(This article was originally published on 14 April 2017)
It has been almost a year since I quit officially serving or volunteering the Church. My very close friends were clear Catholics and Christians and held major responsibilities in the church. I had been part of the church choir till recently and had also served the alter in my childhood days. Although, I used to follow the mass and the rituals of the mass, I always used to intrigue deep to find out the reasons behind doing those. The Eucharist has inspired me so much. As I grew matured in my age, i also reached my maturity levels of my agnosticism, due to my skeptical mindset.
Although , My dissociation with the Church started long back, my association with Christ and his story never depleted, it rather strengthened as days passed. Might be because, I never looked at him as god or the son of god. For me, he was an unique Human Being, he has done many deeds, that has really inspired me very much. He was more an amazing man than anyone.
Jesus was a Great man : But he was only a man? I don’t care about it now. What inspires me is just the story of Jesus on this earth. Jesus was a radical non violent revolutionary who hung around with lepers , hookers and crooks; wasn’t American and never spoke English; was anti-wealth , anti-death penalty. But was never Anti-Gay, never mentioned Abortion or birth control. Never called the poor lazy, never justified torture. He was not a poster boy for Christians crusading against Muslims, but a Messiah who can bring Christians and Muslims together. Most importantly Jesus wasn’t a Christian , love was his religion.
There are two most popular symbols in this world. The cross and the heart. Both are related and connected with the story of Jesus.
His death wasn’t a fall, it was rise of humanity. I believe the goal of Jesus wasn’t to save humans from God’s anger, disconnection , and judgement… It was to save humans from humans anger, disconnection , and judgement…
Reflecting on Jesus’ life is an amazing experience. Connecting his story to the today’s world is a life changing experience. For me he is no longer the long haired, bearded, Robe wearing, hippy looking guy that walked the streets of Israel 2000 years ago. He is not like the founder of any of the great religions of the world. He is the key figure in the history of the world and has had the greatest impact on the people on the earth as well as the religions and the governments of this world.
Dr. Ambrose Pinto writes: “Jesus: A Refugee and an Asylum Seeker at Birth.
By fleeing from his country to be born as a refugee Jesus identified himself with over 60 million people around the globe who have been currently forced to leave their homes to escape war, violence and persecution. He was a displaced person at birth and the reason for his refugee status was political.
Christmas reminds us that God by becoming a refugee and asylum seeker had translated his love for the excluded. ”
He was a revolution of love – the most powerful force in the universe. He preached a new love to the world –
Love your enemies
–this is a introduction of a new love to the world. His mission was not to be accomplished with guns, swords, bombs, or any other weapons. He would accomplish his revolutionary mission by demonstrating the inconceivable and unfathomable love.
The thorn, the cross, the blood, the nakedness. These can inspire men to be revolutionaries and be ready to stand up against injustice . Jesus decided to side with the oppressed against the oppressive state. He served to improve the lot of the poor without even knowing the consequences of his actions.
The greatest person ever lived is Christ. The one who was praised by scholars at the age of 12, was considered a thief at the Age of 33, this is because he questioned atrocities of those times and consider himself to be the “king of Jews” – He is clearly a communists and socialist.
Jesus inspires me to be a good leader. The act of washing the feet of his disciples reminds that life has no meaning without being servants.
Leaders to be leaders should serve the least and remain meek and humble in the service of others. I clearly love the “Jesus before Christianity” than the “Jesus of Christianity”. The Jesus that is uncovered in this process may not be the Jesus we expect; he certainly will not be the Jesus that most modern Christians would recognise. But in the end, he is the only Jesus that we can access by historical means. And that’s the Jesus I admire.
I felt lonely being out of the religion. But my spirituality supported and encouraged me . It is better to be a spiritual fruit than a religious nut.
I wish he comes one day and says the world and the religious nuts to stop co-opting his Legacy to justify their Nonsense.
MARSHAL © 