Between the Christians and the Lions

The big item in the news to day is the Floridian anti-abortion campaigner who murdered abortionists in order to save “Babies” from being killed. He is currently sitting on death row, while campaigners of all persuasions try and get his death sentence commuted, some who fundamentally disagree with the death penalty, others who don't want to see this person become a martyr and an encouragement to others.
Listening to some of this man’s rhetoric makes me ill. The place for this man is not on death row, nor in prison, but locked safely away in a secure psychiatric unit.

I do consider myself to be a Christian; I irregularly attend the place of worship where my Explorer Unit is based. I do sometimes feel reluctant to admit this, as Christians get a bad press. This is mostly due to an un-Christian minority who twist portions of scripture in order to persecute those who don’t conform to their prejudices.

Christianity is a moral code to live your own life by. It is not a stick to beat up other people with. It is about love, compassion, forgiveness, caring about your fellow human being, being part of your community rather than standing apart or on the sidelines lecturing. I feel Christianity, like Scouting and Guiding, is a fundamentally socialist concept in this respect.
That’s not to say I don’t acknowledge that it is right and proper that Christians should share their faith; just that the operative word is share, not shove down peoples throats. The task was to spread the word, not set up some sort of moral police force.

There is a place for moral indignation. Where people (and I mean people not foetuses) are being hurt, tortured, repressed, mistreated or generally not given a fair deal by those with power over them, there is a place for outrage or protest.

Some “Christians” seek to terrorise, through violence or abuse, those who do not conform to their view of Christian moral codes, be it abortionists, homosexuals, or simply kids just going out for a fun night out being a bit drunk and leary. I feel these people are breaking a much more fundamental and important facet of Christian teaching than the aspects they are seeking to defend.