What would Jesus be up to nowadays, though many claim he is still with us, this unemployed son of two asylum seekers. Maybe he would be born in todays world as a refugee, or in an occupied nation, or in a slum or in a war zone , a life on benefits, due to sickness or disability.
I like to think that if he did wander on this earth he would show solidarity with the poor and oppressed, the most vulnerable, being the righteous man that he was said to be.
I am not personally of the christan faith but respect some historical facts, the evidence that points to Jesus as one of the self proclaimed messiahs fighting to end Roman occupation and for an egalitarian society in which division between rich and poor had been erased. His revolutionary message. This is what made him a marked man and led to his crucifiction and his followers subsequently being persecuted. I think his ideas seem to be the complete opposite of some of his followers today, who use his name, certain right wing politicians.
Did not many of the earlier christians practice a form of communism. As Acts of Apostles says " The believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need." And this from the gospels " he had filled the hungry with good things and sent the richaway with empty hands." Did he not preach fairness, his revolutionary ideas stirring some to follow him and others to hate him. Does not the Bible reveal too, a focus on social justice and the poor and point to a way that economic life should be organised around the needs of societies weakest and most vulnerable members. He challenged the attitudes of a society that looked down on the marginalised - the sick, the poor, the needy, social outcasts and challenged the structures that kept them in their marginalised place. He did not simply ignore those who suffer on the margins of our societies. He talked about a God of compassion - one that would open up his kingdom to those locked out.
In this present time many of his followers are urging Stephen Crabb the current secretary of state for work and pensions, and current Conservative MP, for Preseli Pembrokeshire here in Wales to scrap brutal cuts. In a letter which suggests they are incompatible with his Christian faith.
Catholic think tank Ekklesia have written to him saying his departments cuts have gone to far. Urging him to reverse the policies of his predecessor and to work to the principles of Christian justice .
You can read the full contents of the letter here , well worth a read :-
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/sites/ekklesia.co.uk/files/stephen_crabb_open_letter.pdf
happy eostore, heddwch/peace.
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