Christ in the Wilderness (1872)
Ivan Kramskoy
The Civics of Jesus
by Chuck Angeline
I often think about how the compassionate and loving message of Jesus, presented quite thoroughly in the Gospels, tends to sink into the background as the hateful bigotry of some of the more extreme Christian sects takes center stage. I imagine that this is quite a frequent meditation amongst my fellow Quakers, and is not only one that I continue to be confronted by, but one I often find extremely troubling. This carnival of hatred, which has attracted so many willfully ignorant people into its horrendously fanatical tent show, is both extremely frightening and disheartening. And if that isn't bad enough there are certain individual, within some of highest levels of the United States congress, that consistently attempt to legislate such acts of ignorance and bigotry. These Dominionists will stop at nothing to undermine, not only the rule of law, but even the compassionate message of Jesus’ himself, in order to establish an outdated and downright horrific theocratic society, of, for and by the Roman Empire. A society rigidly molded in the image of Constantine the Great, rather than the benevolence of Jesus of Nazareth.
As a Quaker I don’t put much stock in Lent, or any other Christian holiday authorized by catholic liturgy for that matter, since friends tend to regard every day is a Holy(day). But I invite you, whether theist or secular, to reflect on those in history that have fought against similar exploitations, perpetrated against (hu)mankind, by considering how the story of Jesus, whether fictional or not, had played a prominent role in their fight. Some of you might not be aware that Abolitionism, The Civil Rights Movement and Women’s suffrage all had influential leaders and allies that were provoked by their particular religious faith to fight for the rights and privileges of their fellow men and women.
Also, Let us not forget how Jesus fought back, not only against the Roman Empire, but also against the Jewish Rabbis in his community. There are many incidents within the gospels where the Rabbis of the community continuously undermined the best interests of the meek and the poor, in order to accommodate the oppressors of the Jewish people. Jesus was condemned by the Roman Empire, and the rabbinical hierarchy, for questioning the status quo in his attempt to provide another avenue of salvation for the commoner. Not though the crucifixion, which is seen by many Christians as the sacrifice which absolved mankind of their sins, but redemption through the unwavering desire for the complete emancipation of mind, body and soul for each and every human being!
As a Quaker I don’t put much stock in Lent, or any other Christian holiday authorized by catholic liturgy for that matter, since friends tend to regard every day is a Holy(day). But I invite you, whether theist or secular, to reflect on those in history that have fought against similar exploitations, perpetrated against (hu)mankind, by considering how the story of Jesus, whether fictional or not, had played a prominent role in their fight. Some of you might not be aware that Abolitionism, The Civil Rights Movement and Women’s suffrage all had influential leaders and allies that were provoked by their particular religious faith to fight for the rights and privileges of their fellow men and women.
Also, Let us not forget how Jesus fought back, not only against the Roman Empire, but also against the Jewish Rabbis in his community. There are many incidents within the gospels where the Rabbis of the community continuously undermined the best interests of the meek and the poor, in order to accommodate the oppressors of the Jewish people. Jesus was condemned by the Roman Empire, and the rabbinical hierarchy, for questioning the status quo in his attempt to provide another avenue of salvation for the commoner. Not though the crucifixion, which is seen by many Christians as the sacrifice which absolved mankind of their sins, but redemption through the unwavering desire for the complete emancipation of mind, body and soul for each and every human being!
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