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[Blue Pig]

So I grew up going to a variety of churches, I went with friends, family, anyone who would invite me. I loved seeing the way different churches did their sermons.
From reading the bible, I get the impression Jesus cared deeply for the needy. He instructed followers to sell all their worldly possessions and give it ALL to the poor. In fact, in Acts, God kills two people for keeping some to themselves.
Why do Christians dislike helping the poor so much? I get the general impression that helping out the needy is to be one of the top priorities of being Christian.

That said, I find the highest concentration of Christians, even in liberal cities, tend to be very much against helping the poor. Very few churches double as a homeless shelter, fewer do food drives. I went to one church that raised 3 Million dollars for a new church building in under 1 month, a project that benefited only those that attended.

Can anyone explain to me why it seems (i know everyone is not like this) that so many Christians are not like Christ when it comes to the poor. Like I have only heard the term "welfare queen" come from Christians.
Am I wrong with this? Are Christians actually out there, donating any lots excess money to helping the poor? Or is there something else I am missing in the teaching of Jesus that says that the poor are there of their own fault?

I really want to understand how my view of Jesus and what it means to be a Christian is so starkly different than what I see the majority of Christians act like.

I want to end with one line Jesus said that sticks with me when thinking of this. Talking about how you rely on God, that you shouldn't worry about the future because God is already taking care of that for you. So why not donate more money to the poor?

[jimwalton]

You're right that Jesus cared deeply for the needy. You're also right that helping out the needy is to be one do the top priorities of being a Christian. The Bible's teaching on helping the poor is one of the most prominent subjects in the whole book. It can't be ignored.

Why are many many Christians not like Christ when it comes to the poor? Because they aren't living the way Christ told them to live, it's as simple as that.

> Are Christians actually out there, donating any lots excess money to helping the poor?

Absolutely. By the millions. It doesn't make the headline news, though. It's actually possible that there are more Christians helping the poor than there are Christians not helping the poor, but it's not something a Christian would brag about, or even let show. Jesus taught that we should do good works without bragging about them, and even keep them secret. Most Christians hide their helping, and don't often talk about it. You have to catch them in the act, often, to know about it.