Bryan W. Alaspa 1Jesus is a liberal
August 13th 2009 00:00
So, let’s get something right out in the open. I am a Christian. I was raised a Christian and went to Christian schools. I believe in God and Jesus and the whole story of the crucifixion and the resurrection. So, today’s column is for those who also believe. The rest of you who don’t even think God exists are excused for today, but I need to talk to my fellow Christians for a moment.
I was thinking about all of the right-wingers out there. All of the people who have started to shout down anyone and everyone who is an opponent or has an opposite view like some sort of shrill sirens without an actual point. I started thinking about how these people all claim to be, for the most part, fundamentalist Christians. Not all of them are, of course, but many of them are. Then I thought about the life of Jesus and I thought about something pretty radical. Folks, Jesus was and is a liberal.
First off, Jesus taught that we were to love everyone. That’s right. He loved everyone. He hung out with the dirtiest and nastiest people of his time. If he came back in this day and age he would be hanging with all of those people you hate so much when you start your Conservative-speak. He taught tolerance. He saved the woman who was about to be stoned for infidelity. He taught about fairness and he taught about not judging people. He taught about justice.
Don’t worry, I have Bible verses to back me up.
About Jesus' feeling on war and fighting, let’s go to Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Then there’s Matthew 5:39: “Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” How about Matthew 5:44: “I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despite-fully use you, and persecute you.”
Not exactly a call for a bigger military and invading countries, is it?
Here are some of his thoughts about punishing people. For example John 8:7: “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to cast a stone at her.” Or maybe you’d prefer Matthew 7: 1-2: “Do not judge, lest you too be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
When it comes to wealth, well, things get really interesting. He told one rich man in Matthew 19:21: “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” He also said, in Luke 14: 13-14: “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Wait…taking wealth and redistributing it to the poor? Oh my, that sounds like, could it be, SOCIALISM!!! Cue the dramatic music. Wow, before too long the right-wingers will have to call Jesus a godless Communist. Seems to me the guy felt that society should take care of its sick, poor and homeless rather than just throwing up your hands and wishing them good luck.
How about this when it comes to wealth from Matthew 19:23: “Truly, I say unto you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Or maybe you’d like his take on public displays of prayer from Matthew 6: 6-7: “And when thou pray, thou shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou pray, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret.” Or his feelings about separating Church and State from Matthew 22:21: “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.”
Interesting. Gosh, I guess you Conservatives are right, anyone who would have beliefs like that is a Communist, God-hating, long-haired hippie liberal.
Right?
I was thinking about all of the right-wingers out there. All of the people who have started to shout down anyone and everyone who is an opponent or has an opposite view like some sort of shrill sirens without an actual point. I started thinking about how these people all claim to be, for the most part, fundamentalist Christians. Not all of them are, of course, but many of them are. Then I thought about the life of Jesus and I thought about something pretty radical. Folks, Jesus was and is a liberal.
First off, Jesus taught that we were to love everyone. That’s right. He loved everyone. He hung out with the dirtiest and nastiest people of his time. If he came back in this day and age he would be hanging with all of those people you hate so much when you start your Conservative-speak. He taught tolerance. He saved the woman who was about to be stoned for infidelity. He taught about fairness and he taught about not judging people. He taught about justice.
Don’t worry, I have Bible verses to back me up.
About Jesus' feeling on war and fighting, let’s go to Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Then there’s Matthew 5:39: “Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” How about Matthew 5:44: “I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despite-fully use you, and persecute you.”
Not exactly a call for a bigger military and invading countries, is it?
Here are some of his thoughts about punishing people. For example John 8:7: “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to cast a stone at her.” Or maybe you’d prefer Matthew 7: 1-2: “Do not judge, lest you too be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
When it comes to wealth, well, things get really interesting. He told one rich man in Matthew 19:21: “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” He also said, in Luke 14: 13-14: “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Wait…taking wealth and redistributing it to the poor? Oh my, that sounds like, could it be, SOCIALISM!!! Cue the dramatic music. Wow, before too long the right-wingers will have to call Jesus a godless Communist. Seems to me the guy felt that society should take care of its sick, poor and homeless rather than just throwing up your hands and wishing them good luck.
How about this when it comes to wealth from Matthew 19:23: “Truly, I say unto you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Or maybe you’d like his take on public displays of prayer from Matthew 6: 6-7: “And when thou pray, thou shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou pray, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret.” Or his feelings about separating Church and State from Matthew 22:21: “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.”
Interesting. Gosh, I guess you Conservatives are right, anyone who would have beliefs like that is a Communist, God-hating, long-haired hippie liberal.
Right?
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