What would Jesus do?

[StrawberryJam]

I think that evil people will use any way they can to get unsuspecting people to feel badly enough for them to give the evil person a way to harm them. No, I don’t think a hungry person holding a sign that he was hungry and will do anything for food is evil. I rather think evil people wear many hats. And I said nothing about a hitchhiker. I’m responding to the suggestion to give money from the “safety” of one’s car. Unless you plan on throwing the money at them at a safe distance (which is rude), I wouldn’t put myself in a compromising situation, especially if I were alone.

You could easily call the Police to see to the guy, and check back with them later so that you could give him money that you think he needs. But I wouldn’t give him an opportunity to overtake me. Actually I don’t give people an opportunity to overtake me, not on purpose anyway.

I’m amazed anyone thinks that it would be rude to toss money out of a window to a hungry person.

You are hungry. You have no food. Someone tosses money to you that you have to pick up. Your response:
A- How rude!
B- I am so fortunate that I have the chance to eat something today!

 

[Marc_Anthony]

I’m amazed anyone thinks that it would be rude to toss money out of a window to a hungry person.

You are hungry. You have no food. Someone tosses money to you that you have to pick up. Your response:
A- How rude!
B- I am so fortunate that I have the chance to eat something today!

Think about it though. You need to try and dig out the money while speeding down the road, then try and time it so that you can hurl it at this hungry person. Why not just call the police? Seems like a satisfactory answer to me.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Think about it though. You need to try and dig out the money while speeding down the road, then try and time it so that you can hurl it at this hungry person. Why not just call the police? Seems like a satisfactory answer to me.

And, what crime has this man commited to call the police?

 

[Marc_Anthony]

And, what crime has this man commited to call the police?

Geez, we’re not getting this guy arrested. We’re trying to get him help, hopefully the police could do that. Their only job isn’t to catch criminals, you know.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Geez, we’re not getting this guy arrested. We’re trying to get him help, hopefully the police could do that. Their only job isn’t to catch criminals, you know.

So, the police should be called to direct this man to a social service, or to get him food while good christians buzz past him and can not even toss money to him because that would be rude?

 

[Marc_Anthony]

So, the police should be called to direct this man to a social service, or to get him food while good christians buzz past him and can not even toss money to him because that would be rude?

No, good Christians are getting this man help so that he could find social services, which is far more useful than having chnge chucked at you from a speeding car. Diggin out money while driving is laso dangerous by the way (as is using your cell phone while driving, but nowadays we have hands-free cell phones that most people use while in cars so that shouldn’t be an issue).

Seriously here, what is your issue with this? Nobody’s saying we should abandon the man; we want to get him help. I don’t see why you consider this such a moral travesty. I don’t see it.

 

[StrawberryJam]

No, good Christians are getting this man help so that he could find social services, which is far more useful than having chnge chucked at you from a speeding car. Diggin out money while driving is laso dangerous by the way (as is using your cell phone while driving, but nowadays we have hands-free cell phones that most people use while in cars so that shouldn’t be an issue).

Seriously here, what is your issue with this? Nobody’s saying we should abandon the man; we want to get him help. I don’t see why you consider this such a moral travesty. I don’t see it.

What good christians are getting this man help? I am sorry, I missed that part of the OP. Where did you read into the OP all of this?

 

[Marc_Anthony]

What good christians are getting this man help? I am sorry, I missed that part of the OP. Where did you read into the OP all of this?

Through discussion it seemed to me that we had concluded that the best course of action would be to call the police and ask them for help.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Through discussion it seemed to me that we had concluded that the best course of action would be to call the police and ask them for help.

In other words, you have no idea if any christians helped this man.

 

[Marc_Anthony]

In other words, you have no idea if any christians helped this man.

Of course not. I’m saying that if this situation arises the best thing for a Christian to do would be to call the police.

Seems as if we’re having two different discussions.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Of course not. I’m saying that if this situation arises the best thing for a Christian to do would be to call the police.

Seems as if we’re having two different discussions.

You said that christians were helping this man. That, I objected to. It seems that no one did help this man in this case. A christian passed him by.

 

[Marc_Anthony]

You said that christians were helping this man. That, I objected to. It seems that no one did help this man in this case. A christian passed him by.

I was talking in a hypothetical sense. That is, the consensus of the discussion seemed to me that if we passed a man in the circumstances this man wasin, we’d help him. I have no idea whether or not anybody helped this man.

 

[Whitacre_Girl]

You said that christians were helping this man. That, I objected to. It seems that no one did help this man in this case. A christian passed him by.

StrawberryJam:

I can see that you care a great deal about helping the less fortunate. I envy this in you. I know I personally have a fault of dismissing all the people in my hometown holding signs as people just trying to get free money. I knew a guy who used to “pandhandle” (as it is called) and said that he did it in addition to his part time job and government support checks so he could afford cocaine on top of his rent, food, and utilities. I grew a skeptical side a mile wide and I work to regain the kind heart that you have.

