Great response to Christian "charity"

[Terrie]

Apparently, a story about a Chik-fil-a manager giving a hungry man a sandwich in exchange for being allowed to pray over has been making the rounds. This is the perfect response.

http://www.lovewinsministries.org/2016/01/spiritual-molestation/

[sparkles]

Well said!

 

[violynn]

I really like all the bloggers on this website!  Such a great post.

[Mrsaztx]

Wow, this is incredibly insightful, good for the blogger for stepping up and saying this

[doggie]

great story. I hate that Christians (TM) that require payment for their giving. it kind of misses he word giving it is selling. what if he was embarrassed but needed the food and could not say no. talk about having someone by the short-hairs.

[Imagine20]

That homeless man was just a prop. How terrible.  Would the manager have withheld food to a person in need if the person said no to the prayer?

If he said no, would that man and his daughter have taken the homeless man's picture and used it as a way to show that if you reject God, He rejects you?   This situation kind of assumes the homeless man is not religious, and taps into the whole prosperity gospel thing. 

[ofDany]

Interesting blog - I enjoyed reading the response although I stopped reading the comments.  I also liked several of the older articles from the archives... Thanks for finding it @Terrie!

[MatthewDuggar]

Why couldn't he just say "Sure and I am going to pray for you as well" instead of turn it into a big spectacle.  The person snapping the photo is just as much to blame.  It nothing personal anymore?

[bertnee]

I love this article. It sums up how I feel about stories like these. I also hate "charity tourism" - you know, mission trips and the like where "third world" children become props in some middle class American evangelical's vacation-with-preaching-at-poor-people.

[EmainMacha]

The left hand should not know what the right hand is doing is apparently lost on both the manager deciding to stand out in front of all the customers to bestow both food and prayer and the guy taking the picture. And picture guy thinks this is a good example to his daughter? Need to go read some more New Testament my friend.

[Terrie]

If the prayer was, as at least one comment claimed, about "caring" for the person, they would have given him the sandwich,and then asked to pray over him. Very different dynamic.

[AnywhereButHere]

Just the very phrase "pray over you" is domineering and oppressive. How about pray with or even pray for. I suppose in some circumstances those could be offensive as well, but on the face of it they both seem gentler, inclusive with give and take between the parties involved. 

Pray over to me implies the person doing the praying feels superior to and holds authority over the prayee (yeah I know- not exactly a word).

to me, a good Christian would give without expecting anything in return.

[anjulibai]

The manager could have easily given the food for free and then asked to pray over (or preferably with) the man. I don't think this would be so bad if the manager had done that, and he could have accomplished what his objective, as distasteful as I find it, wihtout exerting power over the poor man. 

[FundiesInParis]

What is "praying over someone", why not just say "praying with". 

Why do evangelicals have to be so damn patronizing?

[Walking Cat Bed]

So, this ministry is in my city. And they are so non-shitty about serving people in need. I've had good experiences with them, especially donating things (that I know have probably been used by now). My roommate had about ten pounds of veggies over the summer that we wouldn't be able to eat before they went bad -- so one of their interns picked them up for the "day visitors" (they keep space open all day for homeless people to have somewhere to go, catch a nap, do laundry, eat actual food...) and those veggies were a hit.

Hugh's the real deal, not just good at writing blog posts.

[Four is Enough]

I've never seen this blog before, but I'll be looking for it. Loved that entry.

 

[IrishCarrie]

Love, love, love the article but I started getting seriously stabby when reading the comments. So many NUMPTIES in the world who believe it's Christian to withhold food from a hungry person and force them to subject to your belief system. It's really upsetting. 

[EmainMacha]

Way back when I visited the States with a peace and reconciliation group from Northern Ireland we went to a homeless shelter. They showed us a plush room with recliner chairs where you could go and read the Bible if you agreed to be  'saved'. Otherwise it was canteen benches down below with the masses. This reminds me of that. Offer the good stuff but only if you agree to their (religious) terms. Otherwise you aren't worthy.

[FundieFarmer]

To be fair, there's a lot we don't know about this situation. It's possible the man has come in before and the manager knows about the man and his faith, and there's a dynamic where this is acceptable. However if it's not, and it's really as spontaneous as this guy on social media says, here's what I think would've been a more delicate response that takes the "If you do this, THEN you can have the food" out of it: 

"Absolutely, I'd be honored to help. Here's a sandwich, a drink, and something for the road. By the way, I hope this doesn't make you feel uncomfortable, but I'm a Christian and I'd like to keep you in my prayers. If so, is there anything I can pray about for you?" and maybe a "Would you like me to pray over you?"if the situation felt right (i.e., the homeless man indicated a faith or something of the sort) would've been a much better response- especially with no pressure. You can make those situations no pressure by reading the situation. 

What really irks me is how uncool it was of the guy to have put this all over social media. If he wanted the manager to receive praise, he could've done that by walking up to him and saying something himself, or calling the restaurant's HQ. He didn't have to put it on social (and I say that as a social media manager!), and if he really felt like he did, he really didn't need to include a photo or all of the identifying details.  

[MatthewDuggar]

35 minutes ago, FundieFarmer said:

What really irks me is how uncool it was of the guy to have put this all over social media. If he wanted the manager to receive praise, he could've done that by walking up to him and saying something himself, or calling the restaurant's HQ. He didn't have to put it on social (and I say that as a social media manager!), and if he really felt like he did, he really didn't need to include a photo or all of the identifying details.  

ITA!!

[Trynn]

Didn't some socialist Jew in the New Testament day something like, "but when you give, so not do so with trumpets and loud proclamations in the street, as do the Pharisees. I say unto you, they have their reward. But rather, let not thy right hand know what thy left hand doeth."

"And your Heavenly Father sees what is done in secret, and he will reward you."

Been a while since I memorized this..... Obviously.

Anyway, no one pays attention to that Jesus guy anymore....

[NeverQuivered]

On February 3, 2016 at 9:07 PM, Trynn said:

Didn't some socialist Jew in the New Testament day something like, "but when you give, so not do so with trumpets and loud proclamations in the street, as do the Pharisees. I say unto you, they have their reward. But rather, let not thy right hand know what thy left hand doeth."

"And your Heavenly Father sees what is done in secret, and he will reward you."

Been a while since I memorized this..... Obviously.

Anyway, no one pays attention to that Jesus guy anymore....

That Bernie Sanders, so full of good lines.