What Would Jesus Do? I remember in the mid-90s when I started seeing this ubiquitous phrase in mainstream culture. Teenagers wearing wristbands with the abbreviation, “WWJD?,” as a reminder of their faith, bumper stickers on cars, tee shirts, and baseball caps, among other things.
It is a question worth consideration above and beyond our daily Christian struggles with sin and morality. It is a question that should be asked in not only the spiritual, but also the literal sense. In other words, I think it is important for us to understand Jesus not only as a supernatural force, as the fulfillment of religious prophecy, or the manifestation of God in the flesh. We must be willing to examine him as a flesh and blood man. A man who was born, had a childhood, had a family, and who lived and worked in the Roman providence of Judea during a time of tremendous social upheaval.
What would Jesus do? Well, let’s examine some things that Jesus actually did do. Let me begin by saying that I am not a biblical scholar or theologian. I’m barely and amateur historian. But, I do believe that a man named Jesus, did in fact, live during the 1st century AD and a Nazarene who lived among the Jewish commoners of the Galilee region. I believe he was responsible for facilitating a religious revival that ultimately became an organic movement after his life was taken at the hands of a Roman crucifixion.
It is spiritual faith that leads us to believe he was resurrected three days later, thus fulfilling prophecy. I won’t get into these spiritual matters. Again, I want to focus on the documented events that surrounded his life in a historical context.
What would Jesus do? I can tell you with certainty that Jesus was a political dissident. Jesus was a radical. He was not solely a religious figure, he was a dangerous man who threatened the establishment of his day.
Some people have postulated that Jesus was a Zealot, a member of a Jewish sect which sought to overthrow the Roman Empire. I do not believe that Jesus was a Zealot. (Mark 12:17) Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him. These words clearly show that Jesus was not interested in the politics of Rome. He was, however, interested in the corruption of the Sanhedrin, the aristocratic class of Hebrew rabbinic judges who were selling out the people of Judea and profiting from Roman rule.
And, it was that same Sanhedrin that Judas sold Jesus out to for 30 pieces of silver. It was the same Sanhedrin who allowed money changers to set up business in the Second Temple of Jerusalem (Herod’s Temple). It was the same Sanhedrin who ultimately pled with Roman Governor Pilate to rid Judea of a man they saw as a threat to their power.
Why is this important for a Southern Nationalist or a right-wing political dissident? During the last century, as communists have infiltrated our institutions and even our churches, the historical narrative of Jesus’ life has been commandeered. He has been painted as a pacifist, almost a hippie-like figure, a man of “peace.” Phrases like “turn the other cheek” have been offered as proof that Jesus was a “tolerant” man, who only spread a message of love.
These lies about Jesus have created a spineless Christian “conservative” movement in America and indeed all over the West. Most mainstream Christians do not believe that Jesus was a dissident, and are themselves afraid to have dissident beliefs. They are cowards in the face of the modern Sanhedrin, and many, like Judas, would sell out their neighbor for the comfort that “30 pieces of silver” affords them.
These people willingly accept the lie that Jesus was tolerant of homosexuality, of prostitution, of promiscuity, adultery, or any other vice which they wish to justify. These people are willing to allow the modern Sanhedrin to corrupt their religion so that global commerce and trade aren’t inconvenienced by their moral dogmas.
What would Jesus do? He wouldn’t sit idly by while 11 year-old children are thrown into the degenerate culture of transgenders, or while opiates destroy hundreds of thousands of lives every year.
Jesus did not use violence to threaten the system. He used words, he used propaganda, and for that he was so dangerous that he had to be crucified. Have faith that if we are willing to be more Christlike in our words and actions, to challenge the status quo, that we can collectively move mountains.
-By Dixie Anon
O I’m a good old rebel, now that’s just what I am. For this “fair land of freedom” I do not care at all. I’m glad I fit against it, I only wish we’d won, And I don’t want no pardon for anything I done.
The Jesus of this conception probably bears a close likeness to Henry Ward Beecher, both in physical appearance and qualities of character. It was Beecher, after all, who was most responsible for this new gospel declaring the paramount importance of Christ’s love in rejection of the doctrine of original sin and regeneration. This was convenient for Beecher since he was apparently a serial adulterer and womanizer, among other less than laudable things. Debby Applegate writes of his nefarious influence,
(bold mine)
Quite. And in modern America examples of “Beecherism” (it needs to be called by its proper name, which is not Christianity. Just as “Islam” so called should be called by its original and proper name, which is Mohammedanism – our forbears understood the importance of this, but that is a subject for another time) can be multiplied almost endlessly, as you iterate. Here is an example of a modern heretic “preacher” cut in Henry Ward Beecher’s mold.:
Truth be told, the author of that quotation (Robert W. Lee, supposed great great great great nephew of Robert E. Lee) doesn’t really believe in a place called Hell in any case, no more than did the originator of his unbiblical, un-Christian doctrine.