Posted on 05/22/2023 9:32:50 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
A good Samaritan, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary is, “a person who gives help and sympathy to people who need it”. This concept goes back to Biblical times, specifically the book of Luke, chapter 10, and the “Parable of the Good Samaritan.”
Jesus told the story of a man who was robbed, beaten, and left for dead. A priest and a Levite both saw the beaten man and walked past him, crossing to the other side of the street. But the Samaritan stopped to help the injured man, attending to his wounds, bringing him to an inn, paying the innkeeper to care for him until he was well.
Jesus asked, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" And he answered his own question, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise."
Is that still possible? Or rational?
Flash forward 2000 years and play this parable out again. Who is the good Samaritan and who is the chump and potential criminal for following the words of Jesus?
Good Samaritans can do far more than attend to an injured fellow human. They can also protect others from harm. But today such actions may lead to trouble for the good Samaritan such that the smarter course of action is to act like the priest or Levite in the parable, crossing to the other side of the street, saying and doing nothing, just walking away.
Two recent news stories illustrate how Jesus’s teachings are falling on modern society’s deaf ears.
The first story made national news a few weeks ago of ex-Marine Daniel Penny’s arrest over alleged manslaughter after restraining unruly New York City subway troublemaker Jordan Neely.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
Nothing says “kind and loving” like attempting to push a subway passenger onto the tracks as Neely did the day before his own fatal altercation.
Far from trying to kill Neely, Daniel Penny put Neely into a recovery position (with passengers complimenting his actions), hardly the moves of someone intent on killing Neely. "He’s a hero," said another passenger, who has lived in New York City more than 50 years.
Who really killed Neely? Where were city officials or his family? If he was behind bars for his myriad crimes, he would be alive today. If his schizophrenia had been properly treated, including hospitalization, he would be alive today. Neely was left for dead by his family and New York City long before Daniel Penny restrained him.
The NYC subway system is now a mental institution on wheels where drug or psychiatric fueled rage and violence is the norm. Observing a threat to subway passengers, former Marine Daniel Penny was the good Samaritan, “giving help to people who needed it”, namely other subway passengers.
His family knew and probably did nothing to help him turn his life around. Because it wasn’t their personal problem or responsibility. But more than happy to claim victim status when someone else had to take care of him.
And the party of chumps and criminals are currently controlling our government.
Indeed, sad to say.
Think about whether your phone is with you and where you are parked.
Having a mentally ill person in your family, much like a drug addict or alcoholic, can be an unsolvable problem.
If they don’t want help and don’t follow thru w/ treatment options, sometimes you just have to cut them off. It doesn’t mean they’re terrible people or you don’t care for them.
Putting the blame onto someone else for stopping their family member from yet another violent episode and trying to cash in on it is pathetic and shows what kind of a family they actually are. They are trting to make this thug a saint and make money off it and destroy the person who stopped their thug family member.
You also can have addiction problems and NOT have a long criminal history of thug violent behavior. Its not like because you’ve got mental problems or addictions that you also have to be thuggish.
I agree. I was more referencing the idea that his family doesn’t care about helping him.
You can’t help someone who doesn’t want it. Sometimes you have to walk away.
I understand.
We have a similar situation in my family.
Like it or not, if one is really a disciple of Christ we must love our enemies. This may include talking with rational explanations, give others “the benefit of doubt” until the person shows a problematic hidden agenda and is unwilling to live like a good neighbor.
RE: until the person shows a problematic hidden agenda and is unwilling to live like a good neighbor.
Doesn’t that description fit the departed Jordan Neely?
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