| | Easter is the most important religious feast in the Christian liturgical year as it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, which occurred on the third day after his crucifixion around AD 33. The crucifixion is based on the idea that the sins of man must be atoned for by the sacrifice of his creator -- which implies that it is noble and just for the morally perfect to be sacrificed to the morally depraved. Sacrifice, as it turns out, is a key element in Christianity.
From Matthew 5:39-5:45: "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.' However, I say to you: Do not resist him that is wicked; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other also to him. And if a person wants to go to court with you and get possession of your inner garment, let your outer garment also go to him; and if someone under authority impresses you into service for a mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one asking you, and do not turn away from one that wants to borrow from you [without interest]. You heard that it was said, 'You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those persecuting you; that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous."
Did Jesus practice what he preached? The following passage (from Luke 19:27) is revealing: "Moreover, these enemies of mine that did not want me to become king over them bring here and slaughter them before me."
Jesus condemns anger. In Matthew 5:22, he says, "I say to you that everyone who continues wrathful with his brother will be accountable to the court of justice; but whoever addresses his brother with an unspeakable word of contempt will be accountable to the Supreme Court; whereas whoever says, 'You despicable fool!' will be liable go the fiery Gehenna."
Did Jesus practice what he preached? In Matthew 12:34, he makes this contemptuous statement, "Offspring of vipers, how can you speak good things when you are wicked!" In Matthew 23:17, he says, "Fools and blind ones! Which, in fact, is greater, the gold or the temple that has sanctified the gold?" In Matthew 23:27-28, he says "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you resemble whitewashed graves, which outward indeed appear beautiful but inside are full of dead men's bones and of every sort of uncleanness. In that way you also, outwardly indeed, appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." Speaking of hypocrisy, look who's talking!
Nevertheless, Christianity continues to be accepted by the overwhelming majority of the people in this country as their guide and source of moral inspiration. Do these people ever read the Bible? The ones who do apparently read it very selectively.
And speaking of the Bible as a moral guide, the "Good Book" contains at least 50 separate instances in which God commits, commands or condones wanton and inexcusable murders, many of which are genocidal atrocities. So much for the injunction, "Thou shalt not kill."
The Bible is riddled with so many inconsistencies, absurdities, atrocities, and moral depravities that it's mind boggling. Yet, in order to be accepted for public office, a candidate must be sworn in with his hand on the Bible, as if that somehow provided moral sanction to his oath of office. Even our money bears the stamp "In God We Trust!" So much for the separation of Church and State! Is it any wonder that with this kind of corrupt moral backing, our political leaders as well as our monetary system are themselves a study in corruption?
And to think that one doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hell of being elected President if one is an atheist, whereas someone like Barack Obama who belongs to a church that preaches a bizarre form of black liberation theology is considered electable!
Go figure!
- Bill
(Edited by William Dwyer on 3/23, 3:35pm)
(Edited by William Dwyer on 3/23, 4:27pm)
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