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Merry Christmas, about four months early. I believe Jesus was born sometime in what we call April, but I'm not certain. This holiday breaks up a cold and boring winter and helps the stores make money. I believe it actually used to be a pagan holiday - real close to Christ, wouldn't you say? Ha!
But we have a real tree, decorate it, give gifts, and have a nice meal, nonetheless. But even that's not all about the food. Christmas Eve dinner this year was BLT's on our laps in front of "Miracle on 34th St." For the four of us, the holiday is fun, but it's not who we are.
In 2009 we left our former church that seemed to be more about "Christianity" than about Christ. Not for all, but for some. (Women not equal to men in God's eyes; be conservative, even if it doesn't truly follow Christ; don't smoke or you'll go to hell, etc.) We now go to services where the pastor loves science fiction movies and doesn't seem to own a tie, but believes in Jesus as savior-God, period. We're staying.
I still admire and respect Billy Graham, but his son Franklin has gone over the edge, turning into a political (got that?) idiot. And Jim Wallace is not conservative, but he is brilliant and true. Billy and Jim promote truth, rather than religion. In other words, they promote Christ, who really needs no promotion. He simply IS. There are other people out there who believe as I do. Not in "Jesusy" Christianity, but in truth. In the real Jesus.
Jesus was not popular in his time. His life was often in danger, and indeed he was murdered. He was poor, with no amount of monetary holdings to help him "build his ministry." He wasn't good looking. His early life is mostly unknown to any of us. And he changed the world. I'm tired of the blue eyed, blond haired fake that so much of American Christianity portrays. The real man was a poor Jew, for heaven's sake. Well, for our sake, actually.
He had siblings, well, half siblings. Joseph and Mary did have conjugal relations after Jesus's birth. James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas (no, not that one) and at least 2 sisters who are not named. The man had family. Can you imagine growing up as his sibling!? Wow. Do you suppose he shared? One would think so!
I'm just happy to have grown up and met him through words. Words have grown into reality.
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You might like the novel, Hallucinating Foucault whose theme is the relationship between Reader and Writer.
ReplyDeleteRecent evidence from scrolls found in Egypt, seem to indicate that "that Judas" had actually been asked by Jesus to identify him to the Romans. Perhaps he wasn't such a jerk after all.
RICHARDSON