Turtle Channel!!!

I have not donated any money to beggars for a long time. When I see people just sitting there and begging, I start to feel rather angry, for a lot of them are just going to take your generously-given money to buy cigarettes or drugs. For example, there is this guy with gout on his back who goes around all the churches in Petaling Jaya asking for money. He says, “Praise the Lord Jesus, the King of all Kings!” and then shakes your hand. Next he tells you that he needs money for an operation for his gout. I wouldn’t mind so much, except that he’s been doing that for the past 20 years. I have begun to doubt that he really wants money for operation. In fact, I started to really dislike people who use God’s name for begging. Why can’t they just find decent jobs? I started to believe that one should not give alms to those begging. Although some may actually need money for operation, most of these people are just lying to get money for nothing. By giving them money, we’re doing them more harm than good as we’re telling them that they don’t have to work for money. We’re saying that we will work and give them money for acting pitiful!

Additionally, I felt that I shouldn’t give money to people who would probably use it to destroy their bodies with drugs and cigarettes. My conclusion is that if they want to go destroy their bodies, let it not be with my money. Also, we all deserve what we work for. That is Justice.

But is that really Justice as a whole?

I recently came across this story, and it changed my perceptions.

There are people who actually are forced to sustain their lives through begging. There are disabled people who really need operation, and are selling bookmarks and key chains to get the money they need. Although there are many cunning people who take advantage of society’s generosity, there are many still who unfortunately, need to rely on it.

If I promote my principle of not giving alms to beggars, and if all of us really stop giving, then those who are truly in need will surely die. But those cunning ones would probably find other devious ways to get the money (i.e. steal, cheat or extort). After all, we can’t change their human nature. Am I so naïve to think that I can force them to do actual work rather than begging? If they are determined to get easy money, they will surely find other means of doing so.

Hence if I did succeed in my mission, what would I have achieved in the end? One thing for sure: I would not have gotten rid of lazy individuals who leech on our generous hearts, nor would I have changed the minds of those who are bent on destroying themselves with drugs. Their nature will probably be unchanged and thus, they find other ways. Instead, what I would have achieved is this: I would have left some poor disadvantaged individuals unattended and gotten rid of them even though they have real needs.

In other words, I would have sacrificed some good people who are down on luck without changing those people who are cunning and want free money. What a great injustice!

Unless I am able to distinguish a cunning man from a disadvantaged man, I cannot impose my narrow sense of justice without causing an injustice.

There will always be people who will take advantage of others. This has existed since the dawn of mankind. I cannot change them. But I shall also not cause more grief to men who have real grievances.

From now on, if I see a disabled man selling bookmarks for an operation or for a living, I shall check my purse for some change. If I do have some, it will go to him. I shall no longer concern myself over the cunning man whose nature is not for me to change. In contrast, I shall concern myself over the disadvantaged man, for it is within my power to change his luck.