Is America Apathetic to the Homeless?

“The poverty of our century is unlike that of any other. It is not, as poverty was before, the result of natural scarcity, but of a set of priorities imposed upon the rest of the world by the rich. Consequently, the modern poor are not pitied...but written off as trash. The twentieth-century consumer economy has produced the first culture for which as beggar is a reminder of nothing.”

― John Berger

“How can we worship a homeless man on Sunday and ignore one on Monday?”-unknown

I have wanted to speak about this for some time.  And when I saw the first quote, it of course reminded me of the second, and it also got me to write about society’s seemingly growing apathy to the poor and homeless.  In my city of Yakima it is quite evident to see this apathy.  It has grown past merely people driving by beggars as if they are not present, and moved past people yelling “get a job!”, as if that is something anyone can do at the moment.  This apathy has moved into hate as there have even been those who have protested against the presence of beggars.  With signs saying “aren’t you tired of beggars?” “Help us rid Yakima of these people”.  Now thankfully I saw many reject these protesters, yet others praised them.  All this while a poor homeless sat, pitifully, while the protestors (a group of elderly ladies who claimed to be devout Christians) harassed the man calling me things such as “worthless”.  I am no theologian, but I have read the New Testament, and Jesus never called the poor worthless, actually his kind of advice to us is to live like the poor, by giving up ALL of our possessions to follow him.  He treated the weak and poor with the utmost respect and said they would inherit the world. 

Yet, many don’t feel that is the way to approach beggars.  I have many conversations from LDS members (Mormons), to mainstream Christians, to Catholics, Muslims, and even Atheists; all of which I have heard many different ways to approach the issue of beggars.  Note that none of the religions had a consentient answer when I talked to their members (except Islam, but I know only a handful of Muslims as opposed to the majority of people I know being in the other mentioned groups).  The worse approach is the automatic accusation that the beggar is somehow a vile person and should be avoided.  Also, don’t dare give them money since they will blow it on alcohol and drugs, and they could even be faking since of course all homeless are really con-artist in a giant conspiracy.  Now, are any of those accusations possible? Of course they are.  I have members in my own family who have been tricked, and are now extremely cautious when handing money to beggars.  However, I highly doubt that most fall under those accusations, and even with those accusations, it still doesn’t matter for we need to give. 

The very sad thing is that the religious, the ones who should be the most charitable, often turn their backs the most (at least from what I have seen).  Now I am not going to judge any one single person, it’s not my place, but there is a possibility that they are merely saying they are religious yet their hearts are far from truth.  I have been there before and I understand; I have been false in my religious convictions when I was Catholic, so I am just as guilty of doing it.  I have been to General Conference twice (for those who don’t know, it’s a semi-annual Church wide conference that is held by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Mormons, which it is filmed in Salt Lake City, UT).  We literally could have a leader of the Church preach about charity and helping the less fortunate than us; then everyone leave and walk outside where there are plenty of beggars that could be helped and those far more prosperous than I, will walk by with their heads turned away.  I am only 21 years old, I don’t have much money, but I give what I can.  This  frustrates me to see some many just not care.    

As I am sure some readers by now will be thinking, “well Mister high and mighty on your high horse, what do you do?”  Well, I am glad you asked semi-fictional reader.  I always give if I have money on me.  Let me correct myself,  I usually give, there are days when I am weak and greed takes hold of me, I am human of course.  When I recognize what I did was indeed sinful, I try and repent.  I always feel that, a couple dollars to me really doesn’t matter, but if it can get a meal for someone who is without a home, then clearly it matters to them.  Also, it’s not enough to buy drugs or alcohol so I never get paranoid about that.  And, really if they are a con-artist, who cares, they manage to take two or three dollars from me.  I should be lucky that a con-artist only takes a few dollars from me, since others can have their whole live savings stolen from a deceiver.  Of course, I still get a good feeling for what I did, and still following Christ, even if the person begging was lying (which I think happens far less than many claim). 

