An overwhelming number of Americans claim to be devout Christians. The most aggressive in their assertions of dedication to Christ consistently display the most direct assault on Christ's teachings. Why is this? I believe it is the way so many cling to the old testament as a way of referencing Christs teachings, and I say that while the old testament contains much wisdom, that strict adherence to its doctrine is exactly the opposite of the message Jesus Christ brought to humankind.
Among the most important things Jesus said was, "I bring a new covenant". Throughout his teachings, and in virtually every attempt to teach by example, he went to great lengths to repudiate many of the practices of his day that were the direct result of the way the old testament and the books that influenced the old testament were interpreted and fed to the people. A great example of this is how he clearly he singled out the idea of an eye for an eye and said, no this is not Gods way. Jesus led a revolt against the very idea that organized religion should dominate your life and be more important than your personal interaction with God, and with each other. And he clearly taught that greed, in any form, was the very essence of evil.
Yet every day many of the most prominent Christian leaders of today insist that the message Jesus brought to us can only be seen within the concept of a doctrine designed around hatred, God sanctioned war, the arrogance and total egotism of God and teachings so improbable that even children who think can see how these ideas clash and contradict each other. From the first moment I read in the bible, at the age of 4 years old that God wanted slaves to obey their masters, my common sense told me I was being sold a bill of goods. You are told that God used one group of people to subjugate and punish another group of people employing violence, but wanted slaves to be obedient to prove their faith. I insist that this is not only improbable, but it is insulting to expect me to believe this vision of God.
Jesus Christ devoted his short life and ministry to what he insisted was Gods only requirement, that we love the lord thy God with all our hearts and souls; and that we love each other as we love ourselves. There is no room left for any other interpretations. Furthermore, he demonstrated every day of his ministry his belief that to live in accordance with Gods will, you needed to be open and honest, loving and nurturing to everyone, even if they hated you and meant to cause you harm. Jesus did not condemn the rich, but insisted that any form of hoarding when you could plainly see any of your fellow human beings in need was the very root of evil. Jesus insisted that viewing and representing yourself as any way better or more sanctified than any other living being no matter how low or misguided that person might be was proof of your unworthiness to ever be in the presence of God. Never did Jesus ever claim to be God, but he insisted that only by embracing the new covenant that he brought could humans ever live in Gods grace. And he taught us one more most important thing, that God understands we are not perfect and that in fact perfect is a word that can only be used to describe God and that whatever our failings, if we observe and practice Gods laws, we need not worry about his judgement.
And Jesus warned us even as he knew he would be prosecuted, tortured and put to death for telling us the truth, that even though he had given us all we needed to know to be in the will of God, that humankind would take his ministry and use it to do the very things he warned us against. And here we are.
Among the most important things Jesus said was, "I bring a new covenant". Throughout his teachings, and in virtually every attempt to teach by example, he went to great lengths to repudiate many of the practices of his day that were the direct result of the way the old testament and the books that influenced the old testament were interpreted and fed to the people. A great example of this is how he clearly he singled out the idea of an eye for an eye and said, no this is not Gods way. Jesus led a revolt against the very idea that organized religion should dominate your life and be more important than your personal interaction with God, and with each other. And he clearly taught that greed, in any form, was the very essence of evil.
Yet every day many of the most prominent Christian leaders of today insist that the message Jesus brought to us can only be seen within the concept of a doctrine designed around hatred, God sanctioned war, the arrogance and total egotism of God and teachings so improbable that even children who think can see how these ideas clash and contradict each other. From the first moment I read in the bible, at the age of 4 years old that God wanted slaves to obey their masters, my common sense told me I was being sold a bill of goods. You are told that God used one group of people to subjugate and punish another group of people employing violence, but wanted slaves to be obedient to prove their faith. I insist that this is not only improbable, but it is insulting to expect me to believe this vision of God.
Jesus Christ devoted his short life and ministry to what he insisted was Gods only requirement, that we love the lord thy God with all our hearts and souls; and that we love each other as we love ourselves. There is no room left for any other interpretations. Furthermore, he demonstrated every day of his ministry his belief that to live in accordance with Gods will, you needed to be open and honest, loving and nurturing to everyone, even if they hated you and meant to cause you harm. Jesus did not condemn the rich, but insisted that any form of hoarding when you could plainly see any of your fellow human beings in need was the very root of evil. Jesus insisted that viewing and representing yourself as any way better or more sanctified than any other living being no matter how low or misguided that person might be was proof of your unworthiness to ever be in the presence of God. Never did Jesus ever claim to be God, but he insisted that only by embracing the new covenant that he brought could humans ever live in Gods grace. And he taught us one more most important thing, that God understands we are not perfect and that in fact perfect is a word that can only be used to describe God and that whatever our failings, if we observe and practice Gods laws, we need not worry about his judgement.
And Jesus warned us even as he knew he would be prosecuted, tortured and put to death for telling us the truth, that even though he had given us all we needed to know to be in the will of God, that humankind would take his ministry and use it to do the very things he warned us against. And here we are.
