Good Afternoon;
So I'm sitting in Starbucks linking my way across the Interwebs and came across this;
Having been tossed out of a mission on a cold snowy night for falling asleep in an over heated and over crowded room during a mandatory sermon/lecture and indoctrination/Q&A session after spending 2 hours standing in line outside waiting for the doors to open, (because the # of beds & mats was much less than the # of those seeking shelter, first come-first served), I can relate to a 'no strings' model of assistance.
Now not ALL religious based organizations are as petty as the mission on the corner of Central Ave. & Baltimore St., but many are.
Some may hand out literature and leave it at that, and there is every stage in between. There are some shelters and soup kitchens that are church based that read appropriate parts of their scriptures to the room at large during meals. Others that have a clergyman available if anyone wants to talk or listen to him/her voluntarily. Still others have a well connected group of personnel that can refer people to religious and secular social services. Some religious organizations such have their own 'in house' programs, and part of the agreement is attending classes or services.
But these are not 'come in out of the cold tonight' situations, but further down the line where immediate shelter in not predicated upon forced attendance and where crews of 'shoulder shakers' roam the crowd.
Anyway, I just found this site interesting and wanted to share it.
Later................Dave
P.S...........As for my own religious views, I'm a (founding) member of the
"Interstellar Church of The Holy Trinity--Saints Larry, Moe, & Curly"
'Our Lady of Perpetual Motion' Parish
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