We Are All Beggars

"Are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?
-Mosiah 4:19

Recently, the Angry White Loner asked if any of you readers out there had questions that he might attempt to answer. In return, he received a number of queries. So many so that he nearly required four fingers to count all of them.

Tonight, he attempts to answer one of your questions for the first time. (It will require nearly four blog posts to get to all of them, as you might have guessed, so please be patient with me.)

Angry White Reader Erik asked:

"Giving to the beggars . . . do it? Don't do it? Does it reinforce their behavior? Is there an alternative? Again, I have my opinion, but I would be interested in your thoughts."

Thanks for your question, Erik. This topic has been on my mind today because of our Gospel Doctrine lesson this afternoon on the Island of Misfit Toys, in which we covered in part the Old Testament book of Amos. Not only is Amos famous for the cookies and also for the oft-quoted (by missionaries) scripture about God not doing anything save he does it through His servants, the prophets (Amos 3:7), but I learned that, at this particular point in time, the people of Israel as a whole were in deep doo-doo for, among other things, not taking care of the poor and needy.

Like you all, I've come across many panhandlers in my travels. I am not wealthy. After all, I studied journalism and English literature in college, and I pretend to be an actor on the weekends. I am of the opinion that those who have been richly blessed (as in, big bucks) are under the obligation to give more where they can.

I do not give money to most panhandlers, but I have given a buck or two to the occasional person. And, as long as I have cash on me, I always stop to buy lemonade or Kool-Aid when kids are selling it on the curbside on hot summer days.

Always.

Once, I met a young man on my way out of Wendy's, asking if I had any change to spare. I honestly didn't (I rarely carry cash these days and make most purchases with a debit or credit card) and told him so, but instead I offered to go back into the restaurant with him and buy him a hamburger. He gladly accepted and seemed genuinely grateful for the gesture.

Earlier that day, in fact, I had landed a new job after looking for one for quite a while. I was feeling particularly blessed, and this young man gave me an opportunity to "pay it forward" to someone.

That's just one example from the AWL's life. So, are people asking for money really in need, or are they conning us?

My answer is: Yes. To both.

Panhandlers fall into both categories. Some are genuinely in need, while others are not. Only God knows the heart and soul and is qualified to judge which is which, in my humble opinion.

I have a testimony of the blessings and the benefits of paying tithing, of giving fast offerings or to the Perpetual Education Fund, etc., to the Church. On countless occasions, I have witnessed the Church use these funds, infinitely more wisely than I ever could endeavor to do, to save, to lift, and to heal people of any and all faiths. To help all of Heavenly Father's children.

Angry White Dad worked for the Church for many years, during which time I got to volunteer and/or tour various canneries, bishop's storehouses, farms, and so on, and I saw it all in action. On a trip to the east coast that the two of us took together when I was 18, just prior to leaving on my mission, we got to see the Richmond, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Boston, Massachusetts storehouses in action. It's the real deal, folks; it's not just here in Utah. Later on, when the PEF was created in the early 2000s, AWD got to work with that program, too. We got to see even more lives being blessed with a newfound opportunity to obtain an education.

Above all, I love that the Church teaches us to be self-reliant. It's the old adage of "teaching a man to fish" rather than giving him a fish, so that we can help ourselves and then, in turn, help others who cannot do so due to chronic illness, injuries, death of a spouse, loss of employment, natural disasters, and so forth. Because I have faith in the Church, I have faith that my contributions are being put to the best possible use.

Of course, the LDS Church does a great deal, but it does not have a monopoly on helping the poor and needy. More than one Angry White Brother performed an Eagle Scout project collecting clothing and other items for the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic charity in Salt Lake City, a rock star of an organization if there ever was one. In addition, Angry White Mom (prior to her recent accident, anyway) volunteers at the local food bank run in the back parking lot of a Bountiful Protestant church, giving service and helping customers feed their families. Yours truly had the chance to volunteer time there a few times in my previous ward. If you live in Davis County, I highly recommend paying them a visit or giving them a call to see what you can do. Odds are, they need you.

Many people may view charity as "a coat you wear twice a year," helping out at a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. While this is a worthy and an important cause, I believe charity is really more of a way of life than a check mark that you make on a list as a task to be completed. It is both in giving the bare necessities like money, food, and clothing but also in the small things, such as giving friendship, a listening ear, love, time, and genuine concern for those around us.

That little stream that said "give"? As in, the Primary song? That's what I mean.

And that is something we can all afford to do.

Pretty in Pink

Yesterday, I went out to lunch for corn dogs. Because, well . . . corn dogs.

'Nuff said.

Upon sitting down to eat my meal, I noticed that there was a man seated in my vicinity whom I can describe only as "pretty in pink," as in the '80s song/movie. Decked out in a bright pink shirt, a bright pink hat, bright pink shorts, he also carried a cell phone with a bright pink cover on it and was accompanied by a bicycle with a bright pink seat and pink handlebars.

It was a lot of bright pink for any human being, especially a guy with more facial hair than your own Angry White Loner.

