Here is another: How would you react?

[The Sum of Awe]

Not entirely. A great deal of Christians do what their God expects without thinking too much about it. There's just so many bad examples.

I don’t see any representation of that in the OP. Where does the Bible say to diss homeless people or call atheists immoral to their face? It sounds to me like a case of a toxic person and Christianity has nothing to do with it.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

What i consider a typical Christian.

She is the typical Christian that I'm most familiar with and have encountered the most throughout my lifetime. But I also know a few Christians, such as my husband, who are kind and compassionate to the homeless and other people who aren't as fortunate as they are. They aren't arrogant, rude, obnoxious, or judgmental, and they don't look down on other people. I consider my husband and these few other Christians to be the exception rather than the rule.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Not entirely. A great deal of Christians do what their God expects without thinking too much about it. There's just so many bad examples.

I know a few Christians who practice what they preach, but the numerous bad examples I know or have encountered over the years far outnumber them.

 

[Viker]

---

I don’t see any representation of that in the OP. Where does the Bible say to diss homeless people or call atheists immoral to their face? It sounds to me like a case of a toxic person and Christianity has nothing to do with it.

You are correct. I don't equivocate that toxicity with Christianity. I have no real beef with Christianity (anymore). I'm just not Christian.

 

[SalixIncendium]

How would you react if you were in a situation similar to mine?

I'd have told her to tell me why she feels this way and embarrass her into explaining her bigotry.

 

[SalixIncendium]

My view is that housing is an internationally recognized human right (it's in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights), and as such, every homeless person on the street is a living example of our society violating human rights.

What happens when people become no longer incentivized to work to put a roof over the heads of themselves and their families?

 

[ChristineM]

. I consider my husband and these few other Christians to be the exception rather than the rule.

Yes there are some. My best friend is Christian and so are my patients, nicer people you could not meet. They are not typical though

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

What happens when people become no longer incentivized to work to put a roof over the heads of themselves and their families?

People are still incentivized to work without threatening them and their families with homelessness.

... and doing nothing about people sleeping rough in a park or under a bridge so that low-income people, see them, think "I don't want to end up like that," and are coerced to keep working their ****ty job out of fear would make for a pretty awful society.

 

[SalixIncendium]

People are still incentivized to work without threatening them and their families with homelessness.

How?

And who said anything about threatening?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

How?

All of the normal things that motivate someone to work: desire for more or fancier stuff, the satisfaction of doing meaningful work, societal expectations about employment, etc.

And who said anything about threatening?

You did. The incentive to work that you describe relies on an implied threat: "if you don't work, you'll lose your home."

 

[SalixIncendium]

All of the normal things that motivate someone to work: desire for more or fancier stuff, the satisfaction of doing meaningful work, societal expectations about employment, etc.

Not in my experience.

You did. The incentive to work that you describe relies on an implied threat: "if you don't work, you'll lose your home."

I don’t put words into my mouth. I implied nothing. I asked two questions.

 

[Stevicus]

What happens when people become no longer incentivized to work to put a roof over the heads of themselves and their families?

I'm trying to imagine what that scenario would look like. Housing is a human right, no less important than the right to free speech or freedom of religion. Would you ask what would happen when people are no longer incentivized to work for their free speech? Should people be charged $1000 a month to have free speech, and if they can't pay, no free speech for them?

 

[Koldo]

Not in my experience.

Your experience is very limited then.

 

[Rachel Rugelach]

"Why do you care about morality? You're not a Christian!"

This is the part that struck me. Just because someone isn't a Christian doesn't mean they don't care about morality.

However, in general, I can understand some people's frustration with the homeless problem, and some people have a propensity for making thoughtless and uncaring remarks about them. My view is that housing is an internationally recognized human right (it's in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights), and as such, every homeless person on the street is a living example of our society violating human rights.

"Why do you care about morality? You're not a Christian!" This is what struck me, too. We live in a country where Christianity is generally considered to be the optimal religion and morally superior to other religions, as well as superior to atheism.

I remember when talk show host Donny Deutsch interviewed conservative media pundit Ann Coulter, and Coulter told Deutsch that all Americans ought to be Christian. Of course, Coulter thinks she's a comedian (she isn't, she's just a troll), so Deutsch politely questioned her further on what she had said to make certain that she wasn't being facetious (she wasn't). She continued to say to Deutsch (who is Jewish) that "We [Christians] just want [you] Jews to be perfected [like us Christians]."

Speaking as an imperfect Jew, I think that the uncaring, self-proclaimed Christian woman described in the OP represents a bigger problem with this country than any homeless people do. I certainly didn't see anything morally superior in her remarks.

 

[Father Heathen]

You did right by calling her out on her bull****. It's something that needs to be done more often with these types.

 

[Father Heathen]

I don’t see any representation of that in the OP. Where does the Bible say to diss homeless people or call atheists immoral to their face? It sounds to me like a case of a toxic person and Christianity has nothing to do with it.

Perhaps, but such toxicity seems to be quite prevalent among christians in the U.S.

 

[VoidCat]

"Why do you care about morality? You're not a Christian!" This is what struck me, too. We live in a country where Christianity is the default religion and generally considered to be morally superior to other religions, as well as superior to atheism.

I remember when talk show host Donny Deutsch interviewed conservative media pundit Ann Coulter, and Coulter told Deutsch that all Americans ought to be Christian. Of course, Coulter thinks she's a comedian (she isn't, she's just a troll), so Deutsch questioned her further on what she had said to make certain that she wasn't being facetious (she wasn't). She continued to say to Deutsch (who is Jewish) that "We [Christians] just want [you] Jews to be perfected [like us Christians]."

Speaking as an imperfect Jew, I think that the uncaring, self-proclaimed Christian woman described in the OP represents a bigger problem with this country than any homeless people do. I certainly didn't see anything morally superior in her remarks.

The morality thing struck me too. Some Christians actually think those of other religions are demon possessed especially if they a pagan. But Christianity doesnt teach that. Also what youve said here reminds me I've heard some folk say evangelicals dont typically care about Israel or jewish people they just care cuz both are needed to complete biblical prophecy. I've noticed that attitude a bit in a few books by famous evanglicals I've read including one by Tim Lahaye(I think that's how you spell his last name.)

 

[Rachel Rugelach]

Is this another “Christian bad” thread?

I saw it more as a thread about a bad example of at least one particular Christian (as @Viker pointed out). Kind of an "un-Karing Kristian Karen" thread.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Perhaps, but such toxicity seems to be quite prevalent among christians in the U.S.

When a group gets a large enough population, you are bound to have bad apples. Christianity, being the most popular religion, is no exception.

 

[Father Heathen]

When a group gets a large enough population, you are bound to have bad apples. Christianity, being the most popular religion, is no exception.

When it comes to fundamentalists, the proportions are exponentially higher.