Moral question?

Question

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Akx0.zo1W2.oYBAC_oAfO5Dsy6IX?qid=20070814112242AAisIki

I asked this question earlier today and I got about 25 people all quote their bumper stickers "Teach a man to fish, and he'll eat forever". That answer is extremely inadequate. FYI, nobody is offering to teach these people anything that point is meaningless.

QUESTION: Where do we draw the line with helping the needy (sick and poor)? I hear many people say life is sacred and is the most important. With that said, how can we judge dying people for decisions they’ve made in their life?……all legal decision by the way, no laws were broken. Are we letting people die because of greed? I think so.

The big argument I hear is that we shouldn’t be forced to help these people. Many people in my previous question said the govt., according to Jesus(which is totally irrelevant by the way), has no business in helping the people. The people must help themselves first.

NEW BREAKS: These people have tried to help themselves but in a capitalistic society, peoples success is based on others failures. We can’t all be doctors. Somebody has to clean the toilets and pick up the garbage. That leaves a good portion of people under paid and unable to afford medical treatment. If the govt is going to help these people, and the citizens haven’t stepped up to help, then who is left to help them? Isn’t the govt. the most logical person to step up and help? I wouldn’t mind taking one less golf trip a year knowing that people are getting taken care of. How could any rational person disagree with this?

Many Americans are ok with saving Americans lives if it's through bombing and invading other countries, all of which cost ALL of us money, but these same people are not ok with saving American lives that directly at risk from disease and poverty. I'm sorry, but those two views do not line up.

We all know the govt is misguided and can be inefficiet. With that, we're still talking about human lives. We should be willing to try to fix this at all costs. I am not looking to spoil people. I just care about people who are truly in need of help, should receive it. Money should NEVER factor into whether or not the govt.. becomes involved. If we can justify the trillions spent on fixing some other country then we sure as hell can justify an overhaul of our healthcare system. After all, this would directly benefit every single citizen of the United States.

Answer 1

It's not that we shouldn't help them It's how do we help them and the best delivery system to do so. There are few things less efficient and misguided than the government.

Answer 2

Had a discussion today about pretty much the same thing you bring up.
How we treat trhe "needy" is a reflection on our society as a whole.
People are dying because of greed, whether it is in government ,business ,or society in general.
Govenrment sends our troops to fight for what, the public good?
More like the big oil & business interests that make huge profits ( & contributions ) for a very small but wealthy & powerful segment of the population.
People die while health care "insurors" evaluate the profitability of allowing certain life saving procedures against cost.
Money buys conciences esp in the corner offices of mega corporations that have lives in their hands in some way or another.
Even non- profit organizations have well paid executives to
"administer" funding.
In many cases ,the ratio of funding to administration is upside down in that operating expenses are greater than the gifts made.
This includes faith based programs ( did not mention Jesus) that make only token efforts, if at all to ease the suffering of the sick & poor.
Better bucks in saving souls & there are no headstones to mark the failures.
Another private club for the few who profit from the misfortune of others.
As for the sick & poor....
Not all are to blame for their situations .
If you are faced w/ serious ilness your chances of becoming poor are greater.
Same applies if you are poor .... chances of dying from illness
are greater as well.
Govt sponsored social services are supposed to break this cycle but when seen as a line item a bill no one looks at what the cost would be over time if nothing at all is done.
As individuals , the "line" is where our conscience tells us it is.
Government should act in the best interest of the people ...equally even though it seems that some people are "more equal than others".
Being poor in some cases is a death sentence that could be lifted if morality in government was not the oxymoron it has become.
Point is self help is not always possible & society has to help out.
Morality (common sense & human decency) cannot be force fed to a government that does not have the will to do the right thing.
I do see some hope from the socially conscious rich like Bill Gates & Warren Buffet who seem to "get it"
Best regards

Answer 3

welfare should be money willingly donated by the people, and not taken by the government...... but when no one is willing to give it out then yes, it is time for the government to start taking. (however, know this is a last ditch effort)

Remember their are lots of people collecting money from the government who are too lazy to get jobs and enjoy all the free money. if the giving out of money was left to the individuals who wished to do so, they could see who really needed it and who just wanted it. the government cant do this so well.

Where do we draw the line? we should be helping everyone. not just the poor.... everyone needs something. Some people need more money, some people need a sympathetic friend, others need someone to give them advice......

go out and help someone today.

Answer 4

A lot of the people that really need help are embarrassed to ask. I volunteered at a food bank and saw how happy some were with the amount of good healthy food they received. Then there were the others that snubbed their noses at some of the food choices.The elderlys food basket was carefully chosen to meet their dietary needs. There will always be those that are grateful and others with a sense of entitlement.

Answer 5

I draw the line at my door. I am responsible only for myself, my wife, and my son. After that, it isn't my responsibility to look after other people.

I suppose people who choose to do so are to be commended, though...but that life is their choice.