My first inclination, admittedly, was to take a photo of this man with my camera. Because there's no way anybody else would believe I had seen someone go out in public dressed this way.

Fortunately, a second, better thought occurred to me soon after:

That man is a child of God.

On second thought, it's often a good idea to listen to and to be guided by those second thoughts that occur following those "natural man" initial impressions.

No other editorializing by me this time, folks. I'll simply leave it at that.

With Six Eyes, You Get Eggroll

Not to sound too much like a stand-up comedian—though I'm probably going to end up sounding like one anyway—but today's topic is sunglasses: What is the deal?

I've been trying to figure out why sunglasses trouble me so. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that I already wear glasses and have had them since high school, and if I tried to put on yet another pair of lenses to keep the summer sun out of my already nearsighted eyes, then that would give would-be bullies an excuse to call me "six eyes" or something of that sort. That's why I prefer to wear hats.

I can already achieve the "Six Eyes" effect any time I go to a 3D movie. Additionally, that's also a lot of weight to be putting on your poor nose.

Other people wearing sunglasses also make me nervous. (Obviously, I'm not referring here to someone like, say, like Stevie Wonder.) Why? Mainly, it's the fact that I cannot see their eyeballs. I don't have any idea how they're looking at me when they're wearing those things. Like if they're rolling their eyes at me if I bring up something like Star Wars or "Weird Al" or any one of dozens of other topics.

And what's up with people who wear sunglasses indoors and on the tops of their heads all day long, nestled in their hair? Do they not have pockets or purses or a car to keep them in? Is it really comfortable to wear sunglasses on top of your head throughout the entire three-hour church block?

Perhaps strangest of all are those who wear sunglasses at night. Unless, of course, the point of this is to watch people when they weave and then breathe their story lines, or to keep track of the visions in their eyes. In that case, don't switch the blade on the guy in shades.

I'm jiggy with that.

H8ers Gonna H8

I recently wore my BYU hoodie, like the cool kids do, to a local institute class that I attend on Wednesday nights for singles over 31 years of age and for lepers, who are often lumped into the same category and, usually, for the same kind of the same reason.

"I HATE BYU!!!!!!!!!!!" shouted one girl I do not know when I neared the bench where she sat. She used 11 exclamation points—I know because counted them—at that exact volume just in case there happened to be anybody three blocks away who might have missed this expression of her opinion.

I was both somewhat taken aback and embarrassed by her statement that all I could think to respond with was, "Well, just keep on paying your tithing then." The look on her face afterward told me that my attempt to diffuse the situation with humor did not work as I had hoped it might, and so I moved over to talk to someone else.

For as long as it has gone on, I don't understand the hate—on either side of the BYU/Utah rivalry. I really don't. It's one thing to dislike your school's rival and to root against them in, for example, sporting events in which both schools take part. I understand that. But the use of the word hate has some pretty strong connotations to it, and I suppose that's the part I just don't get.

I also don't understand how someone who identifies him/herself as a member of the LDS Church can "hate" the official school of that Church, whatever his/her reasons (sports or not) may be. I can't think of a Catholic who, for example, hates Notre Dame. Similarly, a supporter of the U. of U. might be annoyed or disturbed by my "just keep on paying your tithing" comeback or by a BYU supporter's assertion that it is "the Lord's university." I get that, and those are fair points.

Personally, I'm somewhat of an anomaly both in my family and in the rivalry. Unlike my two brothers who attended BYU and remain Cougar fans, and another brother who attended the U. and remains a Ute fan, I grew up a BYU fan but attended college at the U. I remain a Cougar fan to this day, but I also cheer for the Utes when they play other schools, and I want them to succeed and to do well. In the process, I've also been witness to a lot of embarrassing behavior on both sides.

It's rooted in pride, I guess. One of the most disturbing parts about it is that many who, unwittingly or not, join in on the rivalry identify themselves more as BYU or Utah haters than they identify themselves as Utah or BYU fans, respectively. It's not just hating the "other" school in the rivalry game; it's also wanting the other school to lose most if not all of its games to other teams, as well, and to hopefully be crushed and/or embarrassed in the process.

I once overheard a Ute fan, who did not know that I grew up a BYU fan, state that his favorite season of college basketball ever was the one 16 or so years ago, during which the Cougars won only one game and lost all of the rest. I repeat, his favorite year was not a year in which his school, the Utes, did well but a year in which the rival school lost all but one of its games.

Certainly, there are many things to take into account, and they affect people on both sides of this great and spacious rivalry we have built up here in our lovely Deseret. Many who feel animosity toward the "other" school have been treated very poorly at the other school's sporting arena and such. I've also heard many people admit, on both sides of the rivalry, that they have no problem whatsoever with the other school except for the other school's fans, who often act pompously, idiotically, scornfully, or—dare I use the Max Hall/c-word ?—classlessly about something as petty as a sports rivalry. Fans of both sides should feel embarrassed about these kinds of things and should stand up and put a stop to them when/if they occur.