Jay Kadis wrote in message ...
In article ,
(Blind Joni) wrote:
Well, it's commonplace enough. The rest of the story... she's probably an
alcoholic on the fringe of society. So does that entitle her to a life on
the
street? Life can be very hard for those people with marginal social skills
and
self-control.
OK..I'm gonna make a crazy statement here.....not to enflame but to offer
another point of view. Maybe not a total solution but a viable point
nonetheless.
If this women were a member of a church she would have some sort of support
system. I always wonder why so many don't recognize this.
Does your church help the homeless without proselytizing them? Does it provide
job training and placement? Does it find low-cost housing? Does it provide all
the services a decent society should expecting nothing in return?
We helped her for the time being without any divine intervention. But that's
not how society should be functioning, catch-as-catch-can. Church is not the
answer to every problem.
-Jay
Well, no, church may not be the answer to every problem. On the other
hand, how well are corporations or the government doing on social
problems? Especcially considering the fact that corporations, and
their government enablers, are far more the cause of problems than
churches are. Various charity organizations and 'crisis centers',
etc., of whatever stripe, are merely dealing with the fallout arising
from the actions of governments and corporations.
Yes, it is true that *some* church assistance programs involve
proselytizing, but many do not even mention 'the lord' at all to the
recipients. Some folk's interperetation of whatever chosen gospel
tells them to 'save' people, but a good many read where you just have
to help folks, no evangelism needed. If you *really* want to help
folks, you can't worry about if they're willing to be 'saved' or not.
Many church based organizations understand and work under this
principle.
Some of the church based, and other non-governmental agencies do, in
fact, provide assistance for obtaining housing, loans, jobs, etc. ,
expecting far less "in return" than a corporate or government entity
would, in terms of intrusion upon your life, or surrender of dignity.
I agree that it should not be such a "catch as catch can" situation,
but that is more a matter of the policies that create the situation in
the first place. To somewhat oversimplify my position on it, we
wouldn't have to worry and argue so much about how best to deal with,
or how much to spend on these problems, if we were to figure out how
to quit spending so much money to cause these problems to begin with.
Events being as they are now, we seem to have a ways to go yet on that
score.
The new poor and veterans that we are creating in ever greater numbers
will be needing any and every source of relief and help that they can
get in getting themselves back to a state of dignity.
Let's keep them in our hearts.
JF