Money.

"'No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and wealth.'"  Luke 16:13 (NRSV)

This makes rich Christians a contradiction.

Many Christians who are wealthy think that they are being true to the Gospel but they are not.  

The Gospel is "good news for the poor". (Luke 4:18)

And Jesus speaks repeatedly about the evils of wealth.

Bur conservative Christians impose the religion of "Cheap Grace" which obeys some aspects of the Gospel but ignores any requirement to give up their wealth.

And they usurp the power of God for themselves so that they not only have all the wealth but they have all the power as well.   

They then manipulate and control the masses through rewards and punishments, intimidation and threats.

Jesus says of them: "'They will receive the greater condemnation.'"  Mark 12:40 (NRSV)

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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Forgiveness.

The Internet is full of people saying: "I will never forgive them!"

As if this somehow justifies their grievance.

But Jesus said: "Do not judge, so that you may not be judged."  Matthew 7:1 (NRSV)

So we should forgive others as God has forgiven us.

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Ronald Reagan.

The right-wing corporate owned media told us that Ronald Reagan was a hero because he defeated Communism. 

He also cut their taxes.

But Ronald Reagan used religion to demonize and damn his political opponents and he endorsed the idea that the Millennium would bring a Last Judgement on his political enemies.

This was backed up by Generation X who kicked, intimidated, and damned the left-leaning Baby-Boomers.

None of this was based in truth of course but a media blanket made sure there was no dissent.

And so it is time to reconsider Ronald Reagan's legacy.

 

His commitment to Neo-Liberal Economics has resulted in the greatest disparity between rich and poor in history.

And his disregard for truth has paved the way for the post-truth era we now live in.

And so he can be seen as an evil man hellbent on destroying his political opponents.

And someone responsible for resurrecting the type of propaganda that Goebbels used to establish the Nazi Regime in Hitler's Germany.

 

Not a hero but a villain.

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The Way of the World.

It is the way of the world to seek riches for yourself.

And it is the way of the rich to seek power over others.

And it is the way of the powerful to subjugate and exploit the masses.

This is the way of the world.

And Jesus said that the way of the world is evil. (John7:7)

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Church and God.

It may come as a surprise to many that there is a difference between Church and God.

Jesus said that the Pharisees and Priests did not know God. (John 7:28,8:55)

And the majority of Jesus' Priests and Ministers today do not know God.

They preach a traditional theology of sin and ransom, judgement and punishment, heaven and hell.

But Jesus said: "'The Father judges no one.'" John 5:22 (NRSV) and : "'You judge by human standards, I judge no one.'" John 8:15 (NRSV)

 

And so there is a difference between what the Church teaches and God.

God judges no one, but waits for us to realize and experience His Love.

But the Church is captive to fear.

They fear punishment and they fear hell.

And much of their good works are motivated by fear.

And so we must not feel ashamed of rejecting the Church's teachings.

But we must persist in our search for direct experience of God.

Only then will we see.

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible. copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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Anti-Christ.

Too many people in authority in Jesus' Churches endorse the rich and powerful in our world.

They are right-wing, anti-liberal, anti-gay, and anti-women.

And they oppose the efforts of left-wing politicians to make a more just and equal society.

This is why Communist countries banned religion - they sided with the rich and powerful - the aristocracy.

And they have become a part of a conservative establishment which has been seduced by power and authority.

They subjugate the masses and they bathe in power and privilege.

The Bible talks repeatedly about them condemning their corruption and exposing their crimes.

But you won't hear those passages read out in church.

Instead you will hear promises of Heaven and flattery of the faithful.

This is what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called - Cheap Grace - a stealing of God's blessing while not altering their selfish behavior.

But they have appropriated Jesus' name and usurped the power of God.

All the while ignoring the poor and needy.

They are anti-christ.

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Rewards and Punishments.

Too many people manipulate our behavior by using rewards and punishments.

If you do what they want they will reward you with compliments and cheerfulness*.

If you don't so what they want they will punish you with insults and bad temper.

This happens on a personal level, a social level, and a psychic level.

The carrot and stick approach of ruling elites is an example of social manipulation.

And, of course, the traditional theology of the Church reflects this approach.

But rather than seeking to control our behavior God loves us unconditionally.

His representatives on Earth, however, feel that they need to control our behavior by imposing absolute rewards and punishments.

Sin and death, transgression and penance, Heaven and hell.....

These things are control methods.

And they are a direct contradiction of Jesus' teachings.

"Your sins are forgiven."  Luke 7:48 (NRSV)

"The Father judges no one."  John 5:24 (NRSV)

"Love your enemies."  Matthew 5:44 (NRSV)

  

"Father forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."  Luke 23:34 (NRSV)

God's Love is unconditional.

God does not hold us to ransom.

But this does not mean that He condones bad behavior.

God is good.

And He expects us to be good also.

(*Or give you a tick.)

{Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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