Why do churches close their doors at night?

Question

What is there to steal from a church?
Nothing. Bibles, Hymnals. The wood from the pews? No.
Churches don't have gold at the altar anymore.
How are you going to steal the stained-glass windows? They are just as easy to steal from the outside, anyway.

So, my REAL QUESTION IS: Why in the HELL (pun intended) can't the HOMELESS SLEEP IN THE CHURCHES which are ALL OVER the CITY and ALL CLOSED at night?

How hypocritical is THAT?!

Why don't CHRISTIANS DEMAND that THEIR churches KEEP THE DOORS OPEN at night!!!!

If apartment buildings can hire a security guard, why can't a church? They could even get rotating volunteers (most churches have several hundred members to choose from)!

Again, a guard is not even necessary!! There's nothing to steal!! And MOST HOMELESS will PROTECT the church where they are staying at night!!

What the HELL is wrong with churches?? Are they run by the DEVIL??!!!! How cruel!!!!!!!!!

Since when did we start putting expensive sound equipment in churches?
What the HELL do we need that for?
Get rid of the stupid SOUND EQUIPMENT and you will have nothing to steal.

What are you going to do next? Are you going to install PLASMA TVs so that people can see better?! Or, better yet, why not install individual screens behind every pew, like in airlines?!

All these things cost money!! That money is ILL SPENT in the first place!! That money ought to be conserved for when people DO VANDALISE something!!

THE CHURCH IS NOT A LIVING ROOM!!

As for needles left lying around--the churches are CLEANED everyday!!

Sure, you kick the homeless out in the morning, before opening. Why not? They've slept there all night. In the morning, the place should be cleaned and Lysol sprayed everywhere.

A can of Lysol can clean a whole church.
A can of Lysol costs about $6.
6x365=$2,190.
A cheap hotel room costs 30.
30x365=$10,950.
You are saving $8,760 to SAVE A LIFE!!

Most of you ASSES seem to think that a church must be preserved as some kind of nice LIVING ROOM. A church is NOT a living room and it is NOT a "place to worship." It is a place to gather and it is the HOME OF GOD!! (If you believe that sort of thing--if you don't, then well...it STILL can be seen as a good SHELTER!!)

I'd like to see some of you people go back just a few hundred years and sit next to some of the people who showed up on a Sunday to worship. They would not smell any better than some of today's homeless!

You worry about vandalism? So what?! So what if the place is vandalized? Don't restaurant owners and shopkeepers of all kinds have to put up with and PAY for repairing defacement of their property all the time? Why shouldn't a church have to do the same thing?!

There are NOT ENOUGH SHELTERS and that is WHY you see homeless sleeping on the street! They get TURNED AWAY at churches and have NO WHERE TO SLEEP!!

I'm not singling out Christians--ALL temples!

Answer 1

I agree with the answer above. However, not the case here in the Philippines where some churches are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Answer 2

I take it she's never been to a homeless shelter?

The homeless are not a band of merry men wishing to cavort.

There are some devious people in homeless shelter. Mentally insane, thieves, etc… Sometimes these people defecate on the floors. Are you willing to clean the churches?

Homeless people use needles. Are you willing to take the responsibility if a child finds a needle for drug use and plays with it and gets stuck?

If these homeless people know they have shelter at night then they will stay around the church in the day time. You want to send children to this church? A lot of the homeless are child molesters. It is a law in many states that people convicted of abusing children in this way can not live in apartments. Even when they are released from prison they have no where to go BUT the street.

I suggest you take a little bit of your energy and GO to the homeless shelters or homeless areas and see if you want them IN your neighborhood. Better YET, go find a couple and bring them home and rehabilitate them… If you end up with and empty house, abused, or even worse good luck….

I give to the needy all the time. I know some of these homeless people. They can be nice as heck and then turn on you in an instant.

Sounds like you also have an issue with churches…

Funny…

The churches run shelters. How many other organizations run homeless shelters?

Can you answer me this?
Does the American Red Cross have shelters year round for homeless?
Dose Planned Parenthood have shelters year round for the homeless?
Does the ACLU have shelters year round for the homeless?