Something a friend of mine I met in Russia, named Sarah, told me really impacted me on this subject as well.  She has lived in the Salt Lake City, the heartland of “happy valley” (nickname for the Utah/South Idaho area).  She told me how frustrated she would get when seeing fellow LDS (Mormon) members talk down about the needy, or not reach out to help.  God is always watching if we are following him or not.  She said how Jesus mentioned that helping the least of us is helping Christ himself.  Also, she did bring up how many will say that they could be con-artist or want the cash for negative items, such as drugs.  Yet, we don’t really know if an individual intents to do with the money.  If we turn our back from them and not help a fellow human in need, then we are sinning, but if they are deceiving us, then the sin is theirs.  Really by not helping someone we are digging ourselves a hole.  Many Russians amaze me since some who don’t have much, still give to those who need it more.  A friend of mine, who is only 19 living on her own in Moscow and doesn’t make a lot of money, still gives anytime she can.  She jokes how if she continues to give her money away she will be just as poor as the ones she tries to help.  Honestly though, that attitude is the attitude that Christ wants us to have, help others even if it means we don’t live comfortably.  Many might point out that it’s not logical to give so much if you don’t have much, but the Gospel is not one of logic (as much as I hate to mention that) but one of faith and trust in God that you will be given opportunities and a path will be made for you. 

However, I am not doing the most I can do, because just given money, usually doesn’t help them.  My friend Sierra told me that many times what these people need more is a friend, or someone to talk to.  Life is extremely hard for them; to think it isn’t is ridicules.  Something I will never forget is the last time I went to General Conference.  While yes, many walked right by the needy without even a glance, there was one man who shocked me.  A beggar was sitting, with just a sign.  He was a veteran of either Iraq now or 1991, I am not sure right now.  He was missing a leg.  I gave money, but kept walking, I truly didn’t know what to say.  Though, someone behind me stopped as well.  And he sat down with the man and began to talk to him.  A couples hours later I was walking again passed this area and that man was still with the veteran.  The veteran was in tears, telling this man his story and thanking him so much for caring to speak with him.  I have never seen someone who was so appreciative in my life, as that veteran looked right then.   It looked as if this one man who stopped to understand the veteran and share a message of Christ’s love, did far more than my two dollars. 

It’s true, even us who give when we can, can do more, and should do more.  I have always been afraid and timid to talk to them, which is an issue I am trying to deal with.  Instead of giving money, we could take them to a nearby fast food place or restaurant and feed them and hear their story.  This I am sure can help make a great difference, since money and food can only help the physical issues, but their loneliness and rejection by the world creates many mental issues, that to help through, they could use a good friend. 

Us Christians are commanded to help the poor and needy and to reach out.  And if you are not religious, or an Agnostic, or an Atheist well those in need are our fellow brothers and sisters.  We need to give up these fictions that divide us and come together to help each other.  If we truly helped each other, maybe we could eradicate poverty.  It won’t be easy, and will take a long time, but I honestly believe we can.  In America, we have the resources to do it; we just need to rid ourselves of our selfishness and greed. 

Let's Look at what the Quran has to say about Jesus and non-Muslims

In life I strive to try to bring groups who think they are in opposition together or to create a better understanding of different peoples.  Two of these groups are Christians and Muslims, who have large misconceptions of the other side.  Of course with this goal my topics were Jesus in the Quran, since that could be common ground for both groups, and the treatment of non-Muslims, which is something I think many westerns have their own misconceptions about.

      To Muslims, Jesus is not an unknown name, yet it is not the same as many Christians believe.  Interestingly he is referred to as the Messiah, which means the “Anointed One”, whose synonyms is Savoir and Redeemer, yet in Islam Christ did not come to die as a sacrifice for our sins.  He was however born of a virgin, Mary, though it was on a journey (shown in Chapter 19, section 2) rather than a manger.  Usually I am use to seeing Jesus get the persecution for the authority he claimed, but the Quran showed that Mary did too, when in Ch. 19:27, calling what Mary “brought” was strange.  The commentary said this was since Jesus claimed such authority and it was somewhat backhanded, and it is clear to see the calumny for Jesus right away comes to his mother’s rescue.  His speech though is something of interest.  From our readings on the Quran in class, we saw that Jesus did not die on the cross, nor was he resurrected; yet in Ch. 19;33 Jesus mentions he will be resurrected.  To quote exactly, “And peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I am raised to life”, clearly this shows that Jesus will die and come back.  Sadly though the commentary has nothing on this, so I did look on the internet, and I didn’t find a good answer, or one that may be reliable.  This then does raise an interesting point, of what if he did die on the cross, even by the Islamic version of history, there seems to be plenty of times for some corruption of their Holy Book in it, maybe this is a sign that something was meddled with.  Something in his speech though that caught my eye was 19:36, since the commentary compares it to Matt. 4:10, which as someone who is looking for common ground, these two verses are clearly that.  The largest difference is that Islam views Christ as a great prophet, not God in the flesh.  Now this is a point that many in Christianity argue about anyway, for most Christians literally believe Christ to be Heavenly Father, a concept that is ridicules to LDS, yet we still hold the divinity of Christ.  In Islam, Christ is not divine, and in Ch. 4:171 it states that he is “only a messenger”.  There are many scriptures in which Jesus points to all his power coming from God, but this is the same in the Bible, as far as the idea that Jesus is literally God, I do agree with the Quran on that being an idea introduced after his death and ministry.  There is a section about the false doctrines introduced, as well as mention of them in other areas of the Quran, for the LDS faith, we can agree on this idea, since we very much do believe that Christ’s teachings were perverted.  

