Religion contributing to food insecurity

Debate Room
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Hi Guys:

As I’ve mentioned before, I work at a religious hospital . . . and I’ve got a new bug under my bonnet . . . a bug roughly the size of a lobster, and I need help understanding the situation (I’m socially incompetent because of high-functioning autism).

I was having a conversation with a group of social workers, and one of them brough up that she was working with indigent clients who had trouble accessing food on a regular basis.

They were all tossing out the locations of local church soup kitchens, so I mentioned the Sikh temple in Orlando, Florida. The Sikhs have a religious obligation to feed the poor . . . a process of community service that they call “Langer.”

Everybody who shows up gets served a vegetarian meal with disposable dishes and flatware (so religious dietary laws don’t have to stand in the way of eating), and there is no prosthetylizing. All they require is that you come and eat.

The social workers and clergy had a problem with me bringing this resource up to the homeless people . . . because the Sikhs aren’t Judeo-Christian, and they wouldn’t want any patients exposed to hazardous influences because "some of them have families and children . . . "

https://www.sikhreligion.net/langar/

Why is everbody concerned that it is–somehow–spiritually corrupt to refer a hungry family that is experiencing food insecurity to the Sikhs for a free vegetarian meal?

If you call ahead, they’ll even have baby food or formula for you. If you have a seeing-eye dog, they’ll even provide dog food, as a seeing-eye dog is considered to be a part of the person.

If there is no religious prosthethylizing, then why is it wrong for me to give this info to starving homeless people?

The religious hospital that I work for is 7th Day Adventist, but they refer people to Catholic and Methodist services, Jewish services, and so forth.

What don’t I understand?

The Sikhs are monotheistic.

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No bible.

Some Christian’s feel kinship with Jews.

All Christian religions have Christ in them (somewhere in some form).

In their (the Christians) minds - Sikh = Muslim = Terrorist…

Therefore,

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Because people is not only dumb but bigoted fuckwits as well.

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I think it’s common to even mistake Sikhs for Muslims, so there is that. I don’t suppose they send anyone to the Muslims either? They’re likely painting them with the same brush. Do you think they even know anything about the Sikh religion?

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Most of them know as much about other religions as they do about atheism. Which is to say they likely know NOTHING about them. Hell, for that matter, how many Christians do you know who actually know anything of substance about their OWN religion? A majority know only what they are told by the preacher. And they most often PREFER to know nothing beyond that.

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Thank you all very much for your input.

I have a tendency to always blame myself for these conflicts, because I’m socially incompetent due to my autism.

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Damn, Kevin. Don’t sell yourself so short, dude. Your autism isn’t the problem here. The folks you are dealing with make just as little sense to the rest of us as they do to you. Just so you know.

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I agree. Kevin people being ignorant arseholes I find difficult understand. That’s a symptom of being an empath, a human. Tin man is correct it is not your autism here, it is blinkered, bigoted, ignorant arseholes.

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Agreed. And I will add for my own account that it sounds to me that what you, Kevin, quote them as

is just fear of the unknown. They fear that children might discover that non-christian people have empathy, that they can behave like decent people, and that people shall disover that they are not the dangerous savages that they would like their brothers-at-faith to believe. Or even that some people believe other stuff than what’s in their interpretation of the buy-bull.

Children learning that non-christians can behave like decent people? God forbid! :roll_eyes:

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That alone explains all the craziness associated with it.

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So are the Mormons and they are all going to hell. Just read the bible.
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers’" (Matthew 7:21-23).

“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me. (Matthew 12:30)

“Let there be no strange god among you;
Nor shall you worship any foreign god. Deuteronomy 6:14

Makes perfect sense… To get nice people to do shitty things, you give them a religion.

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Thank you for the validation.

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I agree, that is one of their primary fears. Most spend their entire lives telling themselves and others “aren’t we so fucking wonderful?” And for them to encounter another religion that goes one better … they do not want to deal with that, so they ignore, or just tell everyone that atheists eat children.

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@Kevin_Levites It is not you, it is them. You are the sane and compassionate person in an insane and self-serving environment.

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I want to thank everyone very much for the emotional support and the validation.

I am socially incompetent, and I often make grave social blunders in the workplace that get me in trouble.

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Anytime, my friend. In a world where irrational thinking and cognitive dissonance are considered “The Norm”, those who see through the bullshit and think logically are often made to feel like outcasts. Stand strong, hold your head high, and be proud to be an outcast. Always remember, you are one of the few who have escaped the delusion of religion. Anybody ever gives you any grief for that, just smile, pat them gently on the head, and wish them a good day. Then casually stroll away with your hands in your pockets while whistling a happy tune.

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Do they have any good spicy recipes in that book?

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By the way, I didn’t connect these dots right away, but since a huge pot of indian style lentil soup is on the stove here, and the delicious smell is driving me insane with hunger: If the food the sikhs serve is vegetarian curry or other indian style food…how can anyone say no to that? The REAL socially inept thingcrime here would be to deny poor people access to delicious, yummy curry!

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I am an atheist, old and don’t give a fuck. I make social blunders on purpose.

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Woman: “Father, I have a problem that is confusing me.”

Priest: “Yes, my child, what is it that is troubling you?”

Woman: “On the way home from church the other night I had a flat tire. And you remember how bad it was raining?”

Priest: “Yes, that was quite a storm.”

Woman: “Well, I don’t know how to change a tire, and I had the kids in the car, and there was no cell phone signal. I didn’t know what to do, so I started praying.”

Priest: “Wise decision, my child, to take comfort in our Lord and ask for His help in such a crisis.”

Woman: “Yes, Father, and it worked. As soon as I said “Amen”, a car stopped behind me. Then this very kind and polite young man came to my window asking if I was okay. I explained I had a flat. Next thing I know, that young man is in my trunk getting out the spare and jack and he’s changing my tire for me.”

Priest: “Ah, yes, the Lord answered your prayers. God is wonderful, isn’t He? So, what is your trouble and confusion, my dear?”

Woman: “Well, when the young man finished, I thanked him and told him, “May God bless you.” And that is when he told me he is an… an… oh, dear…he is an atheist, because he does not believe in God. Then he smiled, wished me a nice evening, and made sure I was driving away safely before he drove away. Father, a Godless HEATHEN helped me that night! I don’t know how to feel about that.”

Priest: “Oh, my! I certainly understand your concern, my child! But we all know that the Lord works in mysterious ways. Perhaps the Lord sent that heathen heretic to you as a way to let you appreciate how blessed you are to have Faith in Him. And maybe our loving God wants you to PRAY for that misguided and wicked soul to ask God to shed His loving light and mercy on that poor boy so that he too will finally see the beauty of our Lord’s awesome power, so that God will not be forced to send his evil soul to hell to be tortured for all eternity.”

Woman: “But he seemed like a really nice man, Father. Why would God send him to help me, but then send him to hell?”

Priest: “Do not be deceived by the kindness of Godless fools, my child. That is just Satan’s way of leading you away from God’s path.”

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