A different look at Charity?

Question

I'm a pretty charitable person. I live in Philadelphia and I see homeless people every day. Sometimes I give them some money and I donate to various other charities but something I always hear from people about giving to the poor is "How do you know they wont use it for drugs or alcohol?" This is true, I dont know what they'll use it for and they might go buy drugs or something. But something else came to mind... dont we donate a LOT of money to home owning Hollywood people that we KNOW use it for drugs and alcohol?

Just a thought to ponder :)

Answer 1

You have an excellent question here!!
Actually though, we do not donate our money to the Stars in Hollywood, we are buying their product or service and that is what they choose to do with their earned money.
Some homeless, on the other hand, spend our hard earned money given in charitable donations on riotess living. I think what is meant by give to the poor is for us to give to the needy in the "Church".

Also, you asked back a while ago if there was a message board one could go to to discuss religion. One is set up here http://sportstalks.proboards80.com/index.cgi
but I think it's having problems taking off. I will register if you will...and perhaps others will follow suit and we could have some real discussions.

Answer 2

Homeless are often homeless for a reason. In the town next to mine a homeless guy won the lotto after a year he was back on the street. NOt al hollywood people do drugs and alcohol probably less then you think! I dont think they do any more then regular people. How many hollywood people do you know? I do think that the poor and homeless do a lot more drugs the average person. I donate money to cancer charities. I would not give to a homeless guy on the street.

Answer 3

Yeah, although... Can you really blame them for using it for drugs? If I didn't have a hope in the world, and someone gave me $10, I might use $5 to get some pizza and the other $5 to get alcohol. I make a good income and live in a nice home, and tonight I bought pizza and alcohol anyway!

I'm not a Christian, but I believe in "don't judge, lest you be judged."

Answer 4

i dont see so many homeless people where i live @ but when i travel and see people holding up signs i have actually given them all the money i had on me once ( well because i had $20 and more on my atm card). because what if that person is like an angel according to hebrews 13:2? it depends on if you think their honest or not.

Answer 5

I fail to understand your idea here. We donate money to "home owning hollywood people." How do we do this?

You don't mean to imply that when we BUY goods and services, music, entertainment, you see this as some kind of "donation?" My good man! Have a book on capitalism. Or TWO!

Answer 6

I read your answer to Humanist's question on God and hard work, I think you are a genius. I don't give homeless people money but I will give them food. They usually don't want it because shelters already feed them but won't buy their alcohol,

Answer 7

Beautiful, I prefer to give them food items or clothing But you are so right and we have so many homeless in our country

Answer 8

That's not charity, that's dues for entertainment.
Charity is wrong on so many levels.
It's supporting the weak at the expense of the strong.
It's the nasty need for a good guy badge.
bah humbug
let 'em perish

Answer 9

I like your comparison.
It is a reasonably true statement about our society.

I don't have a solution but I will ponder the thought.

Answer 10

they can afford to get new sinus , nose,body parts.the street poor cant.dont give to street people.carry a snack with you to give.