Compassion

[joshua_cheung]

And that is what's wrong with the world today. If you were sleeping & your house caught on fire, would you want your neighbors to just "find a safe place to watch"? Or would you want them to come wake you up & help you get out? It all comes back to doing as you would have others do. To treat people as you would like to be treated. Would you appreciate help? Then HELP somebody!

The topic is about 'fire' not woman being Raped.

In Hong Kong, We people usually lived in tall buildings which have many houses. If I know 'my neighbors were sleeping and their houses were on fire', I will wake them up first and break the fire alarm. If it is possible, I may rescue their lifes if the situation is ok. The first important rule is to ensure the people safety. The government teaches us all people in the building must leave the building at once if the building is in fire.

So the first important rule is 'leave the building' and 'find a safe place'.

 

[Lionheart_03]

I think many are missing the point of the question. I am asking if you would aid them in the time after the fire? Would you just assume that they would be fine and that they have somewhere to go?

i can offer something to them... but sometimes they are the one who turn down the offer, maybe they are ashame or doesn't want to be a burden, but if they will accept any of my offer, ill help them in any way i can...

 

[The Midge]

Look the Boy Scout influence is still hanging on to me!

So often we do not know what to do in a cisis situatin because we are not prepared. A lot of rist aid training is based around knowing what to prioritise in an emergency and getting the priority of action right: Danger, Response, Airway, Brathing, Circulation. The first rule is not to make yourself a casualty therefore making the situation worse.

We need to be prepared as Christians (or decent human beings of any race or creed) to help; especially in a day and age where there is so few cultural norms to guide us. These are ways to be prepared to be of help and assistance:

1. Being part of a fellowship which can pool resources and provide the right kind of help and possible finances or other resources.
2. Maintain a prayer life or relationship with God so that He can prompt you to the right kind of action. (Or comtemplation meditation or whatever)
3. Develop a philosophy or theology of compassion and know why we should help
4. Know or be aware of speciallist agencies that are used to dealling with specific emergencies and how to contact them
5. Give regularly not just when there is a crisis so that relief agencies have the standby resources available.
6. Training and practical helping to get the skills and abilities to make a difference when crisis arrives.
7. Prevention is better than a cure: lift a finger before something happens.
8. Build relationships with those you would like to help. If you knw people then you do not have to over come mutual suspicision that may obstruct help being given (If you knew your neighbour it woul be natural to offer them hospitality and they may not feel so awkward about it).

We once had a fire at home- mum left the chip pan on 3 days before Christmas. I sat out side my home with the dog and denied it was my house 3 times! Anyone who has seen The Passion will know that followers of Christ may not make the response in a crisis.

 

[12volt_man]

I just watched the apartment building next to mine go up in flames. I went out to offer a place for anyone put out to come and stay and actually had a couple of folks(not ones who lost there homes) laugh at me.
I thought it sad that so many people stood around watching other people (some with children) lose there homes and noone offer any help.

Go ahead and let them laugh.

You reached out with the love of Christ and that was a great thing you did.

I just was curious if anyone would offer this kind of help.
Of course we would all call the fire department, but would anyone try to meet the needs of those experiencing loss?
In Him

I hope I would. I had a really bad experience taking somebody into my home once but I hope that I would do it again.

 

[Norseman]

A question for all....

If you saw your neighbors home on fire, would you reach out to help them?
If so, How?

In Him

I would help them first, even if my own house were on fire at the time. I'd probably call the fire department, check to see if they're in or out, and how extensive the fire is.

If they're in, and I can see flames, I'd have no choice but go inside, even if it means kicking the door down. If someone can't get out, I guess I'd carry them, in the order of how close everyone is to the fire.

If/once everyone is out, I'd then grab the hose and start soaking the flames to the best of my ability while I wait for the fire department.

 

[Kevin Jones]

I thought it sad that so many people stood around watching other people (some with children) lose there homes and noone offer any help.
In Him

I think it is sad that so many people, including little children, are not only losing their homes, but their arms and legs and other body parts, and lives, while so many who call themselves Christians give more thought to their favorite TV program, or going to a cinema, and are able to busy themselves with posting such trivia as what kind of icon someone should use (8 pages of it), or how their dog rolls around in poop.

