Posted on 12/15/2010 5:01:10 PM PST by wmfights
I know the feeling. That has been one of my biggest challenges. There are some people in our area who prey on rural churches. They show up right at worship time with a car-load of kids and a sob story that goes something like this: "My mother in Michigan is real sick and we're trying to get there, but we have run out of money and our gas is almost gone. Can you give us enough money to buy gas to get us to Michigan?"
Now the first time it happened, I bit. We took up a collection to help the poor woman on her way. Then I was moved to another church. Same story different people, showed up at worship needing money to get to someplace. Now my radar has gone off. I tell the woman that she will have to sit through worship services and then we would see. I asked her to bring the children in too, but she refused. I felt sorry for the poor kids, but I made her sit through the service anyway. Then I told the congregation if they felt moved to offer her some assistance, it was up to them. Some did, some didn't. Same thing happened at the third church. Made her sit through service too. I leave it up to the individuals whether they anti up or not. I won't do it now. Fool me once shame on you, fool me three times shame on me.
Also had a man walk in on our Wed. evening Bible study. All women. Since the church sits on a major highway, I was more than a little worried. The man wanted money for gas (of course). I tried to tell him that we had a community fund supported by all the churches, that covers that kind of emergencies, and told him who to contact. He didn't want to do that. I sent one of the ladies to the office to call and see if someone from the fund could bring him a voucher. I had signaled her to call the sheriff while he was distracted. She came back and said nobody was answering the phone. Finally one of the ladies gave him $20 and he left. It's a shame that people take advantage of our Christian charity to scam people who really can't afford to be scammed. Yes, I've grown cynical too. Sad, but human.
This is an excellent small college in a small town in the Northwest Florida panhandle. It was once called BBI (Baptist Bible Institute) and has turned out many wonderful pastors and musicians. I have been blessed to have several of them serving in the church I grew up in and the churches I have been a member of in my adult life.
It’s just a trick to keep up the 99% homeless myth.
So he pretends to be a bum but he isn’t?
and just how many bums or truly homeless are not bums or truly homeless but actually just posing to teach society some “lesson”?
ridiculous....we are the most charitable folks in the history of mankind...we don’t need the lecture
i don’t need anymore guilt or understanding
most street people I’ve seen are either crazy or addicted to being high...and many don’t want to be in a shelter or off the streets
a few are truly just hard times but there is a whole lot out there to help with that...and i know that because i do help precisely those folks
and I even give to bums...get high or eat a burger...it’s their call
the Gospel sharing by the students...that part of the trick I do like btw
I did too. I'm not much for "setups", but the lesson was good and the response of those that were being setup was even better.
Did anyone there even have the most basic common sense to tell the audience that ministering to bums should only be attempted by full grown men in groups with the ability to defend themselves if need be?
Who's going to take responsibility for some 100 pound girl who was moved by this to go preaching under the overpass and she gets raped and killed?
You can be Christian without being suicidally liberal oblivious to the realities of the world.
It certainly can be.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.