Do you give money to beggers? (evolve, bible, bless, POV)

[Druidus]

Do you give money to beggers, or homeless people?

[kai]

no i do not but i always buy a copy of "the big issue" from street vendors which is a magazine sold by the homeless under licence and they recieve a percentage of sales sort of like a franchise agreement. i dont know if its sold in other countries

[c0da]

I tend not to, to be honest. Forgive me if I am being rather prejudiced here, but I would rather donate to a charity that helps homeless people, for example Shelter a charity helping the homeless in the UK, than give the money directly to a homeless person and risk the money being spent on something not particularly productive, like drugs, booze or smokes. This way, I know the money will be spent helping homeless people out of their situation rather than just giving them a temporary 'high'.

[Djamila]

Never.

If it is an older person, I always say, "I'm sorry, I don't have any change. But I do have a few cigarettes, and I can take you for a coffee?" Once I buy their coffee, typically I just sit for a brief moment and then leave. Just enough to get them in the door with something paid for, so no one has the right to ask them to leave and they can relax inside all day.

With Roma children, it's a little more complicated. Most are honest beggars. They sing, they dance, they play instruments, they need the money - for their families in settlements in the forests. Others are like little criminal gangs and if you offer a cigarette to one, 30 more come from nowhere and harass you. Then you see them a week later at mosque with a gold tooth where their missing one had been that day on the street. Those people I resent, especially those in Western Europe who milked the war in Bosnia. "We're Bosnian refugees, do you have any money?" when they couldn't tell Sarajevo from Timbuktu, had never been there.

[Hacker]

YES I do every single time, I forget the verse in the bible but God does say to give to the poor man no matter what, if anyone could figure out which one it is, let me know...but yes, every single time, that verse in the bible is one that i believe in very dearly and I never forgot it, plus it's just natural for me personally. I always at least give a buck.

[YmirGF]

It is good to see you again Druidus.

NO. I do not give money to beggers or homeless people.

If i were to come across someone who was in desperate need, I would endeavor to help them somehow, any way I could. I would not just toss them a few coins, like bones to a dog and wish them a "good" day.

I firmly believe that you CANNOT truly help someone who does not want to help themselves. Doing so, is an excercise in futility. I am not saying you should not be compassionate, but one does have to be pragmatic or your efforts are as wasted as the poor sot you are trying to help.

[Booko]

Originally Posted by Druidus

Do you give money to beggers, or homeless people?

No, I do not give money to beggars. I do give them food. I hardly ever have anyone take it, though. Occasionally someone needs a ride, and that's fine. My business partner always keeps a store of inexpensive umbrellas in her car. When it's raining and she sees someone without an umbrella, whether it's someone begging or just someone at the bus stop, she stops and gives them one.

Here's a Baha'i view on the subject. Italics are mine.


409. Begging is Forbidden -- House of Justice to provide for Disabled

"We have been asked to share with you the following extract from one of the Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá on the subject of begging: "By the Sacred Verse: "Begging is forbidden, and it is also prohibited to dispense alms to a beggar' is meant that mendicancy is forbidden and that giving charity to people who take up begging as their profession is also prohibited. The object is to wipe out mendicancy altogether. However, if a person is disabled, stricken by dire poverty or becomes helpless, then it is incumbent upon the rich or the trustees to provide him with a monthly allowance for his subsistence. when the House of Justice comes into being it will set up homes for the incapacitated. Thus no one will be obliged to beg, even as the supplementary part of the Blessed Verse denotes: 'It is enjoined upon everyone to earn his livelihood'; then He says: 'As to those who are disabled, it devolveth upon the trustees and the rich to make adequate provision for them.' By 'trustees' is meant the representatives of the people, that is to say the members of the House of Justice."

"The Universal House of Justice does not wish to go beyond the elucidation given by the Master in the above passage and wishes, for the time being, to leave any matter not entirely covered by this text to the conscience of individual believers."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
to an individual believer, August 13, 1974)

[sahra-t]

I sometimes give to beggars if I have change on me. It doesn't bother me at all that they may spend it on cigarettes and alcohol. They probably don't get many highs in their life, they are often in bad health, and are very unlikely to reform their life and get out of the situation they have ended up in. If they want short term pleasure that they get from alcohol and cigarettes then I wouldn't want to deprive them of it.

[CaptainXeroid]

I wanted to vote 'Holy Crap! It's Druidus!" , but I voted no.

I feel bad saying I don't have any money even when I honestly don't have any. I used to give, but a few years ago, someone asked me for money to get something to eat, I didn't have any, so I offered a coupon for a free Chick-fil-A sandwich. I got a scowl and a "HMPH!", and the person stormed off. I guess you can't exchange the coupon for Schlitz Malt Liquor.

Anyway, we give money to our church as one of our ministries is supplying and staffing a soup kitchen and a homeless shelter in the community. Like c0da said, I prefer the money go to something productive.