Posted on 03/31/2017 12:19:50 PM PDT by BlessedBeGod
A blog post by Bishop Thomas Tobin came after Pope Francis said helping the homeless was always right
A month after Pope Francis endorsed giving money to the homeless, the Catholic bishop in Rhode Island has described three reasons not to.
Pope Francis was asked last month by an Italian magazine for the homeless “if it is right to give alms to people who ask for help on the street,” according to a transcript of the interview posted on the Vatican website.
He replied that there are many arguments to justify not giving money, such as being concerned the person will just buy himself wine. But Francis said: “Help is always right.”
He added that when people give, they should do so not by throwing coins, but by looking the person in the eye and touching their hands.
Bishop Thomas Tobin posted a Facebook message on Tuesday entitled “Three Reasons Not to Give to Panhandlers.”
Bishop Tobin’s spokeswoman said the post was prompted by recent local debate on the panhandling issue, not in response to anything Pope Francis has said.
The bishop said it can be a safety hazard if someone standing on a curb or pavement is asking for help, and said the practice enables dishonest people to prey upon others’ compassion when they do not have legitimate needs.
He also said throwing loose change at a homeless person is demeaning to that person’s dignity.
“While it might make us feel better, in fact it sustains a very unhealthy and degrading lifestyle. Our community has legitimate and structured means of helping the poor and needy. We should support those,” the bishop wrote.
Bishop Tobin also quoted Francis in his post, saying a great danger when aiding the poor is falling into “an attitude of protective paternalism”.
Don’t reward lazy behavior. So simple.
Hang a bird feeder on your back porch. Watch and learn!
“Don’t feed the animals”
It isn’t illogical when they say don’t feed the animals. If you do, they will stop learning to feed themselves. Same applies to perfectly healthy humans. Do not give them free stuff. It makes them dependent. It is much worse when the gubmint does it — now the lazy gets to VOTE himself some freebies. It is happening right now. OBAMACARE — about to become TrumpCare.
Some people need help for a wide range of reasons.I would offer help as I believe Jesus would approve.It’s not my job to make judgements about those I help.I leave that to God.
I say this not meaning to judge the response you offered.It’s just how I see things.
>>Don’t reward lazy behavior. So simple.<<
Yet millions are members of the democrat party.
Jefferson On Welfare, when it actually worked!
Rather than promoting population control and third world dependency on others, I propose promoting self-suficiency.
Promote energy development in the third world.
Educate the third world.
Industrialize the third world.
Help them to PROFIT from their own natural resources rather than stealing it from them for 2 cents on the dollar.
Hunger and suffering is largely the result of oppression and the greed of third world tyrants and those population control zealots who support them.
Where I live, giving money to homeless/beggars means you are putting money in the pockets of drug dealers or the local liquor store owner.
Never give $ to the homeless. Their poor decisions are what caused them to be in that situation to begin with. That poor decision making carries over into the management of money.
“Giving Money to Beggars ‘Sustains a Degrading Lifestyle’, Says Bishop”
Well...guess I’ll just tear up this here little ol’ tithing check that was going in the plate this Sunday.
The one time in my life I gave to a panhandler:
An old guy was digging through a garbage can in downtown Seattle. I went to McDonalds and bought a hamburger. When I went up to him and handed it to him, he shoved it out, onto the ground, and walked off, complaining.
I don’t help panhandlers. I don’t know their story.
If I see a homeless person that looks as though they need help, I give them a few dollars. If they spend it on beer instead of food, that’s on them. Like you said, who am I to judge?
You can do what you please. It is your money. I am simply laying the negatives of giving freebies. It gets much worse if you expect the gubmint to “help” the freeloaders using taxpayers’ money under the barrel of the gun. Now, that is just criminal and tyrannical.
Some of them are in genuine need. Others are not. You don’t know which is which.
I’ve traveled to about 45 countries and my experiences vary. In most parts of Asia, if you give money to a begging child the adults frown at you. The guidebooks, such as lonely planet, will tell you not to do it. It keeps them from developing skills to get ahead on their own, w/out begging.
Places where it’s acceptable or even encouraged are India and Africa.
Help doesn’t have to mean handouts, that is what liberals are always confused about. I’m all for assisting homeless and needy to no longer be either; temporary beds, job training, addiction treatment if needed, etc... But it has to be coupled with the expectation that this is a temporary prop-up, not a permanent check in their wallet.
The Church Fathers commanded us to give to the poor—including beggars—without asking what they will use the money for!
And the Holy Fathers were following the teachings of our Lord Himself!!!!
http://biblehub.com/matthew/5-42.htm
Especially in the mean and nasty world we live in—created mainly by “progressives”—we have no idea what blessings our poor alms will confer on the homeless and destitute we give to.
And we shall be blessed as well!!!!
http://biblehub.com/luke/6-38.htm
I knew a ‘signer’ who had more fast food than he knew what to do with it.
People who didn’t want to give him cash gave him food.
He used to laugh at what suckers people were.
He said they would pray for him and then later he would mock them.
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