few times and, yes, I’ve been mentally ill. No, I wasn’t addicted to drugs, alcohol.

What we need is food, water, clothing and shelter in the bad weather. If you help the local shelter, you’re really helping a lot.

Some of us who are mentally ill or just afraid to be around other homeless people (some can be violent or dangerous) don’t like going to shelters if we can help it. In this case, food and drink are the most help. Maybe a blanket to sleep in.

These are the things Jesus spoke about too.
 
bsroufek said:
I’ve been homeless a few times and, yes, I’ve been mentally ill. No, I wasn’t addicted to drugs, alcohol.

What we need is food, water, clothing and shelter in the bad weather. If you help the local shelter, you’re really helping a lot.

Some of us who are mentally ill or just afraid to be around other homeless people (some can be violent or dangerous) don’t like going to shelters if we can help it. In this case, food and drink are the most help. Maybe a blanket to sleep in.

These are the things Jesus spoke about too.
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and, if anyone is interested, the homeless need socks (cheap in bulk at walmart) and clean water bottles (give a liter bottle, it can be refilled).
 
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