What is your attitude to beggers?

1. 75

   Pavlo Badovskyyposted 12 years ago

   What is your attitude to beggers?

   replyreport
2. 73

   d.williamposted 12 years ago

   well now that just depends on who you consider beggars.  When you are inundated with telemarketers, political groups, and every other agency for profit in this country, calling your home from 8:00am to 9:00pm 7 days a week begging for money it becomes quite disturbing and quite disgusting to the point that you cannot tolerate them any more, they are certainly not to be pitied.
   Street beggars who are homeless are another story, and yet, some of these street "beggars" do this for a living and earn more money annually than hard working Americans and live in homes fully furnished with the best of everything - all without paying one cent in taxes.  They too are disgusting and freeloaders.
   So, how do you know who the true needed really are?  You don't. 
   People give money to those begging for various reasons;  not because they think it is the right thing to do, but more to make themselves feel proud, and hope that the gods of compassion will bless them with a free pass to their proverbial afterlife rewards.

   replyreport
   1. 75

      Pavlo Badovskyyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I meant street beggers only. In Ukraine there is no practice to call your home numbers asking for money. Yet....

      replyreport
3. 60

   duffsmomposted 12 years ago

   As d. william says it is very hard to discern those that are truly needy, and those that engage in some kind of scam or lifestyle.
   
   I've been burned too often giving to people that claimed to be in need.  Now, if I am able, I give to good causes through our church.

   replyreport
   1. 75

      Pavlo Badovskyyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      YOu are right. I know places in my city with the same beggers standing everyday. It became business for some of them

      replyreport
4. 59

   flashmakeitposted 12 years ago

   We all came in the world as beggars.  We begged our mother for food, we beg for jobs on an interview and we beg for answer for question we do not know.  We should to begging and striving for high calling.

   replyreport
5. 72

   Darrell Robertsposted 12 years ago

   If you mean people that appear to be down on their luck asking people for money, then i pity them.  I know that people run some scams, but I pity them as well.  People who have to "beg" usually are not happy people. 
   
   I would offer to buy them food instead of giving them money.  I do not like to see people go hungry in a world of plenty.  If they refuse the offer then that is too bad for them, they could keep begging, they just won't get anything from me.
   
   I would wisht them the best any way, and hope they find peace and love in this world as well as the next.

   replyreport
   1. 73

      Mazzy Boleroposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      A friend of mine gave food to a middle-aged beggar in a London street. He ran after her, throwing the food at her, calling her a "f***ing b*****!"  I think he may have craved alcohol, not food.

      replyreport
   2. 75

      Pavlo Badovskyyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I am not sure  they are not happy...I believe begging became for many people a way of life. They just can not imagine going to work and earning money. Of course all situations are different and some people DO need help but I think not all of them

      replyreport
6. 61

   Sunny2o0oposted 12 years ago

   If you ask me for money, you have disqualified yourself by the simple fact that you are asking.
   
   I have nothing against charity, but I will give to charities of my choosing on my own time.  Just because I happen to be out shopping or at the park does not mean that I give any Dick, Jane or Harry with a sign license to bother me while I mind my own business. 
   
   For traditional beggars, ie. homeless people, I have heard of far too many scams where people do this as a living rather than work because they can make good, tax-free money on it.

   replyreport
7. 78

   Chris Nealposted 12 years ago

   This is one I wrestle with a lot. I'm pretty strapped myself and at this moment depend on the kindness of strangers to meet my bills. But the Bible tells us that if someone comes and asks, we should give, not expecting to be repaid.
   
   I'm not talking about telemarketers, I'm talking about the people on the street. It's a hard decision sometimes, but it's not my money in the end. It's God's.

   replyreport
   1. 75

      Pavlo Badovskyyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      People in real need are often afraid or ashamed to ask for a help. BUt in fact , if they ask , I believe lots of people help them. I agree with your words "we should give, not expecting to be repaid"

      replyreport
8. 61

   funnychapposted 12 years ago

   well here in Mumbai (India) i have read a lot of "beggar syndicates" i.e. people who forcefully bring poor people from rural areas & force them to beg. There are also reports of how they intentionally maim & cripple them to increase the earning potential. Also i have heard that many beggars who are taken to government facilities where they are given stay/food & also work, run away from them because they want the easy life of street begging. After reading all this, i am not able to discern between genuine beggars & professional one's & hence prefer not to patronize them at all. Instead i opt to contribute to our church community welfare fund, which i believe does a good job with the money.

   replyreport
9. 62

   jeffrinposted 12 years ago

   I Don't give cash or pennies to them. Instead gets them some food so they do not misuse the money. Sometimes I also ask them to work somewhere and avoid begging for healthier social environment.

   replyreport
10. 80

    Astralroseposted 12 years ago

    It depends. I usually encounter a woman with a kid so generally I'd ask if the kid is hers and if she nods then I'd ask "how can you create another mouth to feed when you cannot even feed yourself properly." I know it's useless but who knows, it might stick to their minds.
    
    Mostly, I just ignore them although I prefer giving food (bun or something) instead of money.

    replyreport
11. 62

    Kusha Soniposted 12 years ago

    Well, i am having a completely different opinion about beggars....
    
    Let me tell you a small story... (Courtesy : My friend Harsha)
    
    I was standing at the railway station few days back to see off my friends Rocky and Ritu..
    
    Both of them were talking and I was just leaning near the train's window.
    And then I heard the tinkling of a child's toy.
    Turned back to the direction of the toy.And there I saw a hawker, a man in his 40's,selling children's toys.
    And the only different thing that one could observe instantly was the white stick he was carrying to guide him. He was blind,but still one couldn't say that he was one sorry figure brooding over his loss of eyes. Instead,he looked the world in its eyes with confidence. He crossed us. And I kept watching him for sometime.Then the train honked its horn.
    After bidding farewell to both of them, I was coming out of the station, I saw one more blind man, completely different from the one I had seen earlier.
    This man was a beggar. He was seeking alms from passer by's as generally we tend to have a sympathy for blind men.
    
    There were two people completely similar in their physical abilities but poles apart in their mental prowess.
    
    "When both could do whatever they wanted one chose to be a beggar while the other a self sustained man."
    
    The difference always lies in what we choose.
    THE DIFFERENCE LIES IN WE OURSELVES.We crib over sadness,over gloom that we ourselves have happily chosen. Our life is but our decision,how we take them is all that's going to matter.

    replyreport