Something to think about

[caamora]

This was emailed to me from a co-worker and I wanted to share it with you.

> THIS IS A POWERFUL MESSAGE. PLEASE READ ALL OF IT. I AM PASSING IT ON
> BECAUSE I AM CERTAINLY NOT ASHAMED TO DO
>
> SO.
>
> In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is
> a little different: This is not intended to be a joke, it's not funny,
> it's intended to get you thinking..............
>
> Dart Test...
>
> A young lady named Sally, relates an experience she had in a seminary
> class, given by her teacher, Dr.
> Smith. She says that Dr. Smithwas known for his elaborate object
> lessons.
>
> One particular day, Sally walked into the seminary and knew they were
> in for a fun day.
>
> On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many darts.
> Dr. Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they
> disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them
> to throw darts at the person's picture.
>
> Sally's friend drew a picture of who had stolen her boyfriend. Another
> friend drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a
> former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even
> drawing pimples on the face. Sally was pleased with the overall effect
> she had achieved.
>
> The class lined up and began throwing darts. Some of the students
> threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping
> apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with
> disappointment when Dr. Smith, because of time limits, asked the
> students to return to their seats. As Sally sat thinking about how
> angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at
> her target. Dr. Smith began removing the target from the wall.
>
> Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus. A hush fell over the
> room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and
> jagged marks covered His face and His eyes were pierced.
>
> Dr. Smith said only these words... "In as much as ye have done it unto
> the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."
> Matthew 25:40.
>
> No other words were necessary; the tears filled eyes of the students
> focused only on the picture of Christ.
>
>
> This is an easy test; you score 100 or zero. It's your choice.
>
> If you aren't ashamed to do this, please follow the directions.
>
> Jesus said, "If you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you,
> before My Father."
>
> Not ashamed ... pass this on.
>
> Ashamed ... delete it.
>
> Isn't it funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then
> wonder why the world's going to hell.
>
> Isn't it funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question
> what the Bible says.
>
> Isn't it funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided they do not
> have to believe, think, say, or do anything the Bible says. Or is it
> scary?
>
> Isn't it funny how someone can say "I believe in God"
> but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also "believes" in God ).
>
> Isn't it funny how you can send a thousand jokes through e-mail and!
> they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages
> regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.
>
> Isn't it funny how the lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene pass freely
> through cyberspace, but the public discussion of Jesus is suppressed
> in the school and workplace.
>
> Isn't it funny how someone can be so fired up for Christ on Sunday,
> but be an invisible Christian the rest of the week.
>
> Are you laughing?
>
> Isn't it funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not
> send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they
> believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them.
>
> Isn't it funny how I can be more worried about what other people think
> of me than what God thinks of me.
>
> Will YOU pass this on? ... I did
>

[High Lord Tolkien]

> Isn't it funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not
> send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they
> believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them.


True.
Very interesting indeed.

[Edge]

Thanks for passing that on. Very thought-provoking.

[Lord Mhoram]

Exactly, caam. I just going to say - It isn't necessarily for Christians only, as Edge was so quick to point out.

[Fist and Faith]

That is a very good object lesson!

"In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

One of my favorite quotes from the Bible.

[Fist and Faith]

Well, caam, this non-believer took it the way you meant it, and thought it was great.


Cho, that's a good one too. Gives me a chuckle, though, rather than a choke.

[ChoChiyo]

You know, I think Stephen is probably one of the most Christ-like people I've ever heard of.

Look at all the lives he touched.

I know he was truly connected to the REAL Jesus (as opposed to the illusional crew-cut Jesus that so many pundants haul onto their political platforms to support their inane ramblings).

I know this because I feel the spirit within me being touched every time I read what he said or what you say about him.

It makes me feel a connection with a loving God--one I have known very little in my life.

[ChoChiyo]

I think the point was to get it across to people who claim to be Christians that you cannot claim to be a Christian (which means, basically, to be CHRISTLIKE) and take gleeful joy in hurting other people. Because that isn't what a real Christian would do, you see?

Also, if you are a Christian, you claim you love Jesus--but Jesus has said that it is our duty as Christians to love each other as HE LOVED US.

So when we dart others--we are actually damaging the one we claim to love.

I think the metaphor would work in a nonChristian way if the photo underneath was a picture of whomever was throwing the darts as well--because *I* believe that we damage our own souls when we deliberately cause harm to others.

[Fist and Faith]

Thank you Caam, the message was beautiful, no matter where it came from.

Absolutely! Here's that message said another way:

...vividly conscious of the fact that forming as we do the tiny individual cells of a mighty organism, we share alike the sorrows and misery existing in the world; but debarred from realizing it by the wall of ego segregating each cell from the rest, we feel happy and proud at acquisitions often purchased at our own cost, which we mistakenly believe has been paid by others.
-Gopi Krishna in Kundalini: The Evolutionary Energy in Man

I'm not a Hindu, and I'm even farther from being a Christian. But there is such amazing beauty and wisdom in both, as well as many other religions. We don't have to believe in the divine nature of Jesus, or in the Brahman/Atman of Hinduism to find something of value in these quotes.

When Stephen became angry or upset, he viewed it as a failure on his part. And I would tell him, that it is normal to feel anger over something done to him or someone else. But, he would just smile that smile of his and say "Most do what they do out of desperation or fear or low self worth. I wish to help them, not add fuel to the fires of their problems. What would Jesus do?" And there you have it. He lived as he thought Jesus would wished him to live. And no matter the reason, the way Stephen lived was glorious. And it wasn't out of "Christain guilt" it was out of Love. Because, he believed that God is Love. He wanted to walk through life is that Love.

"What would Jesus do?" God Himself, divine being, or an extremely good man, I consider it an extremely good thing to ask myself that question. There's a standard set by the Jesus that Furls believes in, and I can't see how it's possible to go wrong if you're trying to follow his example. Is there a problem with being too loving? Too forgiving? Too helpful? I don't see one.

BTW, here's how the quote that started this thread is seen in Conversations With God:

The great teachers of your Christian religion understood this. They know that Jesus was not perturbed by the crucifixion, but expected it. He could have walked away, but he did not. He could have stopped the process at any point. He had that power. Yet he did not. He allowed himself to be crucified in order that he might stand as man’s eternal salvation. Look, he said, at what I can do. Look at what is true. And know that these things, and more, shall you also do. For have I not said ye are gods? Yet you do not believe. If you cannot, then, believe in yourself, believe in me.