A
AHIMSA
Guest
I wrote the following in response to the idea of "Christian Exclusivism", as it is a doctrine I vehemently disagree with. This, obviously does not apply to all Christians, but it certainly applies to major front being put forward by the Christian right.
Modern Christianity and the Pharisees
Christian exclusivism is not in line with the overall message of Christ. Jesus was not interested in theology nor doctrine, but was interested in the experience of the Living God, and the life changing implications of that experience. He was quick, blunt and often to the point: The Pharisees and the Sadduccees were far too obessesed with the law, with tradition with ritual, with "what happens when you die", but such obsessions do not lead one to God. The Pharisees and Sadduccees were the religious elite of their day, believing themselves alone to "posess the truth". When Jesus came, he did not appeal to them. He lived with the poor, the sick, the outcast, the downtrodden, the "sinful" and "unsaved" in society. He ate with them, he broke the rules, he destroyed customs, he overrided rituals. The Pharisees missed the boat, while the "unsaved sinners" did not. Was it because the Pharisees did not accept Christ as savior, whilst the sinners bowed down and worshipped? Certainly not! It was because, in their zeal to be 100% correct, in their zeal to posesses the truth alone, in their obessesion with ritual and tradition and doctrine...they overlooked something rather important, the very heart of the law. Jesus corrected them, asserting that the message of the law was not to be found in complexities, but in the simplicity of "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, body and mind." and "Love your neighbour and yourself." That was it! Upon these two commands, hinges everything else! Yet the Pharisees and Sadducces, outraged by his affiliation with sinners, outraged by 'blasphemy', outraged that he had torn from them, their "padlock on truth', they had him crucified.
And, yet, what are Christians today like? Christians today (and I am generalizing) are far too obsessed with scripture, with theology and doctrine. It seems to me that all they care about is "being saved" and making sure others are saved through the acceptance of complex theological arguments: atonement, incarnation, innerrancy ect. They rage against all those who oppose them, declaring that they alone have a "monopoly on truth" and that they alone can show you the "pathway to heaven." Likewise, they have divided themselves into the "saved Christians" and the "unsaved", whether they be atheist, agnostic or memebers of another faith. It reeks of the Pharisees and their divisive vision of "Pharisee" and "sinner".
They condmen people of all different walks of life, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, liberals, homosexuals, atheists,....and we all know how far the list goes on.
Yet in their zeal, in their obsession with doctrine and theology, the Bible becomes little more than a 5 step program of "How to Get into Heaven." In their zeal, they have overlooked the heart of Christ's message. Yes, I am convinced that modern, conservative Christianity has become the Pharisaical movement to which Christ so vehemently opposed. I am further convinced, that if Christ returned, this time it would be the Christians who crucify him.
Modern Christianity and the Pharisees
Christian exclusivism is not in line with the overall message of Christ. Jesus was not interested in theology nor doctrine, but was interested in the experience of the Living God, and the life changing implications of that experience. He was quick, blunt and often to the point: The Pharisees and the Sadduccees were far too obessesed with the law, with tradition with ritual, with "what happens when you die", but such obsessions do not lead one to God. The Pharisees and Sadduccees were the religious elite of their day, believing themselves alone to "posess the truth". When Jesus came, he did not appeal to them. He lived with the poor, the sick, the outcast, the downtrodden, the "sinful" and "unsaved" in society. He ate with them, he broke the rules, he destroyed customs, he overrided rituals. The Pharisees missed the boat, while the "unsaved sinners" did not. Was it because the Pharisees did not accept Christ as savior, whilst the sinners bowed down and worshipped? Certainly not! It was because, in their zeal to be 100% correct, in their zeal to posesses the truth alone, in their obessesion with ritual and tradition and doctrine...they overlooked something rather important, the very heart of the law. Jesus corrected them, asserting that the message of the law was not to be found in complexities, but in the simplicity of "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, body and mind." and "Love your neighbour and yourself." That was it! Upon these two commands, hinges everything else! Yet the Pharisees and Sadducces, outraged by his affiliation with sinners, outraged by 'blasphemy', outraged that he had torn from them, their "padlock on truth', they had him crucified.
And, yet, what are Christians today like? Christians today (and I am generalizing) are far too obsessed with scripture, with theology and doctrine. It seems to me that all they care about is "being saved" and making sure others are saved through the acceptance of complex theological arguments: atonement, incarnation, innerrancy ect. They rage against all those who oppose them, declaring that they alone have a "monopoly on truth" and that they alone can show you the "pathway to heaven." Likewise, they have divided themselves into the "saved Christians" and the "unsaved", whether they be atheist, agnostic or memebers of another faith. It reeks of the Pharisees and their divisive vision of "Pharisee" and "sinner".
They condmen people of all different walks of life, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, liberals, homosexuals, atheists,....and we all know how far the list goes on.
Yet in their zeal, in their obsession with doctrine and theology, the Bible becomes little more than a 5 step program of "How to Get into Heaven." In their zeal, they have overlooked the heart of Christ's message. Yes, I am convinced that modern, conservative Christianity has become the Pharisaical movement to which Christ so vehemently opposed. I am further convinced, that if Christ returned, this time it would be the Christians who crucify him.
