I don’t know if anybody has heard of the social experiment where a master violinists plays an intricate piece on a million dollar violin in a New York subway and only gets 30 dollars in tips where the night before he sold out a concert at a 100 dollars a ticket….well not to long ago I did my own social experiment with some surprising results. I decided to mendicant in various places in the city saying “alms for the poor” as a declaration of a vocation rather than circumstances. Every day my needs were met and it increased my trust in providence and gratitude. However the results were interesting. Men give more often than woman. Young attractive woman give nothing, because apparently they see no value in a poor man. The outwardly religious give nothing as well, be they Christian’s, Muslims, or Jews. It is the common man who gives the most. Now I am not bashing the religious I know they have a lot of organized charities, but they ignore the individuality of homelessness. Racially, people gave about as equally, but the Latin people gave slightly more. This is what I learned from my own social experiment.
Perhaps young females are concerned if they give money or show kindness they may pick up a stalker or someone who will harrass them.
I am always cautious about giving money to people who panhandle because I am not sure if they will use the money for drugs. So I prefer to give food/clothing. Perhaps that is why you did not elicit a universal response.
Yes, a lot of panhandlers will use the money for drugs, so some people hand out food. I wonder too if it might have to do with who actually carries money on them nowadays. I know I don't. As Ananchal said women must be careful as there is a lot of craziness out there on the streets and prudence is necessary.
In a city I don't like to get my wallet out on the street so that might be a reason fewer women donated. I sometimes have something ready in a pocket to give to the homeless
Our son-in-law, Johnny, hands out McDonalds coupons with maybe a $1; that will encourage them to use it for food.
Our local youth group will soon be making it midnight winter run to the city. In the weeks leading up the parish collects warms winter clothing and the young people properly chaperoned descend upon NYC in the late evening early morning hours to give these items to the various homeless also along with coffee/ soup and like Terry,s son in law coupons to fast food places. I’ve heard reports that this may actually be of more benefit to the kids … but certainly everyone “wins”
God bless them for performing the corporal works of mercy. God bless the souls who are being helped, as well.
I'm a relatively young woman and I'll generally give money through my car window...But if I were walking on the street I would be too nervous to get close enough to any man to give them money. My dad is one of those "common men" you speak of. Never very religious, but has always been eager to give the shirt off his back for anyone he meets who is in need. My very religious mother, however, was the one who insisted in giving 10% of their income to charity. I think it's too hard to base one's tendency toward charity on one type of experience on the street.
I think the poor are closer to God than me. They are like the birds and flowers that Jesus speaks of. I prefer to Tithe to them directly rather than the priests. They both may be guilty of misappropriating funds, but at least with the poor they are more honest.
Hmm, I don't think I can judge that as a whole the poor are more honest than priests, or vice versa. Regardless, my parents' 10% of their income didn't just go to the Church. We gave to all sorts of charities, provided food and gifts to the poor of our particular parish, volunteered and donated to the community storehouse supporting the poor in our community, my mother took meals to the elderly and homebound, etc. My husband and I provide for poor children overseas through sponsorship organizations and send extra to their families. There are so many ways to help the poor. And with all its faults, the Church has done so much tremendous good for the poor through the centuries. I know of a great many priests who did far more for the poor than you or I will probably ever do.
Interesting but why are you being deceptive asking for money? That does not seem like a legitimate excuse to panhandle and take money from others. Perhaps some of those that gave you money gave you their last and went without supper themselves that evening because of it. I would try not be deceptive in any way in life it does not bring us closer to God. Neither does judging. Its none of our business who gives alms and what amount. Many people like me give larger amounts to known charities like food pantries when we get paid each month and do not typically keep cash on our person to hand out even if we saw someone and wished to do so. I'm assuming you DID give the money to a poor person or charity when you were finished.....
