Jesus Was A Liberal

I've been watching the CNN series "God's Warriors" this week. The investigative report by Christiane Amanpour. She profiles the radical right-wing fringe of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. I watched the Christian report last night.

As always, when the right-wing Christians get the microphone, they love to trash the liberals. You would think those of us who are liberal are more vile to them then Osama Bin Laden. I guess there's a special ring in Hell dedicated to liberals.

But, I don't get it. Because Jesus was a liberal. He was a radical. That's why the establishment killed him. He challenged the status quo and the religious conservatives of the time. Frankly, I've always believed that today's right-wing Christian leaders like Jerry Falwell (oops he's yesterday's news), Pat Robertson, James Dobson, etc., are nothing more than modern day Pharisees. There's no doubt in my mind that if Jesus came back today and started preaching his gospel, these "men of God" would do everything in their power to run him out of town on a rail.

The gospels are full of accounts of Jesus' liberalism. He fed the multitudes loaves and fishes. He said when you make a feast, you should invite the poor and the lame and the downtrodden. They can't repay you, but your payment will come at the resurrection. I guess that's socialism.

There's one thing Jesus said that hits home for me on an almost daily basis. It's from Matthew 25. "For I was hungered and ye gave me meat. I was thirsty and ye gave me drink. I was a stranger and ye took me in. I was naked and ye clothed me. I was sick and ye visited me. I was in prison and ye came unto me. Inasmuch as ye have done this unto the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Jesus preached against the death penalty. "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." He taught love and forgiveness, and not just second chances, but third and fourth and so on.

He preached against greed and coveting possessions. He told the rich man to sell all his belongings and follow him. He said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter Heaven.

He was against war: "Blessed are the peacemakers." He told us to love and forgive our enemies, and told us that when someone strikes us on the cheek, we should turn the other cheek.

He was against the merging of church and state: "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's. And unto God that which is God's." And when asked by Pontius Pilate if he was King of the Jews, Jesus answered "My Kingdom is not of this world."

How does any of this resemble today's right-wing Christians, and by extension, the Repuglican Party? It doesn't. If Jesus were living among us today, he would tell these phony Christians the same thing he told the Pharisee: "You Pharisees clean the outside of cups, but inside you are full of greed and evil. You give God one tenth of your mint, your spices, and your garden herbs, but you ignore justice and the love of God."