Enforced Pride

[Guest]

I've been thinking about how the left has "weaponized" compassion.  They use the saddest puppy dog situation to show how terrible a problem is that only effects 5% of the population.  Even then, virtually none of them are as bad as their example depicts.  And very often the example they show was fabricated.

Panhandlers on the streets put on their poor clothes and so on.  But they actually just do that for a living.  They collect a fairly nice disability check for some minor disability.  And they live with several others in the same boat.  With their combined welfare checks, they make a decent household living.  Then they go beg on the streets with sad faces and sad stories to collect even more.  Again, the household living is quite nice. Just yesterday, I was driving with a friend who pointed to the guy on the corner.  He said, "He's been panhandling all up and down 1960 (a major road in Houston) for the past 20 years.  I saw him when I first moved to this area of town.  And he just keeps begging.  He alters his signs to make it seem like he's got one disability or another or he's traveling through town and lost his car or whatever.  But he's still here after 20 years."

I could give a hundred more examples.  The point is that there is a lot of "fake news" "fake victims" "fake crimes" that catch our attention.  But when we find out just how fake everything is, we, well "I" just throw up my hands and just wonder how people can do that.  I then begin to think,"Is any of it real?  Maybe there really are no people in those situations except those who simply choose to do that and deceive others!"

Harden my heart.  Ignore the poor.  Automatically judge the worst of anyone in need.  "Oh, it's their fault.  They're just faking it." But the alternative is to let my heart bleed for someone who doesn't need it.  This is actually a method of brainwashing.

I saw a show where the protagonist was captured and subject to interrogation.  In the process, he was introduced to another prisoner who needed help.  He offered it.  He shared his soul.  The prisoner found courage.  Then it was revealed that he was just acting.  He wasn't really a prisoner at all.  So, if they do that again to the protagonist, is that one just another actor?  Or is he actually a prisoner?  Does he help him or not?  Does he bare his soul each time hoping that the next one may be a real prisoner that he can help?

Now, I think of the Book of Mormon and wonder,"How did a people who were once so faithful, become such a prideful and uncaring people that wouldn't share with the poor?  Wouldn't help those in need?  Maybe because there was so much fakery, that the real poor and downtrodden were ignored along with all the fakers.  So what are you really supposed to do?

[mikbone]

V for Vandetta great flick

[NeuroTypical]

Panhandling and homelessness are indeed real problems with real victims, and often no easy answer.  I recently spoke to a crusty old officer working in our city's homeless outreach team.  He tells several things:
- There are people who panhandle and have homes and cars, but they are the minority.  Most of them live in our ever shifting homeless camps, or shelters.
- Most of the long-timers have chosen this lifestyle, but you have to put "choose" in quotes.  Addiction and substance abuse and mental illness are all over the place.  So are poor communication skills, no work ethic, low education, no marketable skills, and poor health.  Not everyone was raised by parents who loved them.  Not everyone went to school, or have never been sexually abused by a stepfather or whatever. 
- There are many ways people can become broken, and three missed paychecks and a failed marriage (or similar stressful disaster) might claim more of us than we're comfortable admitting.  "There but for the grace of God go I".  It's easier to break, than to recover from a break.
- He did absolutely confirm the notion that giving these folks money does not help them.  Like, ever.  Unless you define "help" as "I want this guy to continue living this lifestyle, so I'm going to give him money so he can make that happen."  If that's your definition of help, then donate away.
- A good "solution" he has seen work on an individual basis, involves first a dedicated individual who wants to do more with their life.  Then a combination of a strong support system, good rehab, a job or paid training they can ease into, and good physical/mental health.

 

 

Edited November 14, 2018 by NeuroTypical

[Guest]

1 hour ago, mikbone said:

V for Vandetta great flick

Wrong show.  It was at least 10 years before that.

[mikbone]

What was it?

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, mikbone said:

What was it?

I believe it was Babylon 5.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, mikbone said:

V for Vandetta great flick

OK.  I just read the summary of the interrogation room.  I don't know how you confused that with my description.  There was no other prisoner who needed her help.  And the prisoner didn't return and reveal themselves to be one of the interrogators? 

