Come on now. I do believe that pertained to the title.
D
Interpretation is a slippery slope, friend.
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Like minded people here?
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Interpretation is a slippery slope, friend.
Gary Wells
White turbo Buick trailer park trash
- Joined
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Just so my post is not misunderstood, I generally do not give to the homeless in my area as I rarely see anybody that I really believe is homeless. Most of what I see in my area, Lakewood, Long Beach, Dominguez Hills, Bixby Knolls, & certain parts of Compton are pure & simple scammers & panhandlers & seem to feel quite free asking for money. No apparent conscience whatsoever. Whether right or wrong, I do take a dozen donuts to the local PD and to the local firehouse every couple of months. And yes, I do feel better after giving and knowing that they appreciate it. God Bless all of you guys that do give & support known homeless & people needing help & support.
Oh great now I am ashamed of myself. As a former deputy sheriff I should do the same for my local PD and volunteer firehouse which are both within spitting distance.
Some where this thread went astray. In the topic of the OP's (me) original post it clearly ask about volunteering some of our time at a shelter. I am not complaining because everyone's input/opinion is very much appreciated and respected, thank you.
In the topic of the OP's (me) original post it clearly ask about volunteering some of our time at a shelter. I am not complaining because everyone's input/opinion is very much appreciated and respected, thank you.
You asked if there were like minded people like you and you have received answers to your question.
We all help in one way or another. Some of us are picky in who we help. Me, I am very picky. I like helping those that I feel deserve help.
D
You are honest, something of a rarity these days, and I respect that. You like helping those that you feel are deserving of help which is commendable but how do you make that judgment, aren't we all deserving in some form or fashion? I do not expect anyone to see things through my eye's and my view so there is no right or wrong answer. From my eye's I just see so much selfishness and it makes me sad.
You may not be my brother or sister by blood but you are still my brother and sister and I love you.
I am attending church, Lakewood, Sunday morning before I volunteer at 'The Star of Hope Mission', my overwhelming desire to give/repay is a gift and not a burden.
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Thank you. I try to be as honest as possible in life, in my words and my actions. My integrity means a lot to me.
Here is how I make my judgement on this particular situation.
First off, we are NOT all deserving in some form or fashion. DESERVING sounds too much like ENTITLED. No one is deserving or entitled to anything. Since life is what you make of it, we are all where we have led our lives to be.
This doesn’t count if you were born to a rich family because that falls under OPPORTUNITY. Some of us could be bigger and better than we are today if we had the opportunity that very few have.
That aside, I’ve liked to experiment with drugs over the years. I’ve never done them from being depressed or any other reason to make them an escape of any kind. Some times, for some of us, when drinking, an enhancement is called for. There are many different kinds. To each their own.
NOW, there has always been a golden rule of sorts when experimenting. Never do heroine because you’ll become a junkie and lose everything and everyone you know. Never smoke crack because, same result. And you can add a third these days. DON’T POP PILLS! Same result.
SO, with everyone knowing these RESULTS and some STILL choosing to stick a needle in their arm and become a junkie and break in to their families and friends homes and steal their valuables and beg for money and get aids and hepatitis, WHY should feel compelled to help them?
There is a big difference from the junkies I've described and the father of 2 that lost his job and he and his wife are about to lose their house and they can barely feed the kids and the car was repossesed. These people, I would help any way i could because THEY fell on hard times. As for the junkie, I have to regards for his well being or life. I have no empathy for junkies. I will watch them starve and bleed to death because they had a choice.
To me, a brother and sister is someone who has been good to me thru life. Blood means nothing. Because the junkie could be my own blood.
They get the same treatment.
It’s a tough discipline and it’s not for everyone but I sleep comfortably.
D
Here is how I make my judgement on this particular situation.
First off, we are NOT all deserving in some form or fashion. DESERVING sounds too much like ENTITLED. No one is deserving or entitled to anything. Since life is what you make of it, we are all where we have led our lives to be.
This doesn’t count if you were born to a rich family because that falls under OPPORTUNITY. Some of us could be bigger and better than we are today if we had the opportunity that very few have.
That aside, I’ve liked to experiment with drugs over the years. I’ve never done them from being depressed or any other reason to make them an escape of any kind. Some times, for some of us, when drinking, an enhancement is called for. There are many different kinds. To each their own.
NOW, there has always been a golden rule of sorts when experimenting. Never do heroine because you’ll become a junkie and lose everything and everyone you know. Never smoke crack because, same result. And you can add a third these days. DON’T POP PILLS! Same result.
