Sunday, November 12, 2006

What Would Jesus Do?

With the recent majority win for Democrat's in the House and Senate it got me thinking once again about the opposing views of the religious right and the liberal left. As most people I know they believe in moderation and being somewhere in the middle of things and not one extreme or another. That's the way it should be, but it's seems that we are forced to make extreme decisions when it comes to voting for a politician by giving up on some issues to be in favor of others. You can't keep it simple by being a one issue voter, but here are several issues that influenced my vote in the Bible Belt Red State of Georgia.

This was taken from the Sunshine for Women website and I just had to post it because this is what I believe. Sorry if you feel differently, you are entitled to your own opinion. I'm expressing mine here.

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One of the more frequently asked questions these days is "What Would Jesus Do?" Teens sport bracelets with the initials WWJD to remind them to ask themselves "What Would Jesus Do?" in difficult situtations. I thought I might take a few minutes to discuss "What Would Jesus Do?" in the light of current events. As part of my response, I will also address the issue of what Jesus would not do.
  • Jesus Would NOT be on the Board of Directors of a Fortune 500 corporation (or of a Fortune 5000 corporation, for that matter, either).
  • Jesus Would NOT head a large multinational corporation (or a large national corporation for that matter, either. Indeed, he probably wouldn't even head a small corporation, although he might be involved in a small, family-owned business.)
  • Jesus Would NOT go into business (including oil, gas, gold, and diamond extraction industries) with some of the most ruthless dictators in the world.
  • Jesus Would NOT lobby politicians on behalf of wealthy corporations.
  • Jesus Would NOT be a Wall Street trader, a banker for a large national or international banking conglomerate, or participate in the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
    Jesus would remind rich men to sell all of their worldly goods and to follow him if they wanted to enter the kingdom of God, for it is "easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
  • Jesus Would NOT wear Gucci's and schlep for corporate executives.
  • Jesus Would NOT demand tax cuts for the wealthy and benefit cuts for everyone else.
    Jesus would do everything in his power to care for the "least of these, my brethren."
  • Jesus Would NOT use the name of the Lord to advocate war, death, destructions, and spending unlimited amounts of money for those purposes.
    Jesus would drive the money changers from the temple.
  • Jesus Would NOT own his own religious television network, host a religious radio show, or sell time shares in his religious theme park.
    Jesus would cry, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!"
  • Jesus Would NOT support Star Wars missile defense systems, another military build-up, or expanding our "war on terrorism" to 60 nations around the world, including our own.
  • Jesus Would NOT participate in the production of any weapons of war in any capacity, even as a factory laborer.
  • Jesus Would NOT participate in the development of new weapons systems, including advanced military aircraft, chemical or biological weapons, or nuclear weapons (especially nuclear weapons, like the neutron bomb that are designed to kill people while sparing property.)
    Jesus would turn swords into plowshares -- convert existing military equipment into tools for improving the quality of life of existing people -- such as turning armored troop carriers into vehicles for transporting produce to market and converting military field hospitals into medical centers for people in the remotest and most inaccessible parts of the world.
  • Jesus Would NOT blur the line of separation of church and state.
    Jesus would work to keep church and state separate: Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, render unto God what is God's.
  • Jesus Would NOT permit big corporations to despoil the environment.
    Jesus would remind citizens that God made man stewards of her creation. Good stewards tend to their environment is such a manner that it is left in better condition than they found it for future generations.

  • Jesus Would NOT wear a triple decker crown, live in a princely palace in Rome, and hold out his hand to have people kiss an enormous gemstone on his finger as a greeting.
    Jesus would wear a crown of thorns, live the life of a modest carpenter, and greet his fellow human beings with a warm, friendly, "Hi, How are YOU"

  • Jesus Would NOT encourage racial animosity.
    Jesus would teach us that all humanity are one and that racial differences are only skin deep, praising the goodness of the Good Samaritan over the highest ministers in the temple.

  • Jesus Would NOT limit women's horizons and aspirations.
    Jesus would encourage women to become educated and to participate in all aspects of life to the fullest, for there is neither Jew nor Gentile, male nor female, but we are all one in Christ Jesus.

I could continue along these same lines by discussing foreign and domestic policy initatives by our current administration. But I think you get the drift of my message.

Jesus of Nazareth's message was NOT to bring comfort and aid to the rich and powerful, but rather to empower the downtrodden and to bring social justice to the sick, the defenseless, and those most despised and oppressed by society. He was born of an unmarried, uneducated, peasant girl, probably just beyond the age of puberty (for it was the custom of the time to marry girls off shortly after puberty). In her own time, she was probably thought of in little higher regard than that of a slave. Yet, she was not of too humble an origin to give birth to one of the most influential people ever to have walked upon the face of the earth; a man that many claim to be divine.

