Off Topic: "Don't Shoot The Wounded": Christianity

I once identified myself as Christian, though that is no longer the case; nonetheless, there are many values taught in Christianity that I carry with me.

It's hard not to do, really, to retain the knowledge and carry some of this with me as I went to a Christian school where I was required to memorize passages of the Bible in chunks of 15-40 versus at a time!

This particular verse is, in my opinon, the best definition of "love" ever penned:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (NIV)

While the scriptures teaches us not to judge, nonetheless, it also says:

16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

And what are the fruits?

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Anyone can call themselves a Christian. Politicians do this all the time. But if their life does not show these fruits, how can they be considered a Christian: "Follower of Christ, of or like Christ?"

So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.  [John 8:7]

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.”  [Mark 12:30-31]

When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” [Mark 2:16-17]

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." [John 13:34]

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."  [Matthew 7:12]

I think that every person who calls themselves a "Christian" should know the lyrics to this song by heart:

Don't Shoot The Wounded

Don't shoot the wounded, they need us more than ever
They need our love no matter what it is they've done
Sometimes we just condemn them,
And don't take time to hear their story
Don't shoot the wounded, someday you might be one

It's easy to love the people who are standing hard and fast
Pressing on to meet that higher calling
But the ones who might be struggling, we tend to judge too harshly
And refuse to try and catch them when they're falling
We put people into boxes and we draw our hard conclusions
And when they do the things we know they should not do
We sometimes write them off as hopeless
And we throw them to the dogs
Our compassion and forgiveness sometimes seem in short supply
So I say...

Don't shoot the wounded, they need us more than ever
They need our love no matter what it is they've done
Sometimes we just condemn them,
And don't take time to hear their story
Don't shoot the wounded, someday you might be one

We can love them and forgive them
When their sin does not exceed our own
For we too have been down bumpy roads before
But when they commit offenses outside the boundaries we have set
We judge them in a word and we turn them out,
And we close the door
Myself I've been forgiven for so many awful things
I've been cleansed and washed and bathed so many times
That when I see a brother who has fallen from the way
I just can't find the license to convict him of his crimes
So I say...

Don't shoot the wounded, they need us more than ever
They need our love no matter what it is they've done
Sometimes we just condemn them,
And don't take time to hear their story
Don't shoot the wounded, someday you might be one

That doesn't mean we turn our heads when we see a brother sin
And pretend that what he's doing is all right
But we must help him see his error, we must lead him to repent
Cry with those who cry, but bring their deeds into the light
For it's the sick that need the doctor,
And it's the lame that need the crutch
It's the prodigal who needs the loving hand
For a man who's in despair, there should be
Kindness from his friends
'Lest he should forsake the fear of almighty God
And turn away from God and man
So I say...

Don't shoot the wounded, they need us more than ever
They need our love no matter what it is they've done
Sometimes we just condemn them,
And don't take time to hear their story
Don't shoot the wounded, someday you might be one

[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/c/chuck-girard-lyrics/don_t-shoot-the-wounded-lyrics.html ]

Please do not misunderstand this post as passing condemntation to another group of persons. I myself am victim of that time over and again. I have often said, "I never met a devout Catholic I didn't like". I say that as I have met many Catholics who, after they left the confessional and their mass, took their beliefs outside of their church and into their daily lives. I have seen many of these kinds of genuinely good people who live the fruits of the spirit, do not shoot the wounded, and do not try to cram their faith down my throat. They are a joy to be around.

Hypocrisy and phoniness is not limited to Christianity as I have met professed Taoists who can not tell me the three great treasures; professed Wiccans who had no knowledge of The Law of Three; professed Asatru who can not tell me the Nine Noble Virtues and Rules of Troth; and professed Buddhists who are ignorant of the Eight Fold Path.

I'm through with my rant, and again, no offense is intended to anyone; just musings.