Why the Church doesn't do more to help the poor (continued)

Police have Ft. Lauderdale, Flordia have arrested three people - including a ninety-year-old man - for the crime of giving food to the homeless:

On Sunday, the city charged three people, including two ministers and a 90-year-old homeless advocate, and they could face up to 60-days in jail for their so-called crime.

“I fully believe that I am my brother’s keeper. Love they neighbor as thy self,” explained Arnold Abbott.

90-year-old Abbott prepares hundreds of meals each week for the homeless in the kitchen of the Sanctuary Church.

“We serve two entrées at every feeding,” Abbott said.

But Abbott’s work now has him in trouble with the law [more].

The three now face a $500 fine and time in jail.


People often ask why the churches do not do more to help the poor. I've suggested before (in April of 2013 and again in March of 2014) that governmental interference is no small part of the answer.

Just to remind you that this is not an isolated case, just a few months ago the city of Daytona Beach, Florida ticketed a couple (four times) for feeding the homeless. My two previous posts on this topic contain links to similar stories (one of which happened in Miami, Florida), but the links are no longer good.

The Church - and men and women of good will - want to help the poor and the homeless, but the government often will not let us.