man lives homeless, claims it is Christlike

[carlos123]

I have no problem with your post at all, except to wonder, through sheer curiosity, where do you sleep?

Well...let's just say that I sleep quite soundly (well...if not soundly then not for reasons that have anything to do with being homeless at least on a very expensive, self-inflating camping mattress.

Incidentally in the city that I live in in California one is legally allowed by law to sleep on the sidewalks between the hours of 9:30 pm and 5:30 am. A while back a lawyer took the city to court on behalf of the homless and won a court case against the city preventing them from hassling the homeless while they tried to get some sleep somewhere. It is a human right to be able to sleep and as the case went if the city did not have enough shelter beds to allow the homeless to sleep indoors somewhere it was considered cruel and unusual punishment to harrass the homeless and prevent them getting any sleep at all hours of the day and night (making it near impossible for them to get work or otherwise improve their lot in life).

Under an amendment to that case...at present the police can stop a homeless person and offer them the chance to go to a shelter bed IF one is available. If they refuse they can then ticket them but shelter beds are almost always never available so the police only use that amended opportunity with homeless folks who are causing a hassle or are otherwise causing a disturbance.

I stay out of the way and under the radar in my own situation and never come in contact with the police (where I sleep) or even other homeless most times (though I know a whole lot of them and have what I consider to be some friends among them). I mean I have been in the midst of everything before when I first became homeless here and have had contact with the police in that setting before (in fairness to them they were very professional and even almost apologetic to me the few times that they felt a need to wake me up or ask me to move along under scenarious that were illegal on their part I think but which scenarios I did not dispute with them about).

It is absolutely amazing how the Lord has provided for me every step of the way. At times in ways that can only be described as miraculous. I was SO nervous when I first became homeless here that as I went to the bus stop to take me to the city proper to start sleeping as a homeless dude my knees were literally buckling. All I could do was keep repeating to myself "The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want. The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want." and continue walking to the bus stop one step at a time. I kept my eyes on God and He has been faithful to me like you would not believe.

Oh...I'd like to add that my homelessness and my contact with Christians through it has been a real eye opener. The Christians of today are NOTHING compared to the Christians of the New Testament. They minister to people externally by giving out handouts without actually taking people into their hearts as Christ would have them do and come alongside of them to love them as they love themselves. At first such a thing DISGUSTED me. Now I have come to realize that many may not even be Christians at all. They are NOT surrendered to Christ as their Lord. They do NOT trust Him and follow Him as disciples. Their faith is for the most part if not entirely a head thing and many church goers are the kinds of folks that Jesus will say "I never knew you!" to.

Carlos

[nebula]

Yes, there is something to be said for the "being single and a guy" part of this!

But once someone has figured out how to survive while being homeless, I can imagine how it is easier to stay this way than to re-enter the rat-race of our society.

Though I would assess that "being homeless" isn't the goal of Christianity, nor the pinnacle of Christian living.

Yet there is so much we as a Christian body could do to sever ourselves from materialism and stinginess and greed than what we are not doing, nor are encouraged to live out. Sermons on tithing and giving don't cut it. Of course, that touches on the problem of our church-system...relying on sermons rather than on actual discipleship and living as a body.

[Guest LadyC]

carlos, when i was living in vegas for ten years, i learned a lot from homeless people. when i first moved there, my attitude towards them wasn't very pretty. over the years though, i developed a love and compassion for them that could only come from God. most of them were the typical "bums" that most people think of.... but i even learned a lot from them. they aren't really any different than the rest of us. they still need God, they still want something better for themselves, they still feel joy and pain, they still suffer loss and they still appreciate a helping hand. mostly what they want is to be treated like human beings. and mostly what they need is the Lord.

i met a few, though, on rare occasions, that were more like you. and so many times when i was afraid i'd end up with no place to live, they were my inspiration. one of them, like you, kept a locker at the gym i frequented. she didn't have a padlock for her locker, and occasionally i'd open hers by mistake. i saw her there a few times, taking showers and getting a change of clothes. i bought a padlock for her to use, but unfortunately i never crossed paths with her after i bought it, before i had to discontinue my membership.

i was at the hospital one time... my husband had back surgery. i'd gone down to the smoking area in the parking garage, and met a man who was down there. (this was before i gave up cigarettes.) we had such a long conversation! he was clean, and didn't appear homeless... and he filled me in on how he lived, where he was able to eat at the buffets for free at many casinos, which truck stops he was able to shower and do his laundry at when he'd scrape up money.

and after the housing crash, well, lots of empty houses were home to squatters. we had a house full of squatters a few doors down. they were very quiet and caused no problems.

i worked at the food bank at my church, and got to know most of the homeless on a first name basis. i even knew where some of them "lived", and would often drop them off socks, or jeans, or other thrift store bargains. and i always had non-perishable food in my trunk in case i ran across someone who needed something to eat.

so i would never judge you for living homeless. my judgment towards the guy this thread was about was because of his attitude that if one wasn't living in a cave and scavenging out of people's garbage cans, that they weren't living a Christ-like way of life.

[Mark2005]

This guy is not really new. This issue has been debated for centuries.

Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell everything he had and come follow him (Jesus). The ruler said "no thanks".

Some will interpret this as God's call to everyone. I don't see it exactly that way. Maybe that is God's call to the people mentioned here. That is between them and God. I will not condemn them. Nor will I condemn anyone simply for being poor.

On the other hand, I won't condemn someone who enjoys having a nice house, car, good job, money in the bank, etc. I personally feel that should be done in moderation and in accordance with one's needs. (Example: it would be silly of me as a single person to buy a 4-bedroom house or to spend $40,000 on a car instead of $20,000...... just my personal values).

Bottom line: I'm not sure the poor are any more Christlike than the rich. Or vice versa.

[ayin jade]

I think everyone missed the point I was trying to make. That is, that the world is seeing a new gospel. Not that living homeless is or isnt Christlike.

[carlos123]

carlos, when i was living in vegas for ten years, ...

Great stuff LadyC! Well said.

You are not one I would have a problem with respecting a concern of being judged and ignored about the things God has laid on my heart to share. My concern is with "Christians" who are so caught up on external appearances that they miss the heart which is what God looks at.

Carlos

[Guest LadyC]

I think everyone missed the point I was trying to make. That is, that the world is seeing a new gospel. Not that living homeless is or isnt Christlike.

awww, don't feel bad ayin... the world isn't seeing a "new" gospel, just a perverted one. that's what this homeless guy seems to be selling, right? and many will buy into that perverted gospel because it's just one more thing to make them feel justified in how they feel towards christians. so i don't think your point has been lost on anyone, it's just been picked up and carried a little further.... because the homeless guy DOES claim that living homeless is Christ-like.

[ayin jade]

He also claims that Love is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by that. I saw it in his blog. And the media is also saying this is Christian.

[Floatingaxe]

He also claims that Love is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by that. I saw it in his blog. And the media is also saying this is Christian.

Wow, see how subtle the enemy is? That is the clincher of a sign that he is not a believer, ignoring the name of Jesus by whom we can be saved. Yes, it can be argued that God is indeed love, but we cannot transpose the name of Jesus by that when we are openly presenting the Gospel. He appears guilty of fudging the simple message of the true Gospel.

[Guest LadyC]

yes, the media will always say that's what christianity is, because then they can look at christian, who are flawed and not always loving, and scream hypocrite. it's really sad, isn't it?