You really cannot blame the rich and powerful for hating Jesus Christ. He seems soooo indifferent to the accomplishments of these great people. He says stuff like "the last will be first and first will be last". No wonder people like Nietzsche hated him. What do you mean the last will be first?? Don't you know I WORKED HARD to be first? I DESERVE IT! I am first because I am smarter than you! I worked harder than you! I'm just better than you! My bank account proves it. And now you want be not just to be second, but LAST? And some loser to be FIRST? Crucify this idiot! Or at least get him the hell out of here.
It is amazing that a country like the United States which worships wealth and "rugged individualism" would also call itself a Christian nation. Its almost like we should see a Koch brother wash the feet of a homeless man. So how do be try to take it both ways? How is the USA both greedy and "Christian"
You see, Jesus is not the weak looking hippie type that is depicted on so much bad religious art. He was a radical. He was an earthquake. He was God. And God just doesn't care what Herod or Pilate or the scribes and the chief priests think. He died for us to forgive our sins and then was resurrected so we ALL can have eternal life. All of us. The lowliest soul now can have eternal life by sharing the resurrection of Jesus Christ. By doing this he gives an awesome dignity to those who follow Him. He said it was as hard for a rich man to enter Heaven as a camel to pass through an eye of a needle. Keep in mind that he did not say it was impossible. There are plenty of wealthy people who have followed Jesus and are presumably with Him in Paradise. But the Lord knew his audience. He knew that the vast majority of the rich and powerful would turn away from him. He knew that they would want to be worshipped themselves rather that submit to any other God. So when Christians started to grow in significant numbers in the Roman Empire, the powerful had to do something. Killing Jesus didn't work. Neither did throwing Christians to the lions. But then they came up with their brilliant solution. Steal Jesus. Water Him down. Make Him a tool of the powerful. This strategy has been stunningly successful.
Crusade in the name of Jesus! Start wars in the name of Jesus! Start a pogrom and kill Jews in the name of Jesus! My way of worshipping is the right way, and if you do not do it MY way, then off with your head! The risen, resurrected Christ was mostly ignored, left to the province of saints, his message of hope for the poor and eternal life usurped my kings and princes of the Church. By the time Christianity made it to these shores, it pretty much forgot what Jesus was all about. The Puritans burned witches, "heretics" and killed Indians in the name of Jesus. The Spaniards were going to convert the Indians to Christ. They converted them to smallpox instead.
So is it any wonder today that Christianity in America offers almost no resistance to the corrupt, corporate machine that is devouring America now? Water down Jesus and turn the Awesome Power of God into baby food for the masses. Look at the timid priests and ministers who dare not upset their dull, fat, suburban flocks. Reduce Jesus to the Holy Sex Nanny: it doesn't matter how you treat your neighbor as long as you refrain from all that dirty stuff, and oh yes, The Is Nothing More Important Than Abortion. Then there is the Prosperity Gospel. God wants you to be RICH!! Not rich yet? It must be YOUR fault. Or, lets not even try to make our world a better place. Wait for the Rapture instead! The earthquake that is the Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the one force that gives every soul the power, strength, and endurance to change this world and to live eternally into the next, gets swept under the rug, and is replaced with ....what? Nothing that the princes of the world have to worry about, that's for sure.
Or do they? The world might think that God is dead but he is not. The earthshaking power of Jesus Christ is available for all those who believe, no matter how lowly their earthly station. Its the world whose soul is dead, not Christ's. I see so much despair in liberal land, thinking that the Koch Brothers and their ilk have defeated us forever. Its time for us to start over. Forget what you think you already know about Christ and give Him a chance. He is not just the (false) god of Sarah Palin and the wingnuts, but an earthquake that can shake up your life and that of the world.
No I am not a fool. Got any better ideas? Or are we just going to stand around and let the plutocrats destroy our communities, our country, and our planet? I am not living in la la land. All I know is what we are doing is not working. Take a second look at Jesus Christ. Refresh your soul with His hope and His power. Lets use that power to finally take our world away from those who would destroy it.
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