One time years ago I got talking to a Nun who dealt with Alcoholic's and she gave off to me for giving people money downtown because she said I was, 'Feeding their addictions' and making things far worse. She was really annoyed with me and angry. She said I was easing my conscience at other people's cost. So I stopped giving. Then a couple of years later I met a lady outside Church and I mentioned to her that I did not give money as it fed their addictions. She became really annoyed with me as she said I was being Judgemental and Patronising the poor. If they wanted to spend the money on drug and drink it was their concern not mine . She said I was using this as an excuse for being tight fisted. So from then on I do as I please. If I happen to have money I give, if not, not. But these days I never have loose change; everything is digital. But this reminded me of one of Aesop's Fables.
…sounds like you were in a no win situation, with each side saying giving, or not giving, was wrong. Each side had a point, yet neither was absolute . I think you made the correct choice. …Being perpetually unemployed, I routinely am driving on fumes and rarely have change. I see people holding up signs asking for money, everywhere ( some scribble a whole book on the cardboard, and I can’t begin to read it). I, too, have been warned that many of these people are regulars at this, and do this instead of working. That may be. But I look at it that “whatever” the reason, they “are” there, preferring or needing to do this instead of working, it has to be humiliating, even if they might say they don’t care. One time, at the stop light at an exit ramp, I gave a couple dollars to a guy, and he was very nice about it. In driving away, I noticed he began smoking. Given the cost of cigarettes, I dont know that Id have given had I known that. Then again, maybe a cigarette helps get him through the day of a very rough life. It’s hard to discern each case, so I teach our son to always pray for these people, whatever the reason for being out there. And there, but for the grace of God, go I. The only thing that turns me off, and if it’s genuine desperation it shouldn’t, is when you’re at a stop light and then really shove their sign in your windshield and stare at you.
This all reminds me of Socialism/ Communism and Free Market Capitalism (both of which Doctrines have been condemned by the Church). Both Communism and Free Loading Capitalism are Didactic; in other words they teach a narrative that you must always behave and act on certain occasions in certain ways. Catholicism frees us from the narrative of, 'You must do this or you must do that'. For we who follow the Gospel precepts act purely on love. Not a false love of touchy feeling but a love that is very much grounded on Justice but grounded on a Justice that is not a Rock but a flame. I think perhaps this is a mistake that our Holy Father Pope Francis and very many in Leadership positions in the Church are taking at the minute are making (and one which Pope St John Paul 2 Pope Benedict most very certainly do not make) is to ground the Gospel teachings in a Socialist understanding. Socialism..as the Church has understood it....is the Modern Creation of the Tower of Babel. That man can create Paradise by legislating it. True Charity , true love is founded on true Justice. Justice and Love walk hand in hand..as the Pslamist reminds us. Charity and Justice are free by their very nature. If we try to imprison them they die. Socialism and Our Holy Father fail to understand this. They wish to force love, so to speak. Pope St John Paul, who understood Socialism better than anyone else having lived under it never would have made the gross deal with China that sold out the Catholic Church anyway. He would have understood that feeding the Dragon only makes it more hungry rather than placating it. This is the verse I think of when I consider the Freedom of true Charity. You cannot make Laws to Force People to Love. Psalm 85:10 Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.
Love is hard nosed , or it is not love. It can hand you a loaf of bread with one hand and hit you under the chin and knock you over with the other. Love and Justice are free. They should not be constrained , they thrive on Freedom. They flourish best in Lands where Freedom is most cherished.
When socialism was first raising its ugly head and a very selfish type of capitalism held sway (no unions, no universal franchise in most countries) Pope Leo XIII wrote an encyclical 'Rerum Novarum'. It is a masterpiece and sets out some remarkably sensible ideas for the social order such as subsidiarity (the principle that only those decisions that must be taken centrally should be and that all others should be taken at as local a level as possible (adopted by the EU in principle but almost totally ignored in practice). It's not a long document and I recommend anyone who is unfamiliar with it to read it.
