what do you think of this article?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14168471/
I read in several other articles that the penalty for feeding homeless in Las Vegas Parks is up to 6 months in jail and a $1000 fine.
My first question is what is the motive in passing this law? Honestly, the cynic in me wants to say these politicians just want to clean up their parks and make them look better...but there is a possibility that they are trying to help the homeless.
The mayor stated that, "What we're trying to do is get the homeless to be fed in a social service environment, within a faith based environment, where there's a social worker, a doctor that puts them on meds, you get them back into society, instead of feeding them and running and leaving them there,"
That sounds great in theory. But the fact is...the United States is filled with chronic homeless people and it is not because churches and Salvation Army's go down there on Saturday mornings and give them break fast. The more I work with the homeless population, the more I realize that there is always going to be a percentage that will never come and use our non-profit, faith based, or government services. I work with youth from 9-21 that are living on the streets. We have many in that age group that are not allowed to use our services for various reasons. I have met homeless youth that have burned their bridges at all the social service programs and youth that have no desire to come in and set up goals and work with case managers. We absolutely need to equip the homeless to help themselves. We need to teach them and help them get off the streets, but what do we do with the percentage that are too mentally ill or too fried on drugs to come into those centers? It is wrong to just feed them and leave them there to be homeless, but it is childish and naive to think that every single homeless person is ready to break away from that life and come, get on meds, and get back into society. We cannot help people that do not want to help themselves, but we can still offer them the basic necessities. What is our duty as a Christian to meet immediate needs as well as long-term? Are we called to only feed those that are hungry if they want to be integrated back into society?
When I read the Mayor's defense I suddenly had images flash through my head of Christians and churches defending this law because it sounds so good. I pray I am wrong. Are we called to only show compassion and kindness to the non-drug attics, the non-lazy, the ones that are desperately trying to get off the streets? No, we are called to meet the needs of those around us...regardless of what their mental state is. I think the church needs to be strategic in how they do that. There probably are too many churches doing feeds on Saturday mornings and then just leaving it at that...there needs to be a balance between meeting immediate needs and deliberately planning long-term ways to help those who are poor get out of their situation.
To think that I could be sitting in a park, hand out some granola bars and juice to a homeless man, and end up having to spend 6 months in jail or pay a $1000 fine is ridiculous. To think that a local church cannot go to their neighborhood park and hand out water bottles on a hot summer day is sickening. I pray the Christian community of Las Vegas passionately gets involved in this. The government of Las Vegas may be trying to help the homeless find more long-term help, but in reality what they are doing is trying to strip away the human right to show compassion and kindness.
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7 comments:
I totally agree. How are the homeless going to feel after hearing about this? They aren't going to want to change just because they go to the shelter. How would they feel towards Christians if they feed them dispite this new law?
A couple of things come to mind...
first, was what gain does the government receive by having the "faith based" organizations filled with homeless? Why would they rather have this than for the church to go to these people who have been so hurt and used up that they don't care enough for themselves to get help?
Second, why is the reaction of many church goers the same as the world? "We can't help those who don't want help." I understand this reaction in word, but in action isn't that what we are here for to, thru God's power and the leading of His Spiriit, " Preach the Good news, compel the lost, sent the captive free,..." These people are captives I don't think any of us would disagree... Captive to themselves, drugs, habits, but captives non the less...
third, What spirit leads our government? We recently had a brother speak of "the last days" it wasn't; however, what you would expect... He was not speaking to tell us any day this will be over and we'll be out of here, to the contrary, his message to the church goers was "periless days are coming" "the spirit of the antichrist will be received by many who sit in church seat today" it was a good message and I can't help but think, which spirit leads our government to be ok with the programs the faith-based community runs, but not with Christ's followers going to the enslaved and compeling them to be free?
You are exactly right, Dennae. I see the issue of helping these people as two parts. We must have a way to identify those who will respond to more long-term help. That is what the focus of many of the "programs" is. It is wonderful to hear of the cases when someone decides to turn their life around! Wow, that makes all the hard work worth it.
However, there is another set of people for whom this will not be a reality. Those are the ones who are not ready yet to make a decision to change or those who absolutely never will. True compassion is expressed when there is no hope of reward on our part. The work appears hopeless; we have nothing to gain; there will be no exciting stories. All there will be is a little helping hand to make life a little more bearable for a suffering human being.
I think your first question is how should the church respond to these needs. I agree with you about the need to be strategic. We probably don't have any idea where the gaps in services are. Like the simple example you gave of water bottles on Saturdays.
The second question is how should we, the church, respond politically. I don't think we should be defiant and go out to do something just because a law was passed forbidding it. We should be doing these things because there is a need, not to make a political point. However, for those who do it for the right reason, they absolutely should continue. And the rest of us should respond in support of them if/when something happens.
What I mean by support is giving financially; helping their families in times of trouble; whatever it takes to lessen the burdon. Plus, doing what it takes to change the politics of it (petitions, demonstrations, etc).
The only way these laws can be enforced is if people of faith stand by and don't respond. It does not matter what the motive of the government is. The laws are flat out wrong. We have freedom of religious expression in America. What greater expression of religion is there for a Christian than to do "for the least of these" as Christ would do.
This is something that I pray the ACUL and the CLA needs to take a stance on. I see something like this and it makes me sick. First Vegas has no problem taking someones money, even bankrupting them so they have no choice but to go homeless and then they make a rule like this? Give me a break. I think there purpose is to make people afraid, that way the homeless will eventually go to other cities. But last time I saw this is a free nation, I can give food and money to anyone I want. Let them jail me I would love to take this to the supreme court. But your right. Christians need to wake up and see the underlying danger here. We need to do what is right always, be lead by the Spirit and never withhold from someone who is need --something that if its in our power to give.
My biggest concern as I read your post is Christian groups saying "oh we can not break the law here" rather than seeing the person in need and standing against that evil that would punish the homeless, especially those who have no choice like children.
MOM
hi dennae...
....i enjoyed discussing this in person with you...dale & i both are just amazed at your passion...we found it so easy to talk to you and enjoyed every moment of your visit....thanks for blessing us with a visit...love..jen
I think I'm going to have to discuss this in person with you, considering the article isn't there anymore.... :( I was too slow.
I think the main reason that Las Vegas would do this. Is that they don't want to be seen as homeless friendly. Therefor causing the homeless to move to more homeless friendly cities. The easy way out.
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