Jesus would NOT be a Republican and Jesus would be a die-hard, liberal democrat. But these messages are messages you will not hear from televangelists, TV and radio "news commentators," and captains of banking and industry. It is time for liberal Democrats to ask, "What Would Jesus Do?"
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I really think Jesus would be an independent. Unfortunately, this would exclude him from participating in US presidential debates... which is potentially the most delicious of ironies.

Other interesting discussions/articles about the topic:

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

The closest thing to Jesus in modern times was Jimmy Carter. We had double digit inflation, high unemployment, an energy crisis, and we were bullied by third world nations.
Give me a party that rewards achievement, gives something for the poor, and destroys our enemies before they destroy us.
I suggest a daily dose of painful reality like Neal Boortz. It ain't nice but it's true.

Jay Montgomery said...

Anonymous,

You are certainly entitled to your opinion and pretty I'm sure I know who you are. Wayne? Thanks for posting. Jimmy Carter did have lots of problems. I think we would all agree that he does the world better as an ex-president with all the humanity efforts in recent years. But he was no Jesus. You say "Give me a party that rewards achievement, gives something for the poor, and destroys our enemies before they destroy us." I like that as well but, too bad Bush has not delivered those things, remember that 911 happened on Bush's watch and he did not stop our enemies before the destroyed almost 3000 Americans. I listen to Neal Boortz and those that also know Boortz would understand when I say "Blah, Blah, Blah". I like his Libertarian sense.

Anonymous said...

I am not trying to blast you. From reading your blog I know your heart is in the right place and that you do mean well. However, I must defend Bush even though he is not a favorite of mine. The president's tax cuts have rewarded the achiever (less than 2% of millionaires inherited their worth), this has helped fuel the economy and put the u/e rates at teh lowest in 25 years which means the poor are working and earning rather than having to be on the govt teat. Finally, Bush had only been on watch for 8 months when 9-11 happened. His response has been to create a battlefield where we can kill terrorist in one place, collectively, rather than trying to catch them by twos and threes in over 180 countries.
Finally, I used to think that Carter was the most moral, yet hopelessly naive, president that we could ever have. However, after he endorsed the election of Hugo Chavez just because he thought that to deny it would cause violence means he is, quite frankly, a liar. He has crawled into bed with every enemy of the state when, as the great John Lewis said during Clinton's actionjs in Iraq, "This is a time for unity"

Anonymous said...

It sounds real good and politically correct and all that to claim to know what Jesus would be. Personally I believe he would be a card carrying Republican. He would want a government that encouraged the growth of his carpentry business so that he could provide jobs for the poor.

I get a sinking feeling when reading that incredibly liberal extremist viewpoint in the article you quoted. It is nothing but extreme leftist propoganda. And, as I inferred, it is, in true liberal fashion, incredibly arrogant to assume to know how Jesus would be...and that he would be a liberal...especially when the vast majority of His modern day followers are conservative Republicans.

Anonymous said...

I would not blame anyone for 911 but the terrorists who committed that heinous and cowardly act. But if I had to blame any US president, I would blame Clinton because he was far more occupied with creative uses for his cigar than he was in working to prevent the growth and devlopment of the terrorism that culminated shortly after Bush took office.

Bush has done a superb job of protecting America. I am grateful for the fact that he is our president.

I am dismayed at the newly elected Democratic Congress, and in the fact that San Francisco liberal extremist Nancy Pelosi is the Speaker of the House.

Nevertheless, I am grateful that her nominee, Murtha was not voted in. The combination of Pelosi and Murtha would be suicidal in the war against terrorism. They haven't a clue how to fight this war which Nancy has characterized as a "situation."

Regards,

Proud Republican

Jay Montgomery said...

To all the Anonymous commenter's:

I did not intend this blog to be a political one. I'm an artist and illustrator promoting my work with an occasional personal topic. I know this is a very hot topic and everyone, including me, loves to put out there opinion. I'm honored that anyone would want to take the time out of their busy day and make a comment to a total stranger. The real deal is that I'm not going to change your mind and your not going to change mine so go spend your time on more important things than posting comments. If you post anymore I'll know that you don't have anything more important to do and that's a shame. Have some guts and use your real name. That's what Jesus would do.

DD said...

A big point is that radical Jihadists don't give a dang what Jesus would do, or what Jesus did. They are just out to kill us. End of story.

Anonymous said...

"If you post anymore I'll know that you don't have anything more important to do and that's a shame."
Well I have really enjoyed this. An oppurtunity to exchange philosphies without bitter, personal attacks. However, as you wish I will bow out.
Peace out, blog entry over.

Anonymous said...

And at the top of the blog it says "comments welcome"
Perhaps not.