Comments on: Desert Parents and Stolen Bicycles http://blog.iamnotashamed.net/2006/05/30/desert-parents-and-stolen-bicycles/ Thoughts on the Journey Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:23:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: arobin http://blog.iamnotashamed.net/2006/05/30/desert-parents-and-stolen-bicycles/#comment-931 arobin Wed, 31 May 2006 20:04:04 +0000 http://blog.iamnotashamed.net/?p=470#comment-931 I used to think that same way about locks. Then someone challenged me about not putting temptation before others which would cause them to stumble. I hate to say this but I think security is relative to the society that you live in. Once you have been the victim of an intruder as my wife and I have, putting a dead bolt on the door and having a guard dog seems a small price to pay for a good night's sleep. I used to think that same way about locks. Then someone challenged me about not putting temptation before others which would cause them to stumble. I hate to say this but I think security is relative to the society that you live in. Once you have been the victim of an intruder as my wife and I have, putting a dead bolt on the door and having a guard dog seems a small price to pay for a good night’s sleep.

]]> By: Zach http://blog.iamnotashamed.net/2006/05/30/desert-parents-and-stolen-bicycles/#comment-930 Zach Wed, 31 May 2006 12:28:47 +0000 http://blog.iamnotashamed.net/?p=470#comment-930 I think that that quote does do a great job of summerizing how i know you feel about it. And that's why you don't like locking your bike up. But if it gets stolen, you need to be ok with it. If it's going to bother you that it gets taken, you need to lock it up. I've heard that one of the first things they teach the marines is that from this point on, you're already dead. Then they don't have to fear dying in war...they are already dead, and they can fight like men who aren't worried about staying alive. Good quote by the way. I think that that quote does do a great job of summerizing how i know you feel about it. And that’s why you don’t like locking your bike up. But if it gets stolen, you need to be ok with it. If it’s going to bother you that it gets taken, you need to lock it up. I’ve heard that one of the first things they teach the marines is that from this point on, you’re already dead. Then they don’t have to fear dying in war…they are already dead, and they can fight like men who aren’t worried about staying alive. Good quote by the way.

]]> By: Richard Daley http://blog.iamnotashamed.net/2006/05/30/desert-parents-and-stolen-bicycles/#comment-929 Richard Daley Wed, 31 May 2006 04:37:33 +0000 http://blog.iamnotashamed.net/?p=470#comment-929 I think if you put out your garment for three days and someone takes it, it's a sign that they need a garment. The question is, what would giving them that particular garment be the most loving thing you could do for that person individually and for your community as a group. Your example with the bicycle is a good one. You could give up your bicycle, but by putting a lock on your bicycle, you can use that bicycle to get to work where you can earn enough money so that you can help provide multiple bicycles, both to the person who would have stolen your bicycle and to the community in general. There is also the problem of enabling as well. This blog post (http://www.barrioprophets.com/weblog/?p=185) talks about it better than I could, but if by leaving your bicycle to be stolen you help to perpetuate the idea that illegal means of making a living are easer than legal means, then you may be doing more long term harm to the society/community than the profit of a free bicycle could bring. A better idea would be to use your resources in support of programs that meet physical needs in ways that promote healthy communities. Now I am not saying that you shouldn't throw a garment out so that someone can take it, I'm just cautioning that you should consider, on a case by case basis, whether this is the best use of the garment (with the caveat that this argument is really only valid if you are actually following up on the better use of the garment) I think if you put out your garment for three days and someone takes it, it’s a sign that they need a garment. The question is, what would giving them that particular garment be the most loving thing you could do for that person individually and for your community as a group.

Your example with the bicycle is a good one. You could give up your bicycle, but by putting a lock on your bicycle, you can use that bicycle to get to work where you can earn enough money so that you can help provide multiple bicycles, both to the person who would have stolen your bicycle and to the community in general.

There is also the problem of enabling as well. This blog post (http://www.barrioprophets.com/weblog/?p=185) talks about it better than I could, but if by leaving your bicycle to be stolen you help to perpetuate the idea that illegal means of making a living are easer than legal means, then you may be doing more long term harm to the society/community than the profit of a free bicycle could bring. A better idea would be to use your resources in support of programs that meet physical needs in ways that promote healthy communities.

Now I am not saying that you shouldn’t throw a garment out so that someone can take it, I’m just cautioning that you should consider, on a case by case basis, whether this is the best use of the garment (with the caveat that this argument is really only valid if you are actually following up on the better use of the garment)

]]>