Callous disregard for one's fellow man

[jmra]

Residents of a apartment complex in Bethany, Oklahoma (OK City area) ignored a man who was lying on the ground unconscious. One stated that he thought the man was drunk.

Police eventually were called hours later and found that the man had been shot in the head. He was brought to a hospital in critical condition.

http://newsok.com/bethany-shooting-vict ... le/3380442" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

Bethany is the home of Southern Nazarene University and a BIG church town. Probably has a 60+% population attending church on Sunday. And about 90% of them would not walk 5 feet to check on someone they thought was drunk or otherwise impaired. One reasons why I do not believe in churches. HYPOCRITES!!!

For what it's worth, I'm a worship leader and faithfully attend my church, and I don't believe in churches either. I believe in the reason for going to church....and that is to worship the most high God. I have to take issue with what you've said here. Who is it who ministers to the homeless, the drunk and downtrodden? Christian believers, that's who. Who brings food to those people, tries to find them medicine, shelter, and clothing? Christian believers, that's who. Who donates most or all of the money to pay for these services? Christian believers, that's who. I don't see any atheists down there in the trenches trying to help someone in dire need. I'm just sayin'.....

You've painted a whole lot of good people with a pretty broad brush, and I don't believe that you have a properly informed opinion when you say that 90% of the churchgoers in a given town wouldn't go 5 feet out of their way to try and help someone who is laying in the street. Sure, maybe some wouldn't, but my experience is the exact opposite of that, and the empirical evidence backs up my opinion. Your's is merely a justification for something that's bothering you, because you're angry at God about something. That's between you and Him.

Do churches have hypocrites in them? Sure they do. That doesn't mean that all churchgoers are hypocrites. Not even close. Churches also have alcoholics, sex addicts, and drug abusers in them—just like in the rest of the world—but that doesn't mean that 90% of church goers are alcoholics, sex addicts, and drug abusers. Why is that, you might ask, that sinners can be found in churches? It is because CHURCHES ARE ALSO HOSPITALS FOR SINNERS, NOT ONLY HOTELS FOR SAINTS! The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and that includes both church-goers and non-churchgoers.

By your logic, you might as well never vote in another election, because government is full of hypocrites. You might as well never put your money in a bank, because some bank managers are hypocrites. Etc., etc., etc. Of COURSE some of them are. It's part of the human condition. But to say that 90% of churchgoers in a given town wouldn't walk 5 feet to see if someone laid out on the ground was OK or not, is not only a gross exaggeration, it's kind of a pathetic reason for not dealing with your own issues with God. Sorry. I have to call 'em like I see 'em. I most sincerely hope for the sake of your own spiritual health that you are able to resolve that anger at Him.

Well said.

[OldCurlyWolf]

"For what it's worth, I'm a worship leader and faithfully attend my church, and I don't believe in churches either. I believe in the reason for going to church....and that is to worship the most high God. I have to take issue with what you've said here. Who is it who ministers to the homeless, the drunk and downtrodden? Christian believers, that's who. Who brings food to those people, tries to find them medicine, shelter, and clothing? Christian believers, that's who. Who donates most or all of the money to pay[/ for these services? Christian believers, that's who. I don't see any atheists down there in the trenches trying to help someone in dire need. I'm just sayin'.....

You've painted a whole lot of good people with a pretty broad brush, and I don't believe that you have a properly informed opinion when you say that 90% of the churchgoers in a given town wouldn't go 5 feet out of their way to try and help someone who is laying in the street. Sure, maybe some wouldn't, but my experience is the exact opposite of that, and the empirical evidence backs up my opinion. Your's is merely a justification for something that's bothering you, because you're angry at God about something. That's between you and Him.

Do churches have hypocrites in them? Sure they do. That doesn't mean that all churchgoers are hypocrites. Not even close. Churches also have alcoholics, sex addicts, and drug abusers in them—just like in the rest of the world—but that doesn't mean that 90% of church goers are alcoholics, sex addicts, and drug abusers. Why is that, you might ask, that sinners can be found in churches? It is because CHURCHES ARE ALSO HOSPITALS FOR SINNERS, NOT ONLY HOTELS FOR SAINTS! The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and that includes both church-goers and non-churchgoers.

By your logic, you might as well never vote in another election, because government is full of hypocrites. You might as well never put your money in a bank, because some bank managers are hypocrites. Etc., etc., etc. Of COURSE some of them are. It's part of the human condition. But to say that 90% of churchgoers in a given town wouldn't walk 5 feet to see if someone laid out on the ground was OK or not, is not only a gross exaggeration, it's kind of a pathetic reason for not dealing with your own issues with God. Sorry. I have to call 'em like I see 'em. I most sincerely hope for the sake of your own spiritual health that you are able to resolve that anger at Him."


TAM
For your edification, I do belong to a "church" with a membership of ONE, No Invitations for other members are even considered.

I don't have the problem you seem to attribute to those who despise organized religions, but that is your problem, not mine.

I strongly suggest that we drop this subject, on which I believe we will never agree to any degree, and limit our discussions to the rest of the world of subjects, on which we do have many agreements.

BTW, I am reasonably sure from your statements that your denominations is NOT NAZARENE. I know them much too well. If 10 of 100 will stop to help a passed out drunk, you will have found an exceptionally forgiving group of Nazarenes. And that is the primary denomination, to my knowledge, in Bethany.

OCW

[The Annoyed Man]

TAM
For your edification, I do belong to a "church" with a membership of ONE, No Invitations for other members are even considered.

I don't have the problem you seem to attribute to those who despise organized religions, but that is your problem, not mine.

