Keep in mind that comments are allowed at the host’s pleasure. Comment-enabled blogs are still regulated and certain rules, whether rational, ridiculous or just plain dumb, still apply. A blog that allows comments doesn’t become a free-for-all discussion board unless the host wants it to.

There seems to be a good resolution to this thread (sort of), so let’s end it and move on.

I think I’ve been fair, and I’m not new to reading blogs. However I agree – sometimes they are ranting a bit. But if some-one puts it out there – meaning us commenters too – then it’s up for being responded too I think.

God bless you too. It is always a marvel to me that we can ask God to give some-one his favor – I ask that he favors you too.

There was one time when some dirty-looking guy held up a sign that said: “Why lie? I need money for booz.” It was sickingly comedic.

There was another time when a guy came up to our car window holding the usual sign (“Hungry, need food…”). The only thing we had handy was a bag of popcorn, which I know isn’t great, but it was something. Then he said: “Oh, well, could I just have some money for a soda?” Yeah, right.

As Trader Joe’s said, there are plenty of organizations (many of them Christian) to help these people who are willing to take them in. They don’t need to be accosting people on the street.

Shayne

2. “You come on the blog, void of any understanding of LB, and just tear into everyone about not being spiritual enough in regards to the situation. Who are you? Are you that prophet, or should we look for another?”

This is uneccessary Dominic. I haven’t torn into everyone at all. I am pointing out that without Christ we are all beggars – and with him we have his righteousness not our own. I gave my view on a discussion – and I certainly didn’t take the tone you have or say people were not spiritual enough. I do think something has been missing in the discussion. But what are you so angry about – that some-one is trying to explore how to love these people?

3.”Biblical perspective? Sounds kind of high minded to me? ”

Well it’s not high minded at all – it’s a basic approach. Goodness me Dominic – are you saying one can’t seek a biblical perspective on life issues? Too high minded? Hardly.

4.”I believe I possess the same spirit as you, but I am not going to allow game playing hucksters to swindel me or others without making my objections known.”

I agree with you – and if you read what I said you’d see that. But how do we love these people Dominic? That is my question – how do we respond? For the nth time – I agree 100% that we can protect our physical safety.

You’ve knee-jerked a response to what you think I’m saying. It isn’t what I said.

I totally understood the manner in which LaShawn addressed this issue. Does Paul the Apostle not say, if a man doesn’t work, he should not eat? Does the Scripture not address laziness (slothful in the KJV)? What of the verse, a man is worse than an infidel who does not feed his family? Come on, give us a break! You come on the blog, void of any understanding of LB, and just tear into everyone about not being spiritual enough in regards to the situation. Who are you? Are you that prophet, or should we look for another?

Biblical perspective? Sounds kind of high minded to me? Yes, the love and compassion of Christ rules above all things, however, the wise as a serpent exists in me also. I can remember being a newborn Christian watching how the saints around me conducted themselves. Bums, derelicts and hucksters would come to our services on Sunday or weekly Bible study and hit people up for money. When I would offer to give them a ride to the store and buy them something to eat,”naw, I’ll buy it” was the response. If they can be that independent, why not go to the local grocery store and offer to bag food for money? I hate sounding like a teacher’s pet, but LaShawn is absolutely right, along with everyone else on this board. Healthy, well-dressed adult men in America are not your typical homeless person. I believe I possess the same spirit as you, but I am not going to allow game playing hucksters to swindel me or others without making my objections known.

Brings me to a story, day before yesterday, walking across the parking lot and a girl of about twenty-two approaches me, says her boyfriend and her are up from Charlotte because his grandmother dies, blah, blah, blah…car broke down, can you give me some money to fix car (she mentions needing $300 bucks), observing the situation, I say no thanks and move on. One, I could spare it, second, would not if I did, other avenues she could have taken to get help, and three, don’t fall for these tales anymore. Is it wrong as a Christian to use a little wisdom?

Being a Christian does not mean that you’ve given up your human right to be angry about things from time to time.

