Thanks
In response to someone saying they felt bad about doing “missionary work”because they just prayed over homeless folks and handed out Bibles instead of helping. I'm tired of this shit being seen as charitable or helpful in any way, and I feel like my response is relevant. I'm not going to respond to anyone trying to convince me that Christian folks…. “Real Christian folks” are helping sooooo many people all over the world.
I was on the streets all across the country trying to get help for about a decade from 18-28yo.
I've met a shit load of Christian folks. You won't change my mind. I won't tear apart your theological comments with actual facts. I'm just going to ignore it. Fair warning. Response is below.
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You're not wrong. A book isn't food. Food is such a basic necessity. It should be subsidized by all countries so farmers can still make a living, but distributed according to need. We literally let barges of shipping containers ROT over port fees and embargoes every year. We barely grow anything edible anymore and import the majority of our edible food. We're supposed to be the paradigm of “the free world” but I've seen kids as young as ten panhandling and hungry cause they ran away from foster care because the system can be hell.
Fuck people STARVE to death here. It happens to elderly folks all the time because they have no one left, can't use a computer to get services, and run out of money. In my state, the elderly get free power and gas between September and April. It's the law.
My wife works for them and they literally call social services hundreds of times a day because these older folks can't take care of themselves. The first year they are on the program and they don't turn power back on or call by may? They send people out. You wouldn't believe the amount of times they show up to a DEVASTATING situation. They have to call the company and report it. Generally the prognosis?
Starvation. Because no one helped. They had no money or food stamps. They had no family. They get confused and hurt. They then just kinda lay down till they can't get back up. These people should have food. Most of the developed world cares for and feeds the elderly and disabled. Not us. “It's their problem so fuck them” disgusting.
Where are the “Christians” with the tenets of charity and giving? Loving they neighbor even when it doesn't seem worthwhile? They're busy building mega churches, buying political clout, hiding assault, buying religious leaders planes and nice cars, and Patting themselves on the back, while people die in the streets every day. Praise Jesus! They'll give thoughts and prayers! God will feed those people if they're righteous and repent!
The fact of the matter is that these deluded people and their blood cult literally hurt people every day by going somewhere, saying some words, dropping off a book and doing NOTHING. Then they go home to a warm place, have dinner, put their kids to sleep, Take a nice hot shower, and bed down with the wife under a nice comforter without a scrap of guilt or remorse. They're in a hundred thousand dollar house, tucked away safe and happy.
Because if those people say the right words GOD will feed them. God will keep them warm. JESUS will show them that he can heal their mental illness and physical pain! The LORD will make sure they don't get rolled and assaulted for the little money they have because they accidentally fell asleep at night instead of waiting till morning. The CHURCH hopes they pray hard enough and turn their lives around. They MUST be sinners who have made terrible mistakes and transgressions.
And then those people die. Cold and alone. Because a church with MASSIVE amounts of resources and manpower didn't help anyone. They just used a marginalized group of human beings that are sick, hungry, hurt, addicted, and mentally ill to make themselves feel like they accomplished a great charitable deed at the end of the day. Just to look important. I'm sure the congregation will bow their heads in prayer and litany to their God and assume he's the good guy.
You know who's out here helping in the meantime? ME. I'm out here, broke and cold almost every night through the winter. Scanning everything for the signs of a situation I spent a decade in. If you know what you're looking for you can spot the homeless folks. I take them food I can barely spare. Medical supplies I don't really have. Whatever blankets or jackets I can get together from Goodwill near me. I make care packages when I can. Clean out dollar tree of every decent food in a pull tab can or ready to eat package I can afford. I carry a massive box of pads/tampons because news flash, homeless women have periods and food stamps don't buy tampons.
I talk, give rides when I'm able (my truck is totaled) and fucking hold people while they cry because I'm the first human being that's shown them empathy in weeks. I start specific GoFundMe pages for individuals without internet capabilities and help make sure they get into at least a room for the winter when people donate…which they rarely fucking do because, why would they share their hard earned money with a bum?? How about because you're not a fucking monster and they're human beings.
I kinda stay in poverty a LOT so people can get by and live. I'm not bitching about it, or trying to get praise, it's just the reality of the fucking thing. Don't comment on this. Down vote it into oblivion if you want to. But God damn it, read it and fucking feel SOMETHING for a human being in pain!! Keep your internet points but read what the reality is while you're safe inside and people are dying a couple miles from you for NOTHING.
Meanwhile these people with massive amounts of resources that say they believe in giving because of their God are still at home praying for these people when it's really simple to have actual empathy and HELP. I'm disabled, I have nothing, barely a home in the state it's in because I can't afford to fix anything. But I fucking try at least. At the bare fucking minimum I try to comfort someone in pain. I have nothing and I give everything I can because the people with money and power do NOT CARE ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS. I've literally approached people I know that make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and been like:
“Hey, with a couple grand, I could get a van started with good care packages, some coats of different sizes and most importantly I could carry around cambros of whatever rice and beans I can put together. Maybe some chilli with bread and some coffee at night because most of the homeless folks that work jobs don't get out in time for a shelter bed, or food banks. They sleep rough and try to make it. I don't need a ton, but if you and your friends gave a little bit, it would build up”.
I always get the same answers, the why's, the flat no's, the crazy looks of remorse because they know they can. Here's the answer….That's someones fucking kid. Their sick brother or uncle. Someone's dad, that they will eventually want to see and help. And someone's motherfuckeing Grandma who may just die tonight because I didn't see her in the cold and dark. Those are the worst ones.
I go without my meds if someone needs something to survive because I'll live probably, and they're literally sleeping in the freezing rain and sleet tonight. Most of all, you know what I don't do??
This is the first fucking time I've typed out what I do for others in this community. I don't fucking brag. I don't praise myself in a place that I think a god is watching. I don't post on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, ticktock, fucking nothing. Im not in the news or the paper. I wear boots with holes in them because I have a home, so I gave my other two pairs away. If my feet get wet, I WON'T get hypothermia and die in a snow bank or something. I can go inside and dry out. Mostly I give a fuck and try my best when I have nothing. So I know what prayers and Jesus do. They murder people by proxy. They use people to feel good and let them die. They're expendable right? God didn't help must be his will that they died.
You know what, Fuck it. I'm going out this up as a post too. Maybe someone will give two fucking shits about a human being for once and go out and fucking help someone for real. Praise Jesus I guess… I'm out.