Reply about the poor?

Question

How many poor folks do you know who live better than you? I see so many people on the side of the road with signs saying will work for food. I have handed them applications to different jobs like, McDonalds, Wendys, etc.. Are they really wanting a job or just a hand out? I think America is lazy and wants hand outs. There is many I know who are driving better cars than we do, and eat steaks alot cause they have food stamps. I dont know one pastor in my community who drives a Cadaliac. I think the person who asked that must watch to much tv.

Answer 1

I'm with you. I see many "homeless", "poor" on my way to work. But, they are fat, some are young and healthy. And, than others, wear brand new shows. I think they are lazy. I see this lady asking for money with a sign and a kid next to her, even at this heat wave.
2 Thessalonians 3:10"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."

Answer 2

It's nice that you give them the applications. Why don't you also make recommendations to the managers on their behalf? A lot of the poor and homeless folks I know often still don't get hired. It isn't that they often don't try (although there are a few who have just given up...very sad, very sad indeed), many are trying every day to get work, to get a home, etc. To really improve their lives. More important than job applications or even some spare change is the chance to feel valuable again. You should, perhaps, give them some work. Ask them to help you do some work in the community. That sounds crazy at first, but you'd be surprised. You offer to pay them a set amount for helping with certain work. It could be something as simple as handing out flyers about an upcoming event to people or perhaps helping in the community garden, etc. You offer to pay them a little for their work and the entire time you really use your words and actions to build up their character and self esteem, to let them know that you haven't given up on them and still believe they can be valuable to society.

I don't know many poor people that drive better cars than I or others do. Most of the poor people I know either don't own a car or own cars that barely run and probably should have been decomissioned years ago. My father owns a car lot and he tries to finance cars for poor/low income individuals, but they have to have a job to that. And I know plenty of folks that have foods stamps and I've never seen them eat steak or anything out their price range. A lot of box dinners I've noticed and canned goods. I have seen a few families that got food stamps that did get steak and chicken, etc, that came from a food relief program operated by some local churches in our State. You go in and if you get food stamps (just show them your food stamp card) and fill out the paperwork then they contact DHS to confirm that you do indeed have food stamps (they don't check how much just that you do...you give them permission to do this) and then after confirmation each month you get an "Angel package" which is full of food. It changes each month, but it is often food that is a lot better for these folks and definately is a nice treat compared to all the box dinners and canned goods they often eat with little food they can often buy with the food stamps they get. I know about the program because I have assisted them with their work in deliverying the packages. It's a really awesome program that I know really blesses a lot of the people who receive the food. The food isn't meant to last for an entire month (afterall you get food stamps) but it all pre-cooked and then sealed and frozen and it is often the more expensive items that people on food stamps can't afford (steak, pork chops, chicken, turkey, ham, fresh vegetables, etc). Now all the churches that help with the program take a part of the church incomes to help buy the food and the church has volunteers that help buy the food, prepare it, seal it, freeze it, and then box it up and ship it out. The churches are often more "wealthy" churches (you pull into the parking lot and see Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Cadilliac, and other really nice cars...and some of those are the Pastors). They also work with the local Catholic charities that also do food banks for people and some of the smaller churches also help by being pick up points (so the churches who don't have all that extra income can still participate). So people can go to their local churches that participate in the program, fill out the paperwork etc, then that information is sent to the main office that handles all the paperwork, then the local church lets people know (either by calling or telling them when they are the church) when the boxes will be there and the larger churches deliver the packages to these smaller, less incomed, churches that also help to distribute the packages. It's really an awesome program for the poor and low income. These same larger churches also run most of the homeless shelters in the State as well and have volunteers from not only other churches, but also other religions as well. The Amma volunteers (Amma is a Hindu saint) often help out at some of these centers.

Answer 3

I don't necessarily agree that ALL poor people live better off than a lot of people... but there are some that take advantage of everything and anything. There is a guy in my city that holds a sign "homeless, will work for money/ food"... on more than one occassion people I know and myself have stopped to give him food, offer him money for some work around their yard, etc. The only thing he doesn't turn down is $. Someone went to him the other week and handed him $10, then offered to give him more if he wanted to come over and do some yard work for them. He took the $ and declined the work.

It is crazy, but it does happen.... sometimes... not always the case.

Answer 4

You do realize that in order to get a job, you have to provide a home address? A lot of the requirements on the applications a homeless person doesn't have anything to put. And no,the pastors around here don't drive Cadillacs either. They drive Lexus'. Makes ya think, huh?

Answer 5

They have "will work for food" on their sign because the truth, "I'm too lazy to work. Please give me what you have earned," doesn't get them much money.

A good friend of mine is married with one child. He actually works for a living, but makes so little that he has to live in a neighborhood that is predominantly welfare slackers. Those "poor" welfare people have video games, VCRs, DVD players, cable TV, trendy shoes and clothes, hair extensions, fake nails, etc. while my friend's family does without any of those luxuries.

How do you explain to your kid that he gets less at Christmas because his daddy does the right thing and works for a living instead of stealing other people's hard earned money? Why does the welfare slob have a better lifestyle than a working man?

It's disgusting.

Answer 6

i am australian and well its not a matter of been lazy. its just that there arnt enough jobs going around mate. most of the manufacturing jobs in australia have gone to china. chinese work for 50 cents a hour. we australians cant live on 50 cents per hour let alone work for it. most of the jobs nowadays here are crappy jobs where you get abused all the time. thats why some people collect the dole.
do americans get paid dole money?

Answer 7

I don’t know any poor people who live better than I. I can think of a number of “well to do” people who are more miserable than I though.

I know a couple of handicapped ladies who can’t find a job no matter how hard they try. No one wants them. It’s much the same with many other “poor”.

As one who believes in the teachings of Christ I help out where I can, with driving and with chores they can’t handle on their own. I can tell you that it is rewarding.

At Matth. 5:38 & following, Jesus teaches to turn the other cheek, to go 2 miles when ask to go one, to give to those who ask, and not to turn away someone who wants to borrow from you… also: to love your neighbour including your enemy!

Compassion and forgiveness is taught as well by a number of other faiths. But it seems to us as “illogical”. So we rationalize and “justify” our actions by only looking at some passages of those teachings that we think are "reasonable”, and forget about the rest. We see and try to point out “the others’” mistakes, so we don’t have to look at our own. - No, I’m not perfect either.

Of course there is “welfare fraud”, but we are not to judge “them”, but rather or own beliefs and actions. “They” will have to account for their own actions.

As far as fraud is concerned, I believe that in $ terms welfare fraud is only a tiny fraction of all the fraud going on in our world.

Each of us has to find the right way for ourselves by continually and honestly searching for the truth. Happy hunting!

Answer 8

Listen to Blue and Reichman.

Of course there are some con artists who take advantage of the system and try to buy beer, cigarettes and lottery tickets with their food stamp money (some of them actually pull it off) but it's not the poor you should be slamming,
IT'S THE RICH PARASITES WHO'VE NEVER DONE A REAL DAY'S WORK IN THEIR LIFE BECAUSE THEY INHERITED THEIR WEALTH AND BUSINESSES AND THEY CONTINUE THE TRADITIONS OF THEIR ANCESTORS OF EXPLOITING THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE.

So yeah, maybe you should refocus your anger.

Answer 9

Why do you begrudge a guy asking for a buck, when you no doubt hand hundreds or thousands of them over to the government every year, who also gives you nothing in return, while hardly batting an eye?

Answer 10

Ditto Reichman