La Shawn, About ‘turning the other cheek’. I remember from a few years ago that that term could have meant something other than what it is generally believed to mean today. That ‘turning the other cheek’ in Jesus’ time could have been a real insult to the other person. Any insight on that?

I read your “Spinning the Pundit” post and the less-than-flattering things you said about me. While I consider myself a very patient person (I’ve tolerated a few trolls although they should have been asked to leave long ago.) and don’t really like pulling the “this is my blog” routine if I don’t have to, I’m as human as anyone else, and I don’t like to see certain things said about me, especially written by someone I allow to comment on my blog.

I’m certain you wouldn’t like it if I wrote a “Spinning the fill-in-the-blank” post and did the same to you. Nevertheless, I’m a grown woman, outspoken and unafraid to say what I need to say, so I can handle it.

Here’s the problem I’ve had with a few Christian commenters. They LOVE to tell me where I’m wrong. Fine. But when they tell me what I should be thinking and writing and what words I should or should not use to express myself, I usually flip out. I won’t today. When unbelievers do it, I don’t like it. But when a fellow believer does it, it’s much, much worse. You and I have been in contact privately about this, and I meant what I wrote in my e-mail. Although I didn’t see your “Spinning” post beforehand, I still would have sent you that e-mail. I am responsible for my own behavior, not anyone else’s.

Having said that, I think your comments misrepresent my intentions in the post. You say that if you were assaulted by a strange man, biblical truth won’t change. As you know, I agree and never contended otherwise. But biblical truth of the existence of evil also doesn’t change. There are evil people everywhere seeking to do us harm, and there is nothing unbiblical about the way I’ve expressed my frustration. But I never wrote nor implied that I was “better” than anyone.

Sharing the Gospel can happen anywhere, anytime. There are also times when a Christian may not share it. I don’t know of any people who start sharing the Gospel whenever they make eye contact with someone on the street or accosted by a drunk stranger. I choose instead to get away from him. If that’s wrong, God will deal with me.

Before a Christian judges another, they should examine their own eyes for planks. You imply I shouldn’t judge bums, but you’re doing the same thing to me. This is the problem I have with Christians who don’t like the way I read the Bible, don’t like the way I express myself and don’t like that I call certain street people “bums.” I would never even presume to go on someone’s blog, never, and do that. First of all, I don’t have the time. Secondly, it’s just not my style. Thirdly, it is their blog and if that is their style, who am I to judge? If I don’t like a blogger’s style or method of expression, I don’t return to the site.

Again, I must pull rank. “Bum” is the the way I categorize able-bodied men sleeping on the street and it’s the way I’ll continue categorizing able-bodied men on the street. I assure you that your comments on my blog or your own will not change my mind, but as long as you’re civil, you may contribute to the discussion.

No Christian should ever say we shouldn’t take the Gospel to people in the streets, including myself, but my post contains anecdotes about my dealings with strange men, and I express my outrage accordingly, whether you think it’s appropriate or not. There are people with serious mental problems and people up to no good or both. What I really need to blog about are hard statistics on the number “homeless” who commit crimes. The “homeless” are not a special lot excused of decent behavior, though one would get the impression reading this thread.

I live on the fallen earth, not Disneyland. A society has every right to do what it can to make its streets safe. No one has a right or should be allowed to loiter and sleep on the streets or urinate in public. That’s what I believe and it is not subject to change.

If that’s wrong, then God will deal with me. As you may have noticed, I loathe political correctness and call a thing what it is. Plenty of people don’t like it, including other Christians. If that offends, there is nothing I am willing to do about it. If that is wrong, then God will deal with me.

My mission on this blog is multifaceted, and the way I express myself will probably become even more direct and offend even more people, especially the liberal bloggers who already hate me. I thank God everyday I live in a free country. What a hardship it would be to live in a society where my thoughts and speech were regulated by people who disagreed with my views. But God placed me right here, and I don’t intend to squander my freedom of speech for anyone.