i've worked with the homeless and you're absolutely correct. most people who profess to be christian don't care to know what that means much less act on it.  americans do have a nasty sadistic bent to them where they think everyone is as where they're at because of their personal choice (as if childhood trauma such as being orphaned and serially molested, or mental illness, fixed incomes, or serious drug addiction don't exist) so homeless people are where they're at deliberately and refuse to change making them worthy of punishment and persecution because in the american mind if you punish someone enough they'll change. of course, in reality, that's not how things work and that's why prisons are full to the roof with recidivism and america has been estimated to have more homeless people than india over any given year. couple this with protestant theological outlook where you aren't obligated to do anything for anyone to be saved, and these people now feel fully morally licensed in their petty attacks and cruelty against the homeless.  not so surprisingly, european countries where socialism is implemented have far less incidences of homelessness across any given year. because drug addicts need free rehabilitation, mentally ill people need free psychiatric treatment, and those unable to find affordable housing need emergency social housing. punishment has nothing to do with it. these are problems that can be rationally solved and when you give people a hand up rather than a smack down you are likely to see the best results.
United States