      When it comes to relations with non-Muslims, it is fairly liberal.  This can be shown by 2:62, where is it says, “Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good, they have their reward with their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.”  This shows a very Universalist outlook, yet it is also a commentary against those religions.  In the commentary I have it is pointed out that this shakes the concept of a favored nation, whose member will go to heaven alone; much like the criticism of the Jewish people who call themselves the “Chosen People”.  This furthers illustrates a larger issue that the past faiths were the truth until the people rejected it.  Just read two verses later (2:64) in which the Quran states that the Jews turned their back after being given the truth.  While they still can achieve salvation, they are chastised throughout this section for rejecting God’s word.   It is true that there could be verse to back unfriendly relations to non-believers.  In Ch. 60 verse 1 it does say to not take disbelievers as your friends, yet it is not that simple.  In verses 7 and 8 it is explained that the only reason to not take the unbelievers as friends was due to the conflict and war happening at the time.  The commentary explained the historical background and that it depends on what is happening.  To actually quote the commentary, “the true principle is revealed in unmistakable language, allowing friendly relation with one class of disbelievers and prohibiting such relations with those of another class.”  So from this it is perfectly okay for friendship between disbelievers, except with those who are actively seeking to destroy you or your faith, which isn’t far off from Christianity, which teaches to still help those who are sinning, but if they are actively trying to corrupt you, to then cut yourself from them. 

      After studying for this paper, I was surprised.  I knew there were similarities between Christianity and Islam, but I wasn’t sure how it was.  I also knew that Islam is more open to non-Muslims, than most religions have been to people who don’t share their beliefs.  Now the beliefs on Jesus are close to my own, the only issue is the divinity part, or the part that he is not the Son of God.  Since I still do believe that the Quran is from God, yet I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, I attribute the inconsistency to either God not revealing completeness but rather the message he wanted for the Arabs or the more likely, corruption of man of the Prophet Mohammad’s (Peace be upon him) message.   I think if more understood that Jesus does have a place in Islam, there could be more dialogue between Christians and Muslims.  However, not all Christians would be receptive, this past week I talked to street preachers who said that Muslims were damn since they reduced Jesus to a prophet, and not God himself.  A theme that I picked up about the relations to non-Muslims was one greatly of tolerance rather than acceptance.  This goes well with the history of the Islamic Empire and their treatment of the Dhimmis.  While they did not enjoy the same benefits of those in Islam, they had their basic freedoms and rights and were treated with respect.  This seemed to jump out to me, though there is still a tone of somewhat disdain to the other beliefs, since they rejected and changed God’s word.  As a member of the LDS church, this is nothing new since we say that all other churches are abominations in the eyes of God; though it is because they have been corrupted.  There are still differences between Christianity and Islam, but I think of it as the way the Christian King of Abyssinia did when he drew a line on the ground and stated that the difference between the two were no thicker than that line.  I would say that line is even smaller for those in the LDS faith in relation to Islam.  I truly believe, after reading in the Quran, that Islam was the purest religion until the Restoration, and that it was completely pure when the Prophet Mohammed lived on this earth.

Quran used; The Holy Quran with English Translation and Commentary, Maulana Muhammad Ali
(To study more for yourself, please follow the link and get a copy of this great book)

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