I strongly suggest that we drop this subject, on which I believe we will never agree to any degree, and limit our discussions to the rest of the world of subjects, on which we do have many agreements.

BTW, I am reasonably sure from your statements that your denominations is NOT NAZARENE. I know them much too well. If 10 of 100 will stop to help a passed out drunk, you will have found an exceptionally forgiving group of Nazarenes. And that is the primary denomination, to my knowledge, in Bethany.

OCW

Dude, I'm willing to drop it after I have completed this post, but you brought it up, not me. If you can't back up blanket statements like the one you made, castigating the character of a large group of people identified as "church-goers in general" you don't even know (you didn't specify a denomination in your original post), it's your problem, not mine, if it makes you look bad.

BTW, a "church of one" isn't a church:
Merriam-Webster online dictionary

Definition of CHURCH

1. a building for public and especially Christian worship
2. the clergy or officialdom of a religious body
3. often capitalized : a body or organization of religious believers: as
   1. : the whole body of Christians
   2. : denomination <the Presbyterian church>
   3. : congregation
4. a public divine worship <goes to church every Sunday>
5. the clerical profession <considered the church as a possible career>

You don't belong to a church. That's OK. It's certainly your choice and your right under the 1st Amendment. I'm offering a strong counter suggestion, and that is that you should watch your choice of words before lumping people together like that and making broad-brushed completely unsustainable statements that call into question the strength of character of religious people. If you don't want to go there, then don't go there. But don't think that you can go there and that I won't challenge the preposterousness of the assertion.

Have a nice day.

[tbrown]

How do you enforce that?

It never has been done in a just or humane manner. Ancient societies had castration, human sacrifice, and infanticide (often called by the euphemism of exposure). More recently it was forced sterilization and abortion.

- Jim

Oh, I agree there's no way to enforce it, or even if there was, no way to set a 'line' to decide by. I was being purely academic.

On the other hand, we could stop increasing handouts as a reward for having kids willy-nilly. Why give deadbeats an incentive to have more children when they're incapable of providing for the ones they already have?

[Crossfire]

You guys are getting woefully off-topic, even for the off-topic forum.

[03Lightningrocks]

You guys are getting woefully off-topic, even for the off-topic forum.

I realize you may not trying to be funny, but I had to chuckle when I read your post. However.... .

[seamusTX]

Getting back on the ugly original topic, "the body of an unidentified white male was found in a vacant lot in the 5400 block of Broadway on Saturday."

"According to police, the body had been there for several days, but people thought he was sleeping until he started to smell."

The area where this happened is a large unoccupied area, maybe 20 or 30 acres, off Broadway. It is not clearly visible from the street. Homeless people go there to drink, use drugs, and do what-all.

http://galvestondailynews.com/story/255674" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ironically, nearly every police car in town probably drove past there several times, as the police station is north on 54th Street.

- Jim

[seamusTX]

Mankind is not perfected yet.

In Houston at the intersection of Bellaire and Fondren two teenage girls were crossing the street around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. The driver of an SUV struck one of the girls. The victim flew up on the air and landed on the hood of a second vehicle.

Both drivers fled. The driver of the first SUV also struck another vehicle.

The victim was taken to the hospital with head injuries and broken bones.

One suspect was arrested a short time later.

http://www.click2houston.com/news/Arres ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anyone familiar with the area of Bellaire and Fondren will not be entirely surprised by this incident. Calling it a wretched hive of scum and villainy would trivialize the situation. These major streets in Houston are dangerous for pedestrians in any case.

- Jim

[Syntyr]

Here is a quick story from this past Saturday. Not doing this for kudos or boasting just saying I think the people on this forum are a cut above and would not leave someone lying about... I think we are better than that!

Last Saturday the Missus and I just on a lark drove out to Victoria. We then went to Port Lavaca and were then headed home. We were on a back road two lanes 70 mph. Headed home to Sugarland.

I look up and what do I see? Ford F150 rolling through the air coming toward me! Totally airborne! Truck rolls twice and comes to a rest. We were far enough from it we were never any danger. I quickly pull up and jump out. I am running toward the truck and already have my window smasher/seat belt cutter in my hand. As I near the truck it looks like this:

[Syntyr]

As I go running up to the truck I hear babies crying and screaming... I quickly pray to God and say please let everyone be in one piece. As I round the truck Dad is out but stunned. A little blood but a 2 second scan and I see he is fine. Mom is still in the truck and I manage to get the 4 year old girl, 2 year old boy and 1 year old baby out of the truck. Thank the Lord she had all of the kids in car seats!!! Then I get mom out. Its 105 outside and none of the kids have shoes on. They all got shook off during the roll. I take all of the kids and mom and throw them in the back of my car. The Missus is on the phone with 911 and PD and FD have been dispatched. I crank up the AC and give all of the kids a quick check. No blood, broken bones and everyone's pupils are equal and reactive. I always carry (toys) in the trunk for nieces and nephews so I break out some toys and a bottle of cold water for everyone to share... They shouldn't be drinking just in case... Mom is just stunned but okay. At the end of the day Needvile FD and Fort Bend Sheriffs roll out and take care of everyone. No broken bones and everybody is okay.

I know that you never know how you will react in an emergency but I like to think we are all a bit more prepared and above the average joe...

[seamusTX]

Congratulations on doing the right thing and having everyone go home in good condition.

I hope the dad reconsiders his driving habits. You see a lot of those single-vehicle rollovers.

- Jim

[tacticool]

They all rolled over. Thank God one didn't fall out.