Christians - Do They Really Practice What They Preach?

[tandh]

I know i am going to ruffle a few feathers here, but following on from paddy's question about homelessness, i wonder how many Christians practice what they preach. I live next door to some Christians that also do a lot of work for the salvation army - who say they will help anyone in need. However, when i let a homeless person stay in my caravan in my back garden for a few weeks they did not like it. They even went as far as to comment about it on my planning permission application and say they were worried that if i build a granny annex i would use it to house the homeless. How can we make Britain great again when people don't want to help, and even tell others off for helping others in need? Especially when these people are meant to be the most caring of all? i'm not sure about the numbers but the Christian community is so big that they could easily wipe out homelessness, i wonder why it's not happening? Enter Further Question Details Here...

[vortex]

Ah, nimbyism at work.

I think in answer to the OP, some do but one swallow doesn't make a Summer and some issues are more profound including the problem of homelessness.

It's like the migrants, all those politicians and celebrities who stated they would take some in their abode but then backed off. Not very Christian-like.

Much hypocrisy in this life.

[woofgang]

I sense there is more to this story than you are posting.....

[Mamyalynne]

I imagine the answer is that some do and some don't but that would be true of those who aren't Christian as well.

[Baldric]

///It's like the migrants///

I guess you actually mean Economic Migrants?

[jourdain2]

That's a sad story. I can't really comment. We do our best to behave as Christians. I do take your point. Did anyone ask the neighbours how they equated their attitude to their beliefs?

NB. The Christian community may be large, but the ones I know are frantically trying to keep going financially and tearing hair out as to how to increase membership and understanding.

[vortex]

jourdain2 - people's lifestyles are so hectic there hardly seems enough time to do half and a quarter of things these days.

[tandh]

@ redruth, as you worked for the planning agency i am shocked you don't know that the planning department write to all adjoining properties of the house requesting permission and inform them of the work, they also allow anyone to comment on the plans. Please see the below link, specifically the how to comment on planning applications section for more information.

http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/planning

I did get my permission regardless of these comments, as the planning department only take into consideration visual factors, but it was upsetting to see that this is the way they feel.
@woofgang, what do you mean? if you're implying that he was drinking, smoking and being noisy he wasn't.
How can say you are something and truly believe in it, but not follow all it's values? maybe i don't understand it as i am not one? but i've had friends from different religions and they follow all of their rules

[Old_Geezer]

There are ways and means of helping. I don't see a problem with someone not wanting a hostel next door to them whilst still wanting aid to be offered at a less imposing location. Wanting to be charitable and help one's fellow human beings is not an open invitation to make one's own life and situation less pleasant.

[tandh]

@ old geezer just to be clear, i wasn't applying for a granny annex to be used as a hostel. I knew before i applied that it would be stipulated that it had to be used as an extension of the main house, Ie you couldn't have random people coming and going. It was either going to be used for a family that wanted to keep elderly parents near by, or older children that wanted a little more indepance from the main family.Type Your Answer Here...

[Buenchico]

Just some information (which might be relevant here):

I spent 2½ years 'trade plating'. (Delivering cars across the country, mainly to auction sites). We weren't paid any travelling expenses and were expected to hitch between jobs. So, during that period, I hitched a total of about 2000 lifts. I also got to meet many other trade platers, who could all tell many stories about the job. We all agreed that the very best people for giving lifts were the (otherwise much maligned) Irish travelling community. After that came doctors and other 'professional' people, such as insurance adjusters. Next came lorry drivers, and so on.

However it was universally agreed that we'd never get a lift from any driver wearing a clerical 'dog collar'! I watched hundreds of them drive past me and not one of them ever offered me a lift. (I often wondered if they were on their way to preach about 'love thy neighbour' or to tell the parable of the good Samaritan!)

[trt]

## when i let a homeless person stay in my caravan in my back garden for a few weeks ##

Can I ask how this came about Tandh, did you meet in a pub, or another place like work, or a relation etc?

....Enter answer here.....>

[Mamyalynne]

Chris, we don't know thought the 'Christian' or not inclinations of those who did give you the lifts - do we?

The act of caring for others and helping those down on their luck is not just the domain of the religious minded but of a caring heart.

[keyplus90]

More and more human are becoming selfish regardless of religion, race or colour. I believe it is due to the fast paced life and requirements to stay in the race. People who used to give charity would rather buy a lottery ticket now. Without giving so many other examples or reasons that most of us already know about, it is the sign that this world is nearing its end.

[vortex]

keyplus90 - keep smiling, it may never happen....

[vulcan42]

\\ People who used to give charity would rather buy a lottery ticket now//
Another sweeping statement without an iota of proof.

[andy-hughes]

As jourdain has said, there are good and bad Christians in every walk of life, as there are non-Christians, because human nature encompasses all of us.

A friend of mine worships are a local Anglican High Church, and the priest there always has a minimum of three people living in his presbytery who are unable to find homes elsewhere, and he has done this for years. For me, that is the essence of Christian charity.

I will never forget visiting my mother-in-law's childhood home in County Wicklow in Ireland. Their two-up-two-down ramshackle cottage was home to two parents and nine children. When My m-I-L's mother died in childbirth, the children were all shipped off to the convent to be raised there.

No offer of help from the three (that was in the days when you could get priests!) in the village presbytery who lived in splendid isolation in the centre of the village in a five-bedroom house with a housekeeper for which they accepted collection from the dirt-poor villagers every Sunday.

Both sides of the faith there.

[trt]

Are you still there Tandh?

[trt]

Do They Really Practice What They Preach?
Forgot to post this below.,