Respect and honor all human beings irrespective of their religion, color, race, sex, language, status, property, birth, profession/job  [17/70]

Talk straight, to the point, without any ambiguity or deception [33/70] 

Do not shout. Speak politely keeping your voice low. [31/19] 

Say with your mouth what is in your heart [3/167] 

Walk with humility and sedateness [25/63]

When you hear something malicious about someone, keep a favorable view about him/her until you attain full knowledge about the matter. Consider others innocent until they are proven guilty with solid and truthful evidence [24/12]

Though they sound like they might come from the Bible, these words actually come from the Koran—the holy writings of Islam.  In the wake of the Boston Bombing, it is a good time to remember that the actions of an angry few cannot speak for the millions of Muslims who embrace a better and higher calling.  It has become a common and deeply unfair practice these days to take a small and fringe element of a group and try to paint the whole group in those colors.  Just remember that Jesus said that we should “treat others as we would want to be treated.” I hope and pray that the world will not judge all Christians by the example of the Ku Klux Klan, the Spanish Inquisition or the rantings of Fred Phelps, Pastor of the ingrown and grotesque Westboro Baptist Church.  Even as the sights and sounds of fear and suspicion of all things Muslim begin to rise again, I pray that the followers of Jesus will see the wisdom in His warning: “Judge not, lest you be judged, for with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give is the measure you get.”  (Matthew 7:1-2)

We could also heed the timely words of Mohammed:  If you do not have complete knowledge about a thing, better keep your mouth shut. You might think that speaking about something without full knowledge is a trivial matter. But it might have grave consequences [24/15-16] 

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day had the sense to drop their stones; do we?  (John 8)

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Paul