Apart from a prison interrogation, what did you think was similar?

[mikbone]

35 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

OK.  I just read the summary of the interrogation room.  I don't know how you confused that with my description.  There was no other prisoner who needed her help.  And the prisoner didn't return and reveal themselves to be one of the interrogators? 

Apart from a prison interrogation, what did you think was similar?

Natilie Portman is the prisoner, and she has a relationship with a cell mate via notes passed back and forth.  She assumes that the prisoner is another female but the whole thing is a hoax.  BUT the hoax is based upon an event that really did happen.  You should watch it...

And we just passed November 5th

[Guest]

Just now, mikbone said:

Natilie Portman is the prisoner, and she has a relationship with a cell mate via notes passed back and forth.  She assumes that the prisoner is another female but the whole thing is a hoax.  BUT the hoax is based upon an event that really did happen.  You should watch it...

And we just passed November 5th

I said he was "introduced to" another prisoner who needed help.  And "he offered it" (as in, help to the other prisoner).  Natalie never met the other prisoner.

I used the pronoun "he" used throughout.  Natalie and the other prisoner were both females.

The encounter I spoke of was a complete charade made up by the interrogators to brainwash him.  V used an actual event to share the experience that he had with Evey.

...

You know what?  forget it.  You're right. I totally see all the similarities.

[Guest]

Now... Back to the OP.

I was just realizing that in the past year, we've had a number of individuals who have come here masquerading as a "sincere investigator".  In reality they were people with an axe to grind wanting to play mental games.

Given that history and background, Isn't it just "really easy" to assume all such people with some questions about controversial topics are actually some of these axe grinders?  How do you keep from being cynical?  How do you keep from just ignoring everyone?  How do you keep from assuming the worst (because past history has shown...)?

Even now with some people who are asking questions, I try to be polite.  But in the back of my mind, I can't help but have my guard up.

Edited November 14, 2018 by Guest

[JohnsonJones]

6 hours ago, Carborendum said:

Now... Back to the OP.

I was just realizing that in the past year, we've had a number of individuals who have come here masquerading as a "sincere investigator".  In reality they were people with an axe to grind wanting to play mental games.

Given that history and background, Isn't it just "really easy" to assume all such people with some questions about controversial topics are actually some of these axe grinders?  How do you keep from being cynical?  How do you keep from just ignoring everyone?  How do you keep from assuming the worst (because past history has shown...)?

Even now with some people who are asking questions, I try to be polite.  But in the back of my mind, I can't help but have my guard up.

Normally I try to assume the best.  It can be difficult at times, but it is better to guess wrong 100 times and help one person than suppose they are all bad.

No one is perfect though and everyone has something that triggers them (well, unless one is a perfect saint).  I mess up, others do to.  I think all we can do is to try our best.

As far as the first post...it is a difficult thing.  it can be a hard thing to try to follow...

Quote

16 And also, ye yourselves will ^asuccor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the ^bbeggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

17 Perhaps thou shalt ^asay: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—

18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.

19 For behold, are we not all ^abeggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

20 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a ^aremission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his ^bSpirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with ^cjoy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.

21 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to ^aimpart of the substance that ye have one to another.

22 And if ye ^ajudge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your ^bcondemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life ^cbelongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done.

23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are ^arich as pertaining to the things of this world.

24 And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I ^agive not because I ^bhave not, but if I had I would ^cgive.

25 And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are ^acondemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received.

26 And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may ^awalk guiltless before God—I would that ye should ^bimpart of your substance to the ^cpoor, every man according to that which he hath, such as ^dfeeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.

27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and ^aorder; for it is not requisite that a man should run ^bfaster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.

28 And I would that ye should remember, that whosoever among you ^aborroweth of his neighbor should return the thing that he borroweth, according as he doth agree, or else thou shalt commit sin; and perhaps thou shalt cause thy neighbor to commit sin also.

 

Edited November 15, 2018 by JohnsonJones