The Good Samaritan

[redhen]

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Sounds like a good thread!

 

[Cindiloohoo]

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Our church is taking shoebox donations for children in Chile right now. We put in toys and gifts for Chilean children, and donate the money for shipping, and to offset the expense of packing those items for freight. No price limit per box. We got 5 we will turn in by the end of this month. We're not rich, but we give what/when we can.

I also share our meat we get during deer season with families who need it. it would cost us to butcher, but if we do that ourselves, it's free meat...why not share some of it? So, we do that as well.

We do A LOT of things throughout the year to help others. Both those we know, and like the chilean children, those we do not know.

Next month we will have a young person living with us temporarily to help a friend. I think it's going to be fun!

 

[chickendude]

I also donate deer meat to our local " Hunters for the hungry " I do butcher my own deer but to make giving easier there is a local butcher that will take the entire deer and butcher and package it for the hungry. It is a great charity that helps local families.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

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I believe that the whole thing could have been avoided if thaiturkey had not brought it up first by bashing the Bible. It is not a case of "he (or indeed anyone) should believe." It is a case of it being unnecessary commentary, wth the wording used being inflammatory for those of us who do believe it to be God's word. Let's see; if he had said

This is not a religious thread. It's for everyone who wants to comment but, please, no evangelising or praising the merits of some deity or other. The thread is not to do with any of that.

DELETE:The old book called the new testament contains many fables and guidelines for living life many hundred's of years ago. Probably, they were written by semi-literate scholars for the benefit of primitive people and we know that much of the writing has been changed in translation and by later interference. However, could it be possible that, leaving religion completely out of this, at least some of those stories could be relevant in today's society? Could they be relevant in a secular world as sound advice that stands by it's own merits?

I was reminded the other day of the Good Samaritan story.

substitute "story" for "fable"

For those who don't know the story, it's very simple and brief. A Jewish traveller was robbed, beaten and left injured beside the road. People of his own faith passed him by. Eventually a Samaritan came by and helped the man. Samaritans and Jews generally despised one another. And that's it. A story about one person helping another despite their cultural differences. I suppose that, as he helped a Jew, he would have helped anyone.

The reason why this story came to mind is that university students in our Provincial capital closed their books a few days ago and came in their dozens to help clean up our local market area after a six foot deep flood swamped it. They had nothing personal to gain and no one told them to do it. Similarly, people who are hardly wealthy themselves have been handing out food and water to people who were stranded in their homes and are now without cooking equipment as they repair the damage and losses.

That, at least for me, is what the Good Samaritan story is about. Now, I ask how far would you go to help someone in difficulty with whom you had no connection, with whom you probably would never socialise and whom you may dislike?​

 

[debilorrah]

Help those that are aiding in their own betterment.

http://www.kiva.org/

Or help children who have cancer and their parents have no way to pay for treatment

http://www.stjude.org/stjude/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=f87d4c2a71fca210VgnVCM1000001e0215acRCRD

 

[thaiturkey]

Just once more before I take this up with Admin. Please leave religion out of this. We are free to use biblical stories in a secular way and that is what this thread is doing. Perhaps some people imagine that to be a threat but I think that they would be encouraged to find people following those teachings for their own reasons. Threads in the recent past have been hijacked by religious comment that inflame an offend others. Please do not attempt that here. It's unfair to people who might see things differently from you. There is nothing anti-religious about this thread. It's areligious. Consider, please, the feelings of people who do not want religion brought into every conversation. Instead please look for ways to contribute along the lines that I have asked.

To other posters, thank you very much for your comments so far. It's heart warming to see so much being done quietly from the heart. I know that many people are reluctant to talk about what they do for others so you might like to contribute in a hypothetical way.

We have a few good examples of money, food and other things being given to those in need. What about emotional support, a hand on the shoulder, just being there for someone who feels down? I'm sure that there are many examples of that.

 

[dawg53]

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Just once more before you take thisup with Admin. Please leave secularism out of this. We are free to use biblical stories in a religious way and that is what this thread is doing. Perhaps some people imagine that to be a threat but I think that they would be encouraged to find people following those teachings for their own reasons. Threads in the recent past have been hijacked by secular comment that inflame and offend others. Please do not attempt that here. It's unfair to people who might see things differently from you. There is nothing antisecular about this thread. It's asecular. Consider, please, the feelings of people who do not want secularism into every conversation. Instead please look for ways to contribute along the lines that I have asked.
It works both ways, dude! You brought the subject up first about religion. We have our right to speak up since you brought it up in the first place!

 

[thaiturkey]

A thought about giving money to vagrants.

The choice between money and food is a vexed one, especially in the UK where the only people on the streets are the really determined and broken ones. The State has a system for helping the single homeless to cope and get back on their feet but people can't be forced. Those who live in the open and hostels are probably in a poor mental state and addicted either to alcohol or drugs. They can't do much for themselves except survive for a few years in the most dysfunctional way until some illness or the winter weather kills them. If you're going to help such people, it might be argued that food is the best thing to give. You know then that your gift can be used in only the right way. There are counter arguments to this though. Their stomachs may not be able to cope with what you give them. Also, it's a kind of control imposed on them and they may well have had enough of that. On the other hand, cash can be spent on booze and drugs. At least those things ease the pain of their existence for a while.

I once worked and shopped in Cambridge, England. It's a very famous university town and known also for its scientific research. Naturally, it's full of students, including foreign ones from wealthy families, and many comfortably off middle class people. Surprised, then, I was when I first went there to see so many young people sitting in shop doorways and alleys in a poor state and hoping for cash donations. I know that some are fakes but the look of despair in the eyes of most was difficult to ignore. The philosophy of some is that they should get off their butts and get work. Well, I'm sure that they would like to be better off but they were broken and unemployable with no life ahead of them. I decided eventually that cash was what they needed most. Let them decide for themselves what to do with it. It would probably be spent on strong drink but that at least would make them feel better for a while.

 

[thaiturkey]

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Just once more before you take thisup with Admin. Please leave secularism out of this. We are free to use biblical stories in a religious way and that is what this thread is doing. Perhaps some people imagine that to be a threat but I think that they would be encouraged to find people following those teachings for their own reasons. Threads in the recent past have been hijacked by secular comment that inflame and offend others. Please do not attempt that here. It's unfair to people who might see things differently from you. There is nothing antisecular about this thread. It's asecular. Consider, please, the feelings of people who do not want secularism into every conversation. Instead please look for ways to contribute along the lines that I have asked.
It works both ways, dude! You brought the subject up first about religion. We have our right to speak up since you brought it up in the first place!

Well then, start a thread of your own but please use your own words rather than a corruption of mine.

Nice bike from what I see in the your avatar, by the way. Harley? I'd like one too when the right deal turns up. In the meantime my classic Steed (Rebel to you I think) does fine.

 

[havi]

I have jsut one simple queston..

How is it that you want to talk about 'biblical stories' but yet you want to 'leave religion out of it'? IMHO, that makes no sense what so ever.