Comments on: branches of the church tree http://www.taffystay.com/archives/208 ramblings from seattle's rainier beach neighborhood Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:20:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: kris http://www.taffystay.com/archives/208#comment-415 kris Sat, 20 Jan 2007 19:10:24 +0000 http://www.taffystay.com/archives/208#comment-415 i think that the general "issue" has become known as a liberal issue, even though there's nothing "liberal" about the actual social problem in question. i do think that because of laws, and politics, and cultural perceptions, that many issues do end up being, in the end, liberal issues. for instance...take homelessness. the issue of homelessness is simple at the start: people without homes that need basic things to survive. what should the church do? the simple answer is to clothe them, feed them, and house them. but the deeper issue lies with why they are homeless to begin with and where this "help" will lead them afterwards. if they are homeless because they are on drugs, then there's the whole issue of whether or not the church is equipped to handle a whole bunch of drug addicts in their basement (not to mention legal issues if something goes wrong!) if they are homeless because of a turn of events out of their control (such as illness and then bankruptcy), then what can the church do to assist them? not many churches are able to house the homeless. many aren't even set up to be able to feed them. and even if they did, there would need to be some type of program where the men and women would be working towards some type of goal rather than just eating and sleeping there. some many say, but isn't that better than them starving each night and freezing on the cold streets? sure. but that doesn't make it easier or simpler for churches to figure out. i think the problem lies with churches who either do, or don't understand the depth of these issues, but who DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS THEM. maybe they feel like it's irrelevant because of the area they live in, or maybe it's a matter of judgment and looking down on people because they are homeless, or gay, or of a lower economic status, or maybe they are just apathetic... but if a church board has a meeting and decides that there is just no way their church building can afford to set up an area for people to either be fed (maybe they don't have a kitchen at church...) or be housed (no security, not enough space, etc.) then there are other ways churches can help. i think that most churches don't even get this far because it's such a lengthy process to address all the social issues out there, but i think we are at least responsible to TRY. sorry if that's a mouthful! i used to work next door (actually on site) of this place in LA that had a pretty cool model for dealing with some of these issues. if anyone wants to hear about it, let me know so i don't bore the rest of you with it :) i think that the general “issue” has become known as a liberal issue, even though there’s nothing “liberal” about the actual social problem in question. i do think that because of laws, and politics, and cultural perceptions, that many issues do end up being, in the end, liberal issues. for instance…take homelessness. the issue of homelessness is simple at the start: people without homes that need basic things to survive. what should the church do? the simple answer is to clothe them, feed them, and house them. but the deeper issue lies with why they are homeless to begin with and where this “help” will lead them afterwards. if they are homeless because they are on drugs, then there’s the whole issue of whether or not the church is equipped to handle a whole bunch of drug addicts in their basement (not to mention legal issues if something goes wrong!) if they are homeless because of a turn of events out of their control (such as illness and then bankruptcy), then what can the church do to assist them? not many churches are able to house the homeless. many aren’t even set up to be able to feed them. and even if they did, there would need to be some type of program where the men and women would be working towards some type of goal rather than just eating and sleeping there. some many say, but isn’t that better than them starving each night and freezing on the cold streets? sure. but that doesn’t make it easier or simpler for churches to figure out.

i think the problem lies with churches who either do, or don’t understand the depth of these issues, but who DON’T WANT TO DISCUSS THEM. maybe they feel like it’s irrelevant because of the area they live in, or maybe it’s a matter of judgment and looking down on people because they are homeless, or gay, or of a lower economic status, or maybe they are just apathetic…

but if a church board has a meeting and decides that there is just no way their church building can afford to set up an area for people to either be fed (maybe they don’t have a kitchen at church…) or be housed (no security, not enough space, etc.) then there are other ways churches can help. i think that most churches don’t even get this far because it’s such a lengthy process to address all the social issues out there, but i think we are at least responsible to TRY.

sorry if that’s a mouthful! i used to work next door (actually on site) of this place in LA that had a pretty cool model for dealing with some of these issues. if anyone wants to hear about it, let me know so i don’t bore the rest of you with it :)

]]> By: sacrod http://www.taffystay.com/archives/208#comment-412 sacrod Fri, 19 Jan 2007 07:14:07 +0000 http://www.taffystay.com/archives/208#comment-412 I have nothing much to say, except that i agree!! I have nothing much to say, except that i agree!!

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