Love your neighbour and seek his kingdom on earth. It all sounds so simple, deceptively so. To follow Jesus inevitably leads to clashes with the forces of power and wealth. In his time Jesus was deeply involved in disputation with religious, legal and political authority. He championed the poor, the marginalised, the discriminated against. He railed against injustice.
Jesus called for transformation in individuals' attitudes and through this for a new society. This is for the followers of Jesus to seek today. It is all that matters. Ignore the Old Testament as Jesus is its fulfilment. Pauline theology is commentary and personal opinion, it is not essential reading to understanding and applying the teaching of Jesus.
My interest is in life on earth, not life after death. I despair of religion concentrating on regarding individuals as fallen and in need of salvation with the gift of eternal life as a reward. We are not donkeys subject to the stick and carrot approach as to how we conduct our lives. Jesus teaches us not to be selfish and self-centred but to go out into the world and preach and work to achieve his message of love and justice, for his kingdom to come on earth as it is heaven,
Jesus tells us to love God. But what or who is God? A metaphysical entity or a concept of human imagination? Humanity strives to understand what is beyond understanding. A mystery but not a superstition. Faith is hope and being certain of what is unseen and unknown. Refuse to anthropomorphise God but freely acknowledge the power of prayer to grant us assurance and hope.
No comments:
Post a Comment