With the impassioned charge of fundamental Christians trying to make America submit to their harsh and bigoted dogmas and establish an unconstitutional theocracy, I wonder why these “Christians” seem so different from the beautiful life and teachings of Jesus Christ?
Brilliant author Kurt Vonnegut had this to say about Christians wanting to put the Ten Commandments into public places:..
“For some reason, the most vocal Christians among us never mention the Beatitudes (Matthew 5). But, often with tears in their eyes, they demand that the Ten Commandments be posted in public buildings. And of course, that's Moses, not Jesus. I haven't heard one of them demand that the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, be posted anywhere.”
So, are Christian fanatics saying they believe more in Judaism than Christ?
In case you forgot, here are Jesus’ beatitudes:
Matthew Chapter 5
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
These are the teachings of Jesus Christ, which should be the foundation of Christianity. But Christianity today seems to be more about Thou Shalt Nots... and listening to the preachings of bigots cloaking their bigotries in the bible.
Jesus was a brilliant model of what it truly is to be a man, a real man, a spiritual man. There is nothing in the beatitudes that justifies the bigotries against non white races, against sexual orientations or identities, against women's empowerment, against non-Christian religions.
I pray that the life, the teachings, the inner inspiration, and love of Jesus opens the hearts of these fierce puritanical scolds to love rather than condemnation and domination. Maybe, if they allowed that, Christian churches would start to fill up rather than continue to empty out.
