Every afternoon during my lunchhour, I walk past a young homeless guy, in his mid-20’s or thereabouts, sitting cross-legged against a window shop window, a little hat in front of him, and begging for a “spare dollar” from people who rush past him, pretending not to notice, see or hear him.

I am guilty of being one of those people, and it makes me feel like shit. I go through phases where I cannot decide whether it’s wise to give the homeless a “spare dollar” or whether it’s better to donate money to a homeless shelter, soup van, etc. At the moment, I’ve been going through the phase thinking that it’s better to donate to a charity. You know, so that “at least I know where my money is going”.

But I also know that in many cases, money that is donated is still not reaching certain people, people who may not go to charities for assistance, or where charities are unable to reach them, for whatever reasons.

However, I would certainly say that giving a “spare dollar” to the guy near my office is much better than the idiots who regularly give him religious tracts — usually from Jehovah’s Witnesses. Sometimes tracts from the dreadful Chick Publications are given to him (yes, I watch everything, as the guy sitting next to me on the train last week should have realised). Other times I’ve noticed the poor dude holding literature from the Scientologists.

This afternoon was no different. The Mormons who prowl on my street were looking down at the homeless dude, talking and pushing shit into his hands, no doubt exhorting that God loves him and wants the best for him. Or something.

Did they give him a “spare dollar”? Of course not. Just like I haven’t. But shit, I don’t give him useless crap like religious proselytising and cheap paper with smudgy ink and coloured drawings of an adult Jesus looking rather solemn.

Today, I stopped to ask him if he ever found the literature thrust into his hands useful. He replied, “Yeah, I use ‘em for toilet paper cos the paper is usually soft enough.”

Well, it made me laugh. He told me about some of the kooky stuff that’s been said from people witnessing to him. As he said, “All I want is a couple of dollars so I can buy something to eat for dinner tonight.” He was utterly sincere. You have to meet him and talk to him to know he wasn’t just trying to get money for booze or drugs or whatever. And he was cold, with the bitter wind whipping up the street, making him shiver underneath his thin jumper.

From now on, I’m going to give him a “spare dollar” when I see him, to make up for the useless, pointless and altogether unhelpful religious preaching about how he can made “whole again in the love and light of our Lord Jesus, Saviour.” I don’t mean to sound like a martyr, but fuck, in this day and age and in this modern city, why are the young and old still freezing and hungry and homeless? And why do religious groups think it’s OK to push Jesus’s message of caring for the poor, without following his own message, one of which was:

“If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

I am not a Christian, but I know what the Christian message is, and I know that the Jesus these Christians apparently follow had a special concern for poor and suppressed people. Far as I know, Jesus never gave a shit about tracts and preaching and being “saved” anyway. His first concern was looking after “God’s people”.

What’s a measley dollar, anyway?

UPDATE:

I would like to see one those tract-pushing dealers wear this t-shirt: