Judge Orders Phoenix Church To Stop Feeding Homeless

The homeless in Phoenix, Ariz. will have to find a new place for a pancake breakfast after a court ruling forced a neighborhood church to shut down its charity dining hall.

The ruling sets a precedent for all churches zoned in residential areas of Phoenix, which will force church volunteers to relocate their homeless food services to commercial parts of the city or end their meal services entirely, reports Change.org.

The controversy surrounding the Crossroads United Methodist Church's weekly pancake breakfast began last spring when neighbors complained about an increase in the number of homeless people in the neighborhood. With the increase in homeless individuals in the area came an uptick in their undesirable behaviors, including "panhandling, burglary, public intoxication and vandalism, among other things," according to AZ Family.

Here's more on the story from KTVK 3TV:

What do you think about this ruling? Should the church have the right to serve the homeless or should this service be sacrificed to keep neighbors feeling safe?

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Comments

[BBshark]

05:09 PM on 12/01/2009

Right to Peaceful Enjoyment_
The Judge is not telling the Church that they cannot feed the homeless. He is telling the church they can no longer feed these people in a neighborhood zoned residential. I am not familiar with this neighborhood I live in New Jesey but it's hard to me to picture it being a place were people are worried about there real estate "investments", nor do I see them as Hate mongers to the homeless.
I have the same problem right next door I am not able to raise a family because it is not safe. I feel unsafe for my neighbors who have children. On the days the Kitchen is open the patrons lauder in the neighborhood that brings in the prostitutes and the drug dealers. They sell there can goods from the pantry to the local stores to get drugs and then the party is ON! The Church takes no responsibility for what is happening outside the doors, A couple of years ago we went to local meditation with the church, they would not open the bathrooms for the patrons of the soup kitchen (How INHUMANE) so you could imagine what was going on outside all day, anyway now they can at least use the bathroom! On more than one occasion members of the parish have told me that I should have not moved next to a church, ironic I bought a house next to a church because I thought I would be safe.

[Humanistic]

08:01 PM on 11/28/2009

Homeless people have become the Untouchable class in our society, which has de-evolved to such an extent that we have Third World living conditions for an increasingly large segment of our population. This is getting much worse due to the recession, because state governments are cutting social welfare programs to balance their budgets. Some churches are doing what they feel is right, but it's creating problems for others.

We need a comprehensive solution originating with the Federal Government -- a new massively funded War on Poverty that will deal with a whole range of issues of the poor. These include improved nutrition assistance, medical and dental care, child care, mental illness & drug addiction / alcoholism therapies, homelessness prevention and remediation, low-cost housing, education assistance, job training and placement, and an efficient system to administer all of this.

But as long as the US devotes such a huge part of federal revenues to the Military and interest on the Debt, none of this can happen unless the wealthy individuals and corporations step up and do the right thing. Don't count on that happening, though, and don't count on the Obama Administration to lead the way toward economic justice. This nation of haves and have-nots has totally lost its moral compass.

[DanGreen]

01:53 PM on 11/21/2009

If you're not working with the homeless in some way, if you don't have hands-on experience with the homeless problem in the U.S.A., your opinion is basically worthless.

[Janice Rawlins]

09:43 PM on 02/06/2010

I wyorked in a homeless shelter. It was an experience that touched me when a family lost thier job and everything else after that. We would take the family in and give shelter and food. The children were really pitiful they just seemed lost, it was hard to explain how they felt. The shelter could only shelter up to six families. The family would all have to stay in one bedroom, but would share the livingroom and kitchen with other people that were there. Christmas was the most heartbreaking. Who knows what tomarrow will bring and you lose your job then your house, homeless is sad and believe me we have more people becoming homeless everyday.

[lexkw]

12:15 AM on 11/21/2009

Same story as always.... "May God bless and keep the poor....... far away from us."

[kdogs]

02:54 PM on 11/17/2009

It is sad that many of us end up homeless, it does not have to end this way http://www.soberliving.com

[alfatu]

02:44 PM on 11/17/2009

The same of "not in my backyard" mentality. Hopefull, they'll have backyards as things fall apart in this economy.

[GoJacks]

12:45 PM on 11/16/2009

I watched True Life: I'm Homeless last night and couldn't understand why the 3 individuals weren't able to work...

One was a 25 year old transsexual female who had been living in shelters for 4 years. I didn't see any reason why she couldn't find work in a restaurant or retail to start out. The young man they followed admitted that he liked his lifestyle and having no one to answer to.

If the majority of homeless people showed some self-efficacy and owned up to the responsibilities of life that the rest of us have to face, the homeless children, mentally disabled, and people truly in need of assistance wouldn't fall through the cracks as easily.

[j-tho]

07:35 PM on 11/16/2009

your assumptions and generalizations disgust me.

