He made Karl Marx look like a kitten
Dear Nettles,
As I watched the man from Galilee gather a group around him I often wondered what he was really up to. But never in my wildest nightmares did I imagine he would create the revolution he did.
It was really extraordinary that so few, even down here, realised what was going on, and even today few of his followers grasp the depth and extent of that revolution.
The thought of trying to give you even a glimpse of it leaves me utterly daunted.
I’ll tell you this, though. If you read the gospels with your eyes and your mind wide open, you’ll realise that this roaring lion makes Karl Marx look like a kitten.
Just take one of his remarks, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?”
Eat your heart out, Karl, That remark alone, taken seriously, would create a religious earthquake. Not to mention the impact it would have on a country’s economics.
But he was constantly tossing out cultural bombs like that. Like the time he casually remarked, “take up your cross and follow me,” and again, “Give to Caesar…”
But even from the time of his birth the revolution was under way. “I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by all the people,” the peacock from heaven told the shepherds.
Can you imagine the impact that would have on the masses who until now had no real reason for happiness or hope? It transformed their whole outlook on life.
Giving them the hope and promise of eternal happiness – suddenly their lives had meaning, purpose, direction.
What really sickened my stomach, however, was when he told them they needed to know their dignity, that they were children of Him above.
For centuries we had been telling them, “there’s nothing after death, you’re just an ape with a big brain.” Then this guy comes along and tells them, “you outshine a billion suns.”
The revolution, of course, began in the minds and hearts of his listeners. It changed their outlook on life and everything about life. Even more radically, it changed their desires.
Then it started to change families, how they related to Him above and to each other.
Then small Christian communities were founded and the debate about how they should regulate and shape their community life was under way.
Soon other questions were coming up: How should they treat their workers; was it ok to use false weights in business; could they join the army.
As time went on, and the revolution was spreading, bigger questions arose: should any of the laws be changed; what was expected from a Christian politician; how should they behave in times of persecution.
Of course, I am still only scratching the surface. As the centuries passed and the new values prevailed, more and more areas of life – respect for life, marriage, medicine, science, art, music, and so on – were transformed.
And the revolution is still only beginning.
Yours in awe,
Dumbag
As I watched the man from Galilee gather a group around him I often wondered what he was really up to. But never in my wildest nightmares did I imagine he would create the revolution he did.
It was really extraordinary that so few, even down here, realised what was going on, and even today few of his followers grasp the depth and extent of that revolution.
The thought of trying to give you even a glimpse of it leaves me utterly daunted.
I’ll tell you this, though. If you read the gospels with your eyes and your mind wide open, you’ll realise that this roaring lion makes Karl Marx look like a kitten.
Just take one of his remarks, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?”
Eat your heart out, Karl, That remark alone, taken seriously, would create a religious earthquake. Not to mention the impact it would have on a country’s economics.
But he was constantly tossing out cultural bombs like that. Like the time he casually remarked, “take up your cross and follow me,” and again, “Give to Caesar…”
But even from the time of his birth the revolution was under way. “I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by all the people,” the peacock from heaven told the shepherds.
Can you imagine the impact that would have on the masses who until now had no real reason for happiness or hope? It transformed their whole outlook on life.
Giving them the hope and promise of eternal happiness – suddenly their lives had meaning, purpose, direction.
What really sickened my stomach, however, was when he told them they needed to know their dignity, that they were children of Him above.
For centuries we had been telling them, “there’s nothing after death, you’re just an ape with a big brain.” Then this guy comes along and tells them, “you outshine a billion suns.”
The revolution, of course, began in the minds and hearts of his listeners. It changed their outlook on life and everything about life. Even more radically, it changed their desires.
Then it started to change families, how they related to Him above and to each other.
Then small Christian communities were founded and the debate about how they should regulate and shape their community life was under way.
Soon other questions were coming up: How should they treat their workers; was it ok to use false weights in business; could they join the army.
As time went on, and the revolution was spreading, bigger questions arose: should any of the laws be changed; what was expected from a Christian politician; how should they behave in times of persecution.
Of course, I am still only scratching the surface. As the centuries passed and the new values prevailed, more and more areas of life – respect for life, marriage, medicine, science, art, music, and so on – were transformed.
And the revolution is still only beginning.
Yours in awe,
Dumbag
