Have Christians Forgotten Jesus?

December 1, 2023 Open Religion No Comments

Or better, have many Christians ever known Jesus? Apparently, many have not to the full extent.

This blog puts Jesus in the present. Why? It just feels right while writing, as it also feels right to treat him not as a god or fairy tale personage but as a human being for now. What a human being!

The Jesus of the New Testament (shortly, Jesus) is human to the brim.

He speaks and acts as a total person. That’s actually very interesting, really. It’s as if he profoundly understands that being human is about much more than meets the conceptual eye. It’s as if he’s aware of what we are slowly getting aware of through science nowadays. For instance, to Jesus, religious ‘belief’ is a most profound human experience, not a lack of skepticism.

There is more between heaven and earth than we know — much more to see if we open our eyes, much more to do if we open our hearts.

Jesus is not just human, but extremely so.

He cares for people against all odds. He weeps for people when others aren’t looking. He sacrifices for people his own heart. He turns against injustice with no weapon at hand. He doesn’t care for power or status. He doesn’t care about seeking revenge. He gets mad when he sees ‘chalked graves.’ He just goes on when others don’t understand. He doesn’t care for naked rules. Moreover, he’s extreme in all this. He is, in one word, an utter romantic.

To him, every human being is infinitely valuable. He makes no exception. He has no limit in loving everyone.

Human also in suffering

Back then, Jesus suffered on the cross like many others did under Roman rule. The difference is that he could have easily chosen not to do so. He could have chosen to save his skin, but he didn’t — for reasons not related to himself but wholly to others, including those who were nailing him.

Through this supra-human suffering, he shows himself to be human all the way through — again, limitless.

So how can Christians be racist in his name, misogynistic, or clamor for the death of other people?

It is entirely contradictory. The only possible explanation is that they have either forgotten or never known Jesus. Do they even care? Is Jesus to them just an excuse, as could be anything else in the end?

At least some real explanation is needed to clarify this contradiction. Otherwise, Jesus’ humanity is treated with solid disrespect.

His message is his message now and forever.

Therefore, not anything others attach to it for any reason whatsoever — be it with good or bad intentions, and least of all some kind of identity politics, anxiety-driven power abuse, ‘sacredness’ that doesn’t come from the inside out (as a direction), or aggression against ‘bad atheists.’

Goodness.

Even when beating you with a stick, Jesus would never be aggressive.

Anything attached to Jesus’ message does not form part of his message, which is clear and radical.

Radical love.

Anything less is not Christian.

Anything less is not about Jesus.

It beats me to see that this is not clear to some.