Should Churches Open Their Doors to the Homeless?

Cleveland, Ohio, has reported that it has 15,000 vacant houses, with triple that number of homeless folks. Across the country, in cities and towns, this situation is taking place. The housing bubble burst and it is affecting many American families. Thousands of people need help.

Since President Bush instigated Faith-Based Charities, few, if any, new shelters have been built. But, with cities suffering with this many Homeless, shouldn't churches have an obligation to help out, since they accept federal tax money? Most churches have basements or large meeting rooms, fully capable of housing some families. If each church did its share, it could provide shelter for many Homeless until they could get back on their feet. Do you believe that Churches should shoulder this responsibility since your tax money is providing them with money for charity? Do you believe each Church should provide Shelter for as many of the Homeless as possible

What would Jesus do? Homeless have tried to get help from churches and have been turned away. Christians do a lot of talking but that's all.

NO..

In Britain they might as well as nobody else ever goes there unless the is a TV crew filming.

No, the GOVERNMENT should provide the housing. They should open their government buildings up when it's too hot or too cold.

They will only destroy and demolish the churches by leaving them open. They are locked here even during the day now. Such is society.

No
Just because they got the room does not mean they are qualified to help people. we got that argument goin' on right now in Green Bay Wisconsin

Churches have done the Christian thing and lock the doors to churches to keep the homeless out.

Churches (and all other non-productive religious places) should close and become homeless shelters

unless they are funded by individuals, then it's up to those individuals. they have to make the decision, they can follow their religion's guidances and help, or continue their hypocritic behavior. it's their right.

In the UK it is shameful that the Church of England lost $1.6 billion speculating in the commercial property market in the 1990's .

In this decade the church is recorded as having lost a similar amount of money speculating in the stock market.

I refuse to donate to such a farrago which is the investment leadership of the church.

In recent years the church has been forced to close and sell off churches and church property and works of art to make ends meet, and are desperately seeking increased donations from parishioners to pay for the church gambling activity of the past 20 years.

I would argue that the $3.2 billion lost should have been invested in social housing projects (which would also have shown a modestly profitable return) and other social and youth projects.

In the UK we have a housing shortage of 1 million homes and children join gangs now and carry knives because there are now very few youth projects and sports facilities.

And of course attendance figures are falling, no wonder the church is considered to be out of touch.

It lost it's way more than 20 years ago.

Churches don't need to have homeless people sleeping in them they just need to build affordable housing projects that the homeless can live in untill the poor people can "get back on their feet" again and get a job/support themselves.

Nope. It's up to the individual congregations, and not a matter for Da Guv'mint to mandate. I suggest you ask YOUR pastor about this next Sunday, since I'm sure your freshly-scrubbed face is shining in the front pew every week.

Shelters attract homeless.

So hopefully Ohio will build as many as possible. Maybe it will deter the annual influx Florida receives every winter and summer of panhandlers, beach bums, and your everyday variety homeless guy.

If somebody has been declared insane then they should be in the care of a insane asylum not on the street asking for change.

So, why are they homeless anyhow if they are not crazy or addicted to drugs?

Yes, the church's doors should be open to the homeless at all times, but before entering, all homeless people have to provide a background check and identifcation.

Scottish Law dictates that each and every church in Scotland MUST provide shelter for a single vagrant.
It's a legal requirement to ensure the clergy are carrying out their Christian duties.

Many homeless take advantage of this law and have signed contracts with their local church to be the locally "sponsored" vagrant.

Indeed, Charlie the Tramp was famous in Edinburgh for having claimed sanctuary within St Giles Cathedral for 20 years, until street life finally overcame him and he was murdered by two drunken youths who sprayed him with lighter fuel and set him on fire.

no money in the homeless

none of my business. i will not dictate what a church should do, nor any other social club. however, since i do pay taxes, i expect the government to provide for the welfare of the citizens. the homeless problem in america is out of hand. it's been getting worse ever since ronnie rayguns drove the mentally ill out into the streets, and with the subsequent driving of industry into foriegn lands.

Churches DO do their share to help the homeless already, but most church properties are not built to take live-in residents on more than an emergency basis for a very brief time.

Where is your average church going to find the money for bedding, plus paying for water to wash with, toilets, and all the supplies to keep things clean- plus finding people to staff the place twenty four hours a day- you can not leave the place unattended and you can not depend on unpaid volunteers.

In addition, many churches use their basements and meeting rooms for a variety of activities- where would they go? Do you put the homeless into the sunday school rooms, then push them out just before class?