How do you help people on the side of the road? I personally carry no cash, and I used to keep granola bars in my car for snacks on the road or if I forgot lunch for school. I would give these out, but my city recently outlawed giving food to the homeless unless you have a permit. I also am…well, a dainty girl. I know if something happened to me, my husband would be devastated, so I don’t take risks where there might be danger. I’ve encountered reasons for “stranger danger” too often in my own life. What do you do? Does it work for you? What would you reccomend?

 

[StJudePray4Me]

Although the OP may have “literally” passed the man by, I don’t think she “actually” passed him by – she felt compassion and the responsibility to help, and went so far as to come here looking for advice. Her concern for her own personal safety is well-founded and not silly or selfish.
I would only say she “passed him by” if she had seen him there and kept going, never giving him another thought.
If I see someone with a flat tire, I do NOT stop to help them change it – I call the police and report it. I have helped just as much as if I had stopped myself.
If I donate money to a homeless shelter, I have helped as much as if I invited a homeless person into my home for a meal.
If I see a hungry person on the side of the road, and call the police who bring him to a shelter where he can get a hot meal, a shower and a bed for the night, I have helped him MORE than if I threw a granola bar wrapped in $2 out the window.
If you think the police only arrest people, you are sadly mistaken. The police perform more acts of kindness than most of us ever will know about, they just don’t go around looking for credit for doing it.
Jesus would have us help others - I doubt He would want us to endanger our own lives foolishly.

 

[puzzleannie]

Well today I drove by a man standing on a busy highway holding a sign that said “Hungry will do anything for food.”

I was alone, so I kept driving. I know about the story of the good Samaritan… but in this day and age… it’s a bit scary for someone to be charitable to a random stranger standing on the side of a busy highway, as a single woman…

How should a Catholic handle a situation like this? I have an overwhelming guilt for not stopping to do anything… not sure if I did what was right in the situation by just driving on and praying that he got someone brave enough to stop and give him food or something.

there is no commandment that says “thou shalt be stupid.”

if he was on a busy intersection chances are he is in the center city, spends a lot of time there, and know where to go to get a meal or other help. Prudence is one of the cardinal virtues and Catholics are called upon to practice it. You can best help street people by giving time, talent and treasure to agencies, church and community, dedicated to helping them, because they have the knowledge, resources and judgment you lack in providing that help in the best possible way.

 

[Newbie2]

Maybe Jose Maria Escriva would be good reading for you.

Christ is passing you by.

That man on the road, was Christ. You passed him by.

We’ve all passed people by, no? Difference is that the OP is asking how she could have helped the guy without exposing herself to a potentially dangerous situation.

there is no commandment that says “thou shalt be stupid.”

if he was on a busy intersection chances are he is in the center city, spends a lot of time there, and know where to go to get a meal or other help. Prudence is one of the cardinal virtues and Catholics are called upon to practice it. You can best help street people by giving time, talent and treasure to agencies, church and community, dedicated to helping them, because they have the knowledge, resources and judgment you lack in providing that help in the best possible way.

Thou shalt be stupid.

Good answer, PA.

I’m sure we’ve all been in situations where someone appearing to be in need asks for our help, and we, because of personal safety or other such concerns, have decided not to help someone in the way that they are asking or at that particular moment.

SJ, I think that you have taken a Christian teaching to a bit of an extreme. In the OP’s situation, she felt unsafe helping the man by stopping to give him assistance at that particular time. Was that uncharitable? I think not. Sure, she could have done more, but do we give money to every charity we’re asked to give to? Aren’t we, by not giving to all these charities “passing them by”? Is not giving to all these charities “uncharitable” and “un-Christlike”?

Should a 16 year old girl make sandwiches and go into an inner city area and distribute them? Of course not. That’s an extreme example, perhaps, but illustrative of PuzzleAnnie’s point.

As far as calling the police, SJ, you know it would be to get the guy help and not get him into trouble, right? In the OP’s case, if she had called the police, it would perhaps have been the most expedient way to get the guy help, not to mention potentially getting him into a safer situation.

As well, how do we know the guy isn’t just rustling up drug or booze money? Granted, that is another topic, how do we know that when we give a street person some money that they’re going to get something to eat rather than get their next fix…how can we be sure to be angels of mercy, rather than enablers of an addiction?

 

[Zatzat]

Give money to ot volunteer at your local mission, food bank, soup kitchen, homeless shelter, salvation army etc…

Same goes for pan handlers, instead of giving them money so they can buy drugs and alcohol to feed their addictions…give to the charities and health services that help them.

 

[jmcrae]

And, what crime has this man commited to call the police?

The police are there to help us. Not merely to arrest bad guys.

They have the resources to get the guy the kind of help he needs. They can drive him to the Drop Inn, and get him a bed and a meal for the evening, and an interview with a social worker who can assess his situation and get him the help he needs. both right this minute (emergency food and shelter), and for the long term (job training, life skills).

And if it turns out that he’s actually laying a trap for unwary young women, to rape, rob, and murder them, the police also have the resources to deal with that situation, too. So, it’s all win-win.