[GoJacks]

08:08 AM on 11/17/2009

They are not meant to disgust you or be offensive in any way. I have volunteered and have met homeless people in my lifetime. My comment was simply an observation. It's just my opinion that a large number of homeless people prefer their lifestyle over the working class lifestyle and those people are taking assistance from the homeless people who really need a helping hand.

If you disagree, maybe you could shed some light on what I'm not seeing...

[AndyWright68]

02:48 PM on 11/17/2009

Is that all you got?

You copied and pasted that same lame comment 5 times. Your like that straw man from Oz.

[NWBrunette]

06:42 AM on 11/17/2009

If you actually showed enough self-efficacy to get your tush out from in front of the TV and volunteered to help serve the homeless some food, you might find a way to a larger understanding of the issue.

[GoJacks]

08:14 AM on 11/17/2009

See my response to j-tho. As for watching TV...I feel entitled to watch a little television after working 10-12 hour days.

[AndyWright68]

09:50 PM on 11/15/2009

Work ethic is just lost in this country. Quit feeling sorry for the lazy. Everyone can work. I have food and I offer it to anyone who will work for it.

Pull over and offer these "will work for food guys" a job. I have and they are not interested in work. They want a free ride. One of them had a fist full of money. He had more than I did. Stop falling for this "I can't find a job" crap. There is plenty of work. The problem with these lazy Americans is they want the "perfect" job. They won't shovel sht or dig a ditch. If you are hungry enough you will if you are fed everyday for free you won't.

[HumanExperience]

03:27 PM on 11/16/2009

It would be ignorant to base your entire view of homeless people and families on some of the con artists who stand on roads with signs. One man who was arrested near me stood out on the roadway pretending to be homeless to receive handouts while he owned a home worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. These are not the homeless people. One of every fifty kids goes homeless every year, according to the National Center on Family Homelessness. There is over 10% unemployment in my area. Jobs for everyone? I bet you feel real superior to these people with your job, don't you? Real warm hearted. Why don't you have the money that Bill Gates has? Hey anyone can do it. You must not be willing to work for it.

[j-tho]

07:36 PM on 11/16/2009

your assumptions and generalizations disgust me.

[AndyWright68]

09:49 PM on 11/15/2009

part 1
I just refuse to "help" aka enable people who can work but are too l.a.z.y to put in the effort. People who expect something for nothing are p.a.t.h.e.t.i.c.

Let's say you put someone who is motivated and is not a.f.r.a.i.d to work on an island with one of these feed me people. The motivated guy hunts, fishes and starts a garden. The lazy guy sits on the beach waiting to be rescued. Motivated guy is f.a.t and l.a.z.y guy is literally starving to d.e.a.t.h. Why should f.a.t guy feel obligated to help l.a.z.y guy?

[j-tho]

07:36 PM on 11/16/2009

your assumptions and generalizations disgust me.

[AndyWright68]

09:48 PM on 11/15/2009

Part 2
F.a.t guy worked hard, he put in the energy, he risked being h.u.r.t and sacrificed. L.a.z.y guy deserves nothing. L.a.z.y guy will either d.i.e on the beach or be k.i.l.l.e.d trying to steal f.a.t guy's food reserves and rightly so. If f.a.t guy felt bad and did not want to see or hear l.a.z.y guy s.u.f.f.e.r he could offer him some food but that would be his choice. If he does he will be rewarding someone for being l.a.z.y and most likely will have to keep giving him food. The other option would be to offer him a deal. If l.a.z.y guy wants to work the garden and help haul back the food etc. then he will feed him. Now l.a.z.y guy knows that nothing is for free and he will finally be contributing to their society.

[j-tho]

07:36 PM on 11/16/2009

your assumptions and generalizations disgust me.

[justdoodling]

03:48 PM on 11/15/2009

NIMBYs
we're all guilty of it...

[markinaz]

03:18 PM on 11/15/2009

Just bless the pancakes and give them to the homeless during the service instead of those little wafer thingys. Problem solved.

[From the Raft]

10:09 AM on 11/17/2009

... and serve real wine, none of that grape juice, during communion!

[From the Raft]

12:49 PM on 11/15/2009

Since man does not live by bread alone maybe the church could be less selfish and distribute coupons, tickets, passes or cash to the homeless to meet their hunger, medical care, hygiene, clothing, entertainment and sexual needs.

[Imhotep40]

05:06 PM on 11/18/2009

Since you've got so many great ideas, why don't you start a non-profit, volunteer and provide what the church isn't?

[Mark Twaine]

08:51 AM on 11/15/2009

Since this story could have national political consequences I will with hold comment until Sarah Palin comments with her brand of wisdom.

[From the Raft]

07:03 PM on 11/17/2009

If she has a friend on here maybe they can ask her to comment on this in her Face Book account.

[From the Raft]

08:29 AM on 11/15/2009

Here we go again. Religion is being "victimized" because it can't control your neighborhood while it controls your sex life, your body, your health, your children's school, your child's education, your government ...

[AndyWright68]

08:42 AM on 11/15/2009

FANNED!