Why Do Christians Shoot Their Wounded?

Publisher Description

It's no sin to hurt.

Thousands of Christians suffer real emotional pain--such as depression, anxiety, obsessiveness. Many other Christians, including prominent leaders, believe emotional problems are the result of sin or bad choices. These attitudes often only add to the suffering of those who hurt.

In this book Dwight Carlson marshals recent scientific evidence that demonstrates many emotional problems are just as physical or biological as diabetes, cancer and heart disease. While he never discounts personal responsibility, Carlson shows from both the Bible and up-to-date medicine why it really is no sin to hurt. Understandably and compellingly, Why Do Christians Shoot Their Wounded? brings profound help for those who hurt and those who counsel.

For those who suffer, here is a powerful liberation from guilt. For those who care for the suffering, here is vivid proof that those in emotional pain deserve compassion, not condemnation.

Part I: How and Why We Shoot the Wounded

1. Don't Shoot! I'm Already Wounded!
2. Why We Wound
3. Can a Spirit-Filled Christian Have Emotional Problems?

Part II: What Causes Emotional Illness?
4. It's Not Necessarily "All In Your Mind"
5. It's Not Necessarily "All In Your Mind," Continued
6. How Childhood Experiences and Stress Cause Emotional Illness
7. What About Personal Choice?
8. Pulling It All Together

Part III: How Shall the Wounded Be Mended?
9. The Church: Business, School or Hospital?
10. How the Strong Can Help--Not Shoot--the Wounded
11. What the Wounded Can Do While the Bullets Are Flying

Appendix: Are Drugs of the Devil or Tools for Healing?