“Think there is a profound misunderstanding of Christ’s message. Christ is often quoted for ‘turning the other cheek’ etc but there is a lot more to it. Read the Gospels and focus on Christ and his words and more importantly, his actions (by their fruits you shall know them)
Christ was essentially a social revolutionary, he challenged the Pharisees at every turn, exposed their lies, their deceit, their hypocrisy. He went to the Temple and did not reason with the merchants – he demonstrated his rage, a very human emotion, and threw the merchants out of ‘his Father’s house, he overturned their tables and told them that he knew what they were up to.
Christ embraced the untouchables, the prostitutes, the sick – that is where he is to be found. A light in the darkness.
It was not the only time Christ showed emotions, there are several other occasions when he demonstrated such things. Our perception of Christ and the reality of Christ are often entirely different things. I was raised in Catholic Church tradition, but upon mature reflection and life experience things have changed for me, m interpretation has changed.
The Church is an institution that can arguably be accused of diluting Christ’s social revolutionary tendencies, in keeping with their own self-interest.
Christ did not stay in convents or monasteries, he took his message to the streets. I am not a theologian, but I sense more fire in Christ’s belly than is commonly acknowledge or highlighted, he would not have tolerated bullying, he too would have challenged it.
“That is what makes Christ so special, not only did he talk the talk, he walked the walk. But we must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. I know many fine people, priests, and nuns, who are lights in the darkness. I know many people, who are lights in the darkness.
Each one of us must make a choice. There are those who are modern-day Pharisees, pious hypocrites but there are others who are moving mountains. Below are just two examples – there are many others. Each person has a duty to do what they can within the constraints of their lives, their abilities, etc Edmund Burke’s line still holds true “all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men/women to do nothing”.
The Church as an institution has lost its way, lost its values, lost touch with Christ’s message, it is about to experience a painful adjustment, from which it may not survive.
Leave A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.