BigJim

Normally, I don't give handouts to these guys, but he was on the corner near McD's so I got an extra breakfast sandwhich, and gave it to him.

He said "Thank you. Bless you and your family". Then he turned around, looked up at the sky, and said "Praise Jesus".

I didn't bother pointing out that I was an atheist and did it because I'm a good person, not because of an obligation to religion, and I doubt he got a look at the evolve fish on my bumper as I drove away. Oh well, if he was genuinely thankful (and hungry) then it's all good.

Arikay

Im not sure if they have them everwhere but In San Fran they have "street Beats" (I think thats what they are called, or something like that). Its a newspaper that the Homeless sell in a rather organized group.

Generally I give to people doing that, the newspapers are rather interesting, and you know that the money may go to really helping someone.

Often though when I have money I give to people anyway, Even if it does end up going to booze, at least it gives them some sort of enjoyment or something somewhere close to what we take for granted every day.



Quite often though I do run into Christian homeless. sometimes I wonder if they are really christian, or if they are just saying it to try and suck up to the xians.

Jesus Tap-Dancin' Christ

Remember, even if you are an atheist, you can still be an instrument of God's will. Of course, there has to be a God for this to happen...

Good you gave him food though. I feel bad when I give a beggar something, but I feel som damn much worse if I don't. I wish I could find a way to help them all...

Mad Lion

Most of them are asking for food, or money to buy food. So from now on I'm going to offer to go buy them fast food. If they accept, then good; I've fed a hungry person for one day. If they decline, then it will be obvious that they're not really hungry but just looking for liquor or whatever.

ju'iblex

i don't know, perhaps if possible you should be buying fruit or vegetables or something. Buying them food is all very good, but if the food has nothing to it they'll still die of malnutrition.

keyser_soze

I generally give to any needy person I come accross. I give my umbrellas away at such a pace that my wife no longer buys me good ones(I gave a 40 dollar one away to a guy walking near my workplace a couple months ago...which I ALMOST regretted the next morning..at least I got to get into fresh dry clothes when I got home, I doubt he did... but the wife was not thrilled by my donation). I always give food or money to anyone I meet who is hungry(I am frequently found giving my supper away to someone walking down the street on my drive to work). The point is that I do this not because of some sky-daddy mythology, but because I can understand what it FEELS like to be hungry, or cold, or wet, or without hope. And I think that is why most athiests help people. I worked with a woman once, who not knowing I was atheist, was speaking BADLY of those "non-church goers", that they never did anything for anyone because they didn't care. I asked her why, and her reply was "because they don't believe in god". I didn't even argue with her, that kind of absence of logic is bulletproof. She was embarrassed later to realize that I was one of those people, after she had spent time around me and probably thought I was religious because I do TRY to live a good life and be helpful to my fellow man. She never apologized, and I never brought it up. I was satisfied knowing that she knew I remembered her statement. She has since toned down her rhetoric though, so maybe it wasn't a washout.

wildsimian

A little off-topic ... but be careful with the needy who stand in the middle of intersections.

I've heard on the news that the police are now disguising themselves in this manner, and are utilizing it to ticket motorists who go through red lights ... don't fully stop at a stop sign ... etc.

keyser_soze

Ours are too lazy to get out of their cars...

Daleth

Which, your "needy" or your cops?

keyser_soze

Our cops. They have probably got to be the most corrupt bunch of city cops that I have ever come accross. Two months ago, I'm approaching this intersection. A cop runs the red, no lights on, and is promptly T-boned by an old lady. Within minutes 20 cars are there. She is taken to the hospital, where they later arrest her for RUNNING the light. Two days later, they drop the charges, but they still maintain that she was at fault.

A guy was shot 4 times while in his car. Cop says the guy had stopped him and then ran over his foot, so the cop shot him in the chest. Problem is, they find all four rounds are through the rear glass, and the cop was porking the guys's wife. Did I mention his foot was not injured? Of course this is hearsay, and I can't be sure, although several people have related the same line, but the first one I witnessed myself. We have such things happen weekly here.