[underseacables]

I disagree with this ruling, but something that really, really pissed me off is this paragraph:

"The town had no homeless shelter, aside from one run by a religious organization that required, among other rules, attendance at Christian services."

Am I the only one that thinks it's wrong to require someone to attend a church to receive services from that church? I go to church and we will try to help anyone we can without any preconditions. Mandatory attendance just seems… disrespectful of that persons own religious beliefs, and unchristian.

[asdff]

There aren't many good christians left. A lot of churches in socal today have metal gates over their front steps to prevent anyone from sheltering on them. Growing up, I figured big city churches always opened their doors and pews for people to sleep, but apparently that was a trope from hollywood and not what many churches today at least do for their local community.

[UtopiaPunk]

There's a church in my area that has some signs and banners about welcoming all people, but also has a "no trespassing" sign. I approached the clergy of the church about it, and they tell me that the police requires the no trepassing sign, or else the police won't respond to incidents. I hate that dissonance.

[banish-m4]

Most Christian churches in America are elitist, hermetically-sealed cults. They come together one day a week to celebrate how superior and self-righteous they are, while stepping over homeless people and looking down on them the other 6 days and 22 hours of the week.

[UtopiaPunk]

I don't like it either. But in a marginally better world, there would be several different places to find food and shelter. If a Christian who is homeless goes to shelter at that church, then that may make sense for them and they may find it a comfort, whereas anyone else is free to go somewhere else.

I really don't think society should push the responsibility of caring for the homeless on churches for exactly the reasons you find infuriating. This town is apparently doing nothing, and the only people doing anything is the church. I don't like the church attaching strings to food/shelter, but I think it's their right to do it. I'm more frustrated that there are no alternatives.

This country should seriously grapple with homelessness. Until then, the bare minimum should be guaranteed basic shelter, and we're not even doing that.

[banish-m4]

If that church doesn't lack the values of helping the downtrodden, they appear to lack the spine to advocate for or defend them. How Christian of them.