Why The Bashing of This Man? Jesus Christ
Whether you’re an atheist, agnostic, or just a lost soul, why do I keep hearing the insults and name calling of this man Jesus Christ? I have noticed this new trend of Jesus bathers out there lately, and it has left me wondering, why? Is it just to prove that you are unconventional? Or are you following a new trend? Or is it simply that you are uninformed about his serene message?
If or if not he was the son of God, if or if not he was the performer of miracles, is besides the point. The message he brought to mankind, the message of forgiveness, peace and love, has in fact been duplicated and reproduce for centuries after him. Some may leap from one religious cult to another, some may search and search, lost in spiritual translation, and others may turn to spiritual awareness books by authors like Ekchart Tolle, and Deepak Chopra, but in the end they all comes down to the same message, a message that Jesus Christ has been preaching for years. A simple message of, Forgiveness before Ego, Peace before Desire, Love before Hatred.
Who was Jesus Christ?
Most of us know that he was born somewhere in Bethlehem, and grew up in a place called Nazareth. And that he had many followers. Some may believe that he was the son of God and that he was a performer of miracles. And others may have faith that he died on the cross for their sins. For me personally all that doesn't matter. What matters is the significance of the messages he brought to us. A message so powerful in ideology, so true in purity. A message that has been reproduced by many great leaders and preachers such Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela, Yet the main source of these principles is Jesus.
This is a man who contradicted every teaching and law of his era, a society that believed in an eye for an eye, the stoning of prostitutes, the out casting of lepers. A culture that enjoyed watching the torture of human beings as a sport, the crucifixion of criminals as punishment. Jesus, one man with the courage to oppose injustice with love.
What Was His Message? The Key to Selflessness
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”
“But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also”
“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. “
“What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul.”
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."
“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”
“How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.”
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
“Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”
“Leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”
“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humble, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
In the end whether or not you want to turn the other cheek, stop judging others, or love your neighbour, this is your prerogative. But we must stop insulting this man, who spread a message of harmony. We must separate this man from the brutal crusaders who disregarded all that he taught. We must remove him from the crimes of the historic churches. Instead we need to appreciate his essence and embrace him as the true maharishi of civilization, the true teacher of these three words Forgiveness, peace and love that just may someday make our world a better place.
