What is the point of helping poor people?

Question

if you give them money all they are going to do is buy alcohol, smokes or crack

if you give them food all they will do is eat it and gain energy to steal, murder and break the law

so why does everyone want to help the poor?

Answer 1

You are sadly mistaken to lump all poor people together as addicts and criminals.  That is just not true.  Alcohols and addicts frequently, but not always, are poor.  The poor are by no means always alcoholics and addicts.  Of course if you give them food, all they will do is eat it!  What is the point of giving them food if you don't expect them to eat it?  It is a major insult to say the poor eat to get energy to steal, murder, and break the law.  I've done my time in abject poverty, and I NEVER smoked anything, very rarely had one drink (like one glass of wine on New Year's Eve).  I have stolen a sum total of one roll of toilet paper from a public restroom in all the years of poverty I survived, and I did that after the food pantry refused to give me any and everybody in the family had the stomach flu.  I have never murdered anyone.  I seldom knowingly break the law.  I already admitted I stole one roll of toilet paper because everyone in the family had the stomach flu, we had NO money, and the food pantry wouldn't give me any toilet paper for my family.  That is the extent of my intential law-breaking career.  We had very little help.  We couldn't get housing assistance and we were at times denied food stamps because my ex- was from a country the US doesn't like.  We ended up divorced, but we did NOT end up with addictions, or engaging in other theft, any murder, and other illegall activity.  I really pray that you will have the opportunity to experience abject poverty for a few years in your lifetime so that you will learn to be fair, unprejudiced, non-judgmental, realistic, and humble.

Answer 2

Give them education. They need an education. By the way, you sound like a trailer trash supremacist. A poor hick.

Answer 3

Give a man a fish, he eats for a day.

Teach a man to fish, he can eat for the rest of his life.

I am in favor of teaching the man to fish.

Answer 4

It's not in helping them.

It is in guiding them to master our creator's universal gifts of life with Merlin's magic wand with the fishing line, hooks and sinkers for them to fish for their daily bread vital for the survival and advancement of themselves in time.

Ever wonder why "Aids for Africa " was a failure?.

Ever wonder how we help and  feed them for a day and let them go hungry for the next 365 days?

Luke 9.55-56

Answer 5

Because it makes them feel better about the fact that they just slept with their teenage step-daughter....

Answer 6

Not all do that...Sometimes I wonder if we give people to much help...But just think if we didn't help how much worse things would be...

Answer 7

Compassionate conservatism at it's best.

Answer 8

Wow, you are the epitomy of the American most people despise. The greedy, indivdualistic kind that wouldn't know social justice if it hit you over the head. I promise you, you would be much happier if you had a heart and used it, let me guess.....you call yourself a christian too....??

Answer 9

The old adage:

"Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he'll eat, period"

This is what social programs SHOULD do, but it's much easier to just throw money at something.

Someday we'll teach everyone to fish.

Answer 10

That is a very narrow look at the poor.  Are you one of those 'privileged' people who never had to work for a dime?  Shame on you!  I pray you never have a day when your paycheck doesn't cover your bills or medical needs - or that you're unabe to put food on your table for your babies.  Wake up son, the world is bigger than you.  People need the basics - that's not asking too much.  From whom much is given, much is required.  Is that you?

Answer 11

we should help the poor, help themselves.

even in Biblical times the poor actually had to work to receive food and such.  

today they mostly sit around and check their mail for another check courtesy of the taxpayer who spent the day at work.

the real question is what are you going to do to rectify the situation?  

when you figure it out, come see me

Answer 12

Poor does not equal criminal.

"Everyone" doesn't want to help the poor. Those of us with hearts do.

Answer 13

It's your soul.  Obviously you have no spirituality.  Good luck with your life of misery and loneliness.  If I see you on the street some day, I might give you a random act of kindness.

Answer 14

Because if they stop being poor your dvd player and car will be safe.

Even you should be able to understand that!

Cheers :-)

Answer 15

I'm with you on that one.  I think it is pointless to try to help someone that doesn't want to help themselves.

Answer 16

Here is something for you to think about:

When people have nothing, I mean nothing- they have nothing to loose either and that to me makes them the most dangerous people on earth!

The way i see it I'd rather give up a couple of coins in my pocket then get robbed later on down the line by that same person that only asked for the spare change that was going to get lost in my sofa anyway......

Answer 17

You seem like someone who needs help right now.  Should I give it to you?  Poor you.

Answer 18

well personally ... It's a totally SELFISH thing on my behalf... see I just DON'T like the feeling I get when I see somebody who is hungry... or somebody who is cold because they are homeless ... *rolls eyes*

I have NOTHING ELSE TO ADD BUT .. MAY you never fall on hard luck and need the kindness of others to get you through

Answer 19

Come stay with me for a month, and you'll see.  My neighborhood is filled with folks that use food stamps.

A seven year old child doesn't eat to 'gain energy to steal, murder and break the law'.

A retired 75 year old vetran that spent nearly 50 years paying taxes until his hip gave out doesn't do those things either.

The poor are the ones serving your food and mopping your floors.  There is a criminal element.  Of course there is.  Some of these people look at the world and see that they will NEVER have a chance to make thier lives better.  They get frustrated.

Our nation is founded on Christian principles, whether you like it or not.  One such principle is to help those less fortunate than yourself. It's not a bad thing. You should try volunteering in a poor neighborhood.  It would open your eyes.