Bums

So.. in the previous post...
You might wonder...
Why would you give out your coins to some bum?

Because, despite how some people may think, Even if I'm a soulless bastard, I still have a heart. I may not believe in divine morals, I do believe in humanistic morals. Though not every atheist is a humanist, it's a very simple transition from one to the other.

But... usually I'm bit selective. If the bum is truthful... I once gave a man 5 bucks on the street because he held up a sign that said, "Poor, Homeless, Need beer fund"... Man deserves it for being honest.
I give money also to those who have a sense of humor about it. I once saw a guy that said, "Aliens kidnapped my daughter and wife... Need ransom money" Again... Gave him 5 bucks. On further thought of that a little time later... I am curious if he actually believed it...

Oddly I have no sympathy for those who are either genuine in their plea... or if they are attempting to seem genuine in their plea. Sadly because the amount of genuine plea is trumped from the disingenuous ones. And I've seen this first hand on many many occasions.

But... the mother of all charity is one of the mind....
I have once heard someone say, "Well.. at least the bum is reading a book while he's holding up the sign, At least he's trying to enrich his mind."
Sadly... I don't take up this sentiment, I'm bit more critical. Yes, reading a book can enrich your mind, and teach you things... but I highly doubt you can learn the secrets to life from reading a horror book. Yes, you can improve your reading capacity, your comprehension and an array of many skills associated with reading as an act. But, in the end the information contained in those pages are as fiction as a TV show is fiction. It no more enriches your mind than a Saturday night drama.
And sadly... some can... but never ground breaking, I can assure you.
So.. simply because a bum has a hold of a book, unless it's the work of Nietzsche, Einstein, Tyson (Neil deGrasse Tyson), or Hawkings it isn't much enriching your understanding.
And worst off... heaven forbid, if they were reading the worst tripe.... The bible.

But.. every so often, if I see a well-minded individual, I ask them a very specific question.
"Where has god been in your life?"
I await their answer in hopes they will answer, "God has never existed in my life, I do not seek god, do not assume he is there or even real. If he is, he has forsaken me and I him."
With that... I would unload all the money I have on my person.
This has only happened once. To a kind gentleman who wasn't holding up a sign, who was busily scavenging through the trash for cans. His answer was simple.

"There is no god. He can go fuck himself if he existed."
He was a bit defensive, he thought I was some religious nut trying to bring lost souls in.... well.. that's until I gave him.. 28 bucks I believe.... and told him that's the most honest answer and I was fishing for a realist.

Every person I have asked, even the most well-minded persons, either because they've been conditioned to answer it a certain way... or they just wanted the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Responds usually the same.... "Oh god has blessed me each and every day." "I can not get up in the morning without god." "I know god exist and will save us all"... bla bla bla...

One would wonder why god would allow you to suffer so then. To me.. I would have to give a portion of my life to take you out of the situation you're in, something I'm not always willing to do, I am quite selfish sometimes as is with human nature. and I'm willing to at least give you my time to hear you, and even some of my money if you are a well-minded person with a badly dealt hand at life.
But... to an all-powerful and all-able being.. who won't even spare a second's notice... admittedly wouldn't even cost him 1/100000000000000000000000~ of his resources to bring you out of your situation, has chosen to let you suffer.... how ironic that you lay prostrate at his feet and not at mine for sparing more time and more percentage of my resources to aid you.