1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them saying:
3 "Blessed are the richest of contributors to their congregations, for theirs is the recognition of their peers.
4 Blessed are those who rebuke the sins of others, for their sins are not nearly as severe.
5 Blessed are those who boast of their works in the Lord, for those works shall earn them a greater place in heaven.
6 Blessed are those who call out the unrighteousness of others, for they are acting on behalf of the Lord.
7 Blessed are those who show no mercy, for showing mercy would only encourage the sinful to continue sinning.
8 Blessed are those whose heart is cold and full of judgment, for the wicked must be judged.
9 Blessed are those who dare go to war in the name of the Lord, because the weak and the timid will be swallowed up by the Infidels.
10 Blessed are those who persecute others in my name, for they will be victorious in the end."
Just in case you were curious, there is no such passage in the Bible, so you needn't keep looking. I didn't find this in any "LOST" Gospel or in the DaVinci code. It's a play on words, and if this angered you, it should. It was suppose to.
As shocking as my playing with the words of Jesus was, it's even more shocking and outrageous to learn that many evangelicals act as though the above words were alive in their hearts. In deed the very actions of some religious leaders today suggest a piousness that would have made the actions of the Pharisees of their day seem tame by comparison.
Religious conservatism is by no means a new phenomenon. It has existed in some form or another for thousands of years. The Crusades represented a low point in Christendom, which helped flame the fuel of contempt and hatred that has existed between Islam and the West for over a thousand years!
But the recent wave of religious conservatism that passes for evangelical Christianity in this country is becoming alarmingly adept at revisionist history; in deed it threatens the very fabric of the Republic it purports to love and support. It seeks to divide rather than unite, judge rather than show mercy, direct rather than invite, hate rather than love, and condemn rather than accept. This wave is gaining momentum within the United States and it is rearing its ugly head just about everywhere imaginable, including small groups within churches that, until quite recently, seemed above the fray.
Movies, television, video games, the internet, all have become fair game for the proselytizers, who sit in judgment and cry out for vengeance against the immoral, as though self appointed by God Himself to inflict His wrath! My wife and I witnessed just such a charade of stupidity and from people whom I thought were above this. The topic, I believe, was about relationships and how obstacles can get in the way of meaningful ones. Some how we gravitated toward how difficult it is being a parent these days, and before long the room was on a crusade of its own, blasting everything and everyone imaginable. The TV show Will and Grace was particularly hit hard. Maria and I did our best to offer what we thought were sobering opinions, but to no avail. It soon became obvious that nothing was going to change the minds of certain inividuals. The conclusion, which seemed inescapable to these people, was that life would be so much better if we could somehow return to a time when everyone left it to Beaver and Father truly knew best. I felt bad for those in the room who must've considered themselves prisoners; it must have been frustrating watching the evening unravel like that. Sadly, I find that a lot of Christians share this world view, and seem hell bent on twisting the ears of any and everyone who call themselves followers of Jesus. They will not rest until they either convert or drive away the unchurched.
Christianity, these days, seems other focused. It is preoccupied with the actions of others as a prerequisite for peace on earth. Like the proverbial cart before the horse, Christians are convincing themselves that the problems of the world lie in the decadence of society, and that all we have to do is rid ourselves of this decadence and we will have paradise again. Homosexuality, marital infidelity, and violence have existed since the beginning of time. Yet, to the maniacally inclined, it is as recent as an Elvis song.
Curious isn't it how Jesus managed to avoid such trappings. Had He wanted to, I'm sure He could've told a few tales about the Roman Empire. Certainly decadence held no bounds within its massive grips. But Christ had another agenda. Instead of focusing on the evil in the world, Christ sought to reveal the evil within us. The key was our heart, not the worlds. Matthew 7:3 says it all. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Jesus was, if anything, notorious for revealing the hypocrisy that dwells in all of us, and He held His greatest contempt, not for the secular world leaders of His time, but for the religious leaders: the Pharisees.
P.S. the correct version of the Beatitudes is as follows:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
And finally this encouraging word.
"God bless us, everyone."
- Tiny Tim
I thought I'd throw that in for good measure!