I think it is especially sad that these Christians are not only totally insensitive, but actually PAY for the murder of men, women and children, with their own tax money, and don't think a thing of it.

I think it is sad that some even wave a flag and support it, and EVEN say that God is with them in it.

I think it is sad that most of these so-called Christians grieve more over missing their favorite TV program, or losing a football game, than the loss of thousands of lives (2 every minute) in unjust wars, much less even one.

Compassion?

 

[praying]

I think it is sad that so many people, including little children (see: marchforjustice.com/shock&awe.php), are not only losing their homes, but their arms and legs and other body parts, and lives, while so many who call themselves Christians give more thought to their favorite TV program, or going to a cinema, and are able to busy themselves with posting such trivia as what kind of icon someone should use (8 pages of it), or how their dog rolls around in poop.

I think it is especially sad that these Christians are not only totally insensitive, but actually PAY for the murder of men, women and children, with their own tax money, and don't think a thing of it.

I think it is sad that some even wave a flag and support it, and EVEN say that God is with them in it.

I think it is sad that most of these so-called Christians grieve more over missing their favorite TV program, or losing a football game, than the loss of thousands of lives (2 every minute) in unjust wars, much less even one.

Compassion?

Welcome to CF Kevin


You raise some very good points on issues that yes Christians should be concerned about and moving on. In defense of the OP she is pointing to a specific situation and asking opinions about that. That does not mean it diminshes any of the other issues you brought up or any other of the myriad of issues that should invoke our compassion that have not been brought out. We can however only tackle one problem at a time.

 

[Kevin Jones]

No, I wouldn't take a large risk for my life for a complete stranger

...and so it will be for you.


"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

"Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

"Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

Matthew 25:41-46

 

[Kevin Jones]

We can however only tackle one problem at a time.

There is only one problem. Man's insensitivity to man.

Your comment reflects that insensitivity.

 

[praying]

There is only one problem. Man's insensitivity to man.

Your comment reflects that insensitivity.

Why does my comment reflect insensitivity to man?

The OP could have addressed all sorts of issues in one grand sweep but then that would have made for a very unruly thread.

 

[Cerridwen]

Hey~

I don't think the OP (who may correct me if I am wrong) was talking specifically about a "hyptothetical fire", but about any situation like that, The fire was simply used as an example. What I understood the original post to ask was would we actually try to help people in a givwen situation, or would we sit back & not do anything, or be one of those who laughed at someone who did offer help. It isn't about fire, it isn't about rape, it isn't about child abuse. It is about our humanity. About making an effort to help others the way we would appreciate being helped ourselves.

Love & Blessings, Cerridwen*

 

[inHisgrip]

Actually I was asking about a fire specifically. This is the situation I found myself in last week. I think that many here however have completely missed the point. I wasn't asking if you would call the fire department, or risk your life to save people, rather if any would reach out with compassion to those who were affected by the loss. Whether it be a place to stay, clothes to wear, food to eat, ect., ect.
In Him

 

[Kevin Jones]

Why does my comment reflect insensitivity to man?

It would be like being in a party, and people are talking about what kind of dog food they buy, and someone comes in and announces that a bomb has just been dropped on the supermarket accross town, and hundreds of people were inside, and you say, "Uh, excuse me, we happen to be talking about something else right now."

You have no idea of the depth of insensitivity you show, nor the far reaching effects it has on you and humanity.

 

[praying]

I would be like being in a party, and people are talking about what kind of dog food they buy, and someone comes in and announces that a bomb has just been dropped on the supermarket accross town, and hundreds of people were inside, and you say, "Uh, excuse me, we happen to be talking about something else right now."

You have no idea of the depth of insensitivity you show, nor the far reaching effects it has on you and humanity.

Well the only problem with your scenario is I would not do that. I am sorry if my post led you to think that it was not my intention. Also as the OPer pointed out directly before your post she was referring to that specific scenario.

I am glad you feel able to judge me so thourghly from a post on a message board on the internet.