Rule 7

Rule 7 – Help the Poor
2009.10.15 CE

Rule 7 – Help the poor and indigent, but watch for the charlatan. Everyone has the right to enough food, water and medical aid to sustain a normal life and enough clothing and shelter to prevent dying from the elements.

The difference between poor and indigent is a matter of interpretation as to the degree of lacking, indigent being the worst case. People who are disadvantaged in worldly needs are sometimes that way because they have a “different” outlook on life that does not allow them to function in a society to their advantage. They may also have mental problems or learning disabilities, or they may also be where they are not do to their own actions but rather due to circumstances beyond their own control, such as economic disruptions, natural disasters, man made disasters, etc.

It does not matter how they they got there. If they are trying to make it as a decent human being, help them with whatever you can when they need help. It will make you feel better and may well bring them out of their problem.

But no matter how noble the effort, with this help you will inevitably run into the bad apple. Watch for the charlatan and avoid him/her whenever possible. The few bad apples are not enough reason to not help those that are poor and indigent

Regardless of how a society views someone or what reasons a society has to view them that way, as part of a society you have the obligation to ensure that all human beings have enough food, water and shelter to survive. And shelter includes the clothing necessary for the environment, and sanitary living conditions to prevent the spread of disease; both appropriate for the society at large.

This does not mean you must supply individual private housing for everybody. Nor that you must supply anything other than food, water and shelter. The amenities of a society must be earned through effort by the individual, not supplied by the society.

This code obligates you to ensure the society you live in provides these as a minimum to everyone who needs them. It is not an obligation for you to personally supply them to everyone.

And those that can procure the minimum or more are obligated to do so for themselves.

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