SO, with everyone knowing these RESULTS and some STILL choosing to stick a needle in their arm and become a junkie and break in to their families and friends homes and steal their valuables and beg for money and get aids and hepatitis, WHY should feel compelled to help them?
There is a big difference from the junkies I've described and the father of 2 that lost his job and he and his wife are about to lose their house and they can barely feed the kids and the car was repossesed. These people, I would help any way i could because THEY fell on hard times. As for the junkie, I have to regards for his well being or life. I have no empathy for junkies. I will watch them starve and bleed to death because they had a choice.
To me, a brother and sister is someone who has been good to me thru life. Blood means nothing. Because the junkie could be my own blood.
They get the same treatment.
It’s a tough discipline and it’s not for everyone but I sleep comfortably.
D
I always admire those who are capable of helping others without judgement, however I just can't do it myself. Helping out at a homeless shelter by serving food or handing / donating necessities is a good way to help others because there is no chance you are feeding their addictions. There is always only so much you can do to help people too. It comes down to "you can lead a horse to water......". An interesting thing happened to me yesterday. I was pondering over this subject and a voice popped into my head and said "if you pre-judge everyone on their intentions, you are only hurting those who are truly in need". Ok voice in my head....good point.
This week I was in NM and had a couple pan handlers hit me up. The first one was a lady who pulled up to me in her minivan and told me that her purse was stolen a few minutes ago, that she was handicapped, and that she needed gas to get back home. Of course my first thought was "BS", but I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. I asked questions as to where it happened and asked her if she had called the police. She said she did not because her phone was in the purse. I pulled out my phone and began to dial when she sped off. Today I had a guy hit me up at the gas station in El Paso. Said he was a retired vet, homeless, and needed money for food. At first I told him I have no cash, but then said.."you know what?, let's head over to the burger joint next store and I'll buy you a meal". He replied with, "man you are sincere and I'm not going to bullshit you. I am trying to get money for smokes. Will you buy me a pack of cigarettes?" I just told him I'm not a smoker and cannot buy him smokes in good conscience, but the food offer still stands. He declined and moved on.
My point here is that you don't have to necessarily be nasty with people just because you have a hunch that they are playing you. I know most of them are, but at least ask the correct questions and be kind, but frank with them. So far it is working for me. I now have a clear conscience that they both were frauds and didn't really need help.
This week I was in NM and had a couple pan handlers hit me up. The first one was a lady who pulled up to me in her minivan and told me that her purse was stolen a few minutes ago, that she was handicapped, and that she needed gas to get back home. Of course my first thought was "BS", but I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. I asked questions as to where it happened and asked her if she had called the police. She said she did not because her phone was in the purse. I pulled out my phone and began to dial when she sped off. Today I had a guy hit me up at the gas station in El Paso. Said he was a retired vet, homeless, and needed money for food. At first I told him I have no cash, but then said.."you know what?, let's head over to the burger joint next store and I'll buy you a meal". He replied with, "man you are sincere and I'm not going to bullshit you. I am trying to get money for smokes. Will you buy me a pack of cigarettes?" I just told him I'm not a smoker and cannot buy him smokes in good conscience, but the food offer still stands. He declined and moved on.
My point here is that you don't have to necessarily be nasty with people just because you have a hunch that they are playing you. I know most of them are, but at least ask the correct questions and be kind, but frank with them. So far it is working for me. I now have a clear conscience that they both were frauds and didn't really need help.
turbofabricator
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2004
- Messages
- 4,261
I build engines for someone I have never met, yet feel they deserve a break because they were dealt a bad hand. I donate time and money to a non profit rowing club, because they instill team work and HARD work mentality.
Some day, follow one of these sign holders when they walk away. (To probably a BMW) and follow them home. They most likely live better than you. Try it. No, really try it. It'll make a Trump voter out of you!
Scamming nice ( gullible) people is how they survive.
Spend your time supporting kids that need help. Help them learn work ethics. Help them learn a trade. I show kids how to weld. Take kids to the track.
Handing some grown man a wad of cash teaches them to keep standing there with their sign. Stop doing that! It does them NO good!
Some day, follow one of these sign holders when they walk away. (To probably a BMW) and follow them home. They most likely live better than you. Try it. No, really try it. It'll make a Trump voter out of you!
Scamming nice ( gullible) people is how they survive.
Spend your time supporting kids that need help. Help them learn work ethics. Help them learn a trade. I show kids how to weld. Take kids to the track.
Handing some grown man a wad of cash teaches them to keep standing there with their sign. Stop doing that! It does them NO good!