Those 3 I just listed have MORE MONEY than all the churches in your community combined!!!

Answer 3

A church is a place of worship. The members tithe their earning which built the church, the expensive pews, pulpit, books, sound equipment and a lot of other things. Even locking the doors, people, break in, steal, vandalize A church is no place for a group of homeless people to go in, spill beer and wine all over the pews, use to shoot up, have their fortification affairs. It's not a sanitary for the Devil.

Answer 4

Hi Joe,
I really agree with several of these people on different points but Penny Mae seems to have everything together. I also believe that the homeless certainly need our help but that help should be from Individuals NOT from the LORD's CHURCH. The Church money is gathered to spread god's Word, to teach members, and to care for the building. The assistance given to non-members should be done by individual members not from the Lord's Money. I hope that you have opened your home as some of us have done throughout the years to those in need. That is the only Christian thing to do. It also speaks well of the non-Christians. Have a great evening.
Thanks,
Eds

Answer 5

Because there are things to steal. And people go in churches and desecrate them, vandalize and even burn them down. People break into churches and steal bibles, supplies like toilet paper, things the church is collecting for the poor, money, the gifts being collected for the children at Christmas, anything not nailed down. Why should they have to let anyone sleep there? It is a place of worship, not a shelter. Why not have the hotels with empty rooms open those rooms and let the homeless stay there? That way they would have bathrooms and showers, a tv, maybe even a little fridge to use, a comfy bed and clean sheets. Or, open the empty jail cells and let them stay there? The gyms at the local schools? Or the community centers, the library, or the courthouse? Why just Christians? How about the synagogues, other places of worship? There is no band-aid solution, and we aren't being hypocrites. Open your house and let them sleep there.

Answer 6

First , as a Christian and member of the Church of Christ in Pennsylvania, The Church is the body of Christ, True Christians make up the Lord's Church. The people are the Church and I and members of the Church of Christ always have their hearts and doors open. AS for the Church Building, it is a sad predictament,
because of the kids that vandalize just for the fun of it, and people who will steal even the Bibles, Hymn books, etc....Again that word WHY comes to mind.....
Why are there homeless people to begin with in our rich country.?
Why can't the government use our tax dollars to help our own ?
Why Why Why.....???
Our very small congregation has helped so many who have wandered in during or after our services and asked for help, we give to them not knowing if their claim is true that they need it , God knows, We can only be kind and trust that we have helped in some small way.

Hebrews 13:2---Be not forgetful to entertain ( be kind) strangers,
for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Answer 7

First. only 7/11 and gas stations are open all night long.

second. sadly, a lot of homeless people are not the nicest people and would not treat a church with the respect they should.

It is not the stealing that is the worry it is the damage that they are worried about.

Not to be mean but have you ever been to a homeless shelter.? Most can not protect each other, so how can they protect a church.?

They same could be said about people. Why are WE not helping the homeless.? How come we do not take them into our homes and feed them and keep them warm. ?

Answer 8

The answers about sound right to me.....stereo equipment, musical instruments, decorations.......people don't care. Sometimes they even have some cash on hand. I know a few churches where I live that has gotten broke into before and they try and take things that are "nailed down" people just don't care and they have no respect. I would rather my church be locked up......if someone needs help, come during the day or call someone from the church, and tell them that you need help. I am sure the church would help then...come to them DON"T BREAK IN!

Answer 9

People will steal anything, like the first person said plenty of stereo equipment, on Sundays after service we stay after and watch the game on the big screen, in detroit where l live people are stealing copper pipes and plumbing all over the place, who is going to pay for this around the clock security. plus churches don't have hugh bathroom facilities, they do what they can. Your real beef is with City governments who don't provide places for there citizens to go.

Answer 10

In the U.S. the first answer is absolutely correct. You'd be surprised at what people will steal. Also, sometimes it is not a matter of stealing, but vandalism. Unfortunately there are people out there that just want to destroy the property, not steal it. Your suggestion seams logical on the surface, but isn't practical when you take into consideration all of the variables.