Snob Cities

--picture from Portland Mercury

I'm going to spend tonight sleeping in church, --due to a screw up my second time for the week.
Our congregation participates in an interfaith housing program. In this program churches take turns feeding, housing and helping homeless people. All the families we serve have children. Among other things, we're hoping to break the cycle of homelessness.

A few years ago, we had occasion to visit Palo Alto, home of Stanford University. If you want to live there you have to have lots of money. It turns out they have a cure for homelessness. Don't let homeless people sit or lie in the downtown area.
http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=5164

Not to be outdone by their California neighbors, Portland Oregon has decided to do the same thing. They passed their own version of no sit or lie.
http://www.katu.com/news/team2/7306716.html?video=pop&t=a

Great idea! Don't like someone's conduct? Outlaw it. But, you know, folks, this has been tried.
By God, no less. We call His laws "The Ten Commandments."

I do have questions for the churches of Palo Alto and Portland. Where is your voice on this social issue? Seems to me there is a higher law which says "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Maybe it's time to snub snob cities.