My own personal Jesus

Today, at the Unitarian Universalist church I attend the minister gave a sermon about Jesus. The minister discussed that Jesus gets short shift among congregants. She discussed him in terms of his message, rather than his miracles and myths. She spoke about Jesus' impact on the US including non-Christians.

Recently, I read part of Thomas Jefferson's bible wherein he excised all of the miracles and life story. Jefferson's bible contains only Jesus' teachings and parables. I relearned what Jesus had to say.

I was raised a Roman Catholic and had a good Catholic upbringing and education. As a kid, I remember feeling personally responsible for Jesus' horrific Crucifixion which was displayed prominently in the church in all his misery and agony. I remember that every time I did something wrong (sinned) I felt guilty because ,as the nuns taught, I was adding to Jesus' pain. This was ultimately hard to grasp. Even more so, a virgin birth and resurrection. These seemed more unlikely the older I became and the more about other cultures' myths I learned. Many cultures have stories about men being born divine and gods dying and being reborn. I had no problems with God. Jesus did not make sense. The Holy Spirit even less so.

As a kid, I was impressed that Jesus took care of the poor, the sick and the hungry. I still am. What I don't get is how Christians can send preachers money and how preachers can condemn where Jesus did not. For example, many preachers disdain gays and advocate against gay marriage in the name of religion, which of course is Christianity; which of course is in Jesus' name. I have read the Old and New Testaments. Jesus has no opinions about gays. Jesus does talk about not judging others and turning the other cheek. Jesus' friends were poor fishermen, prostitutes and tax collectors (a most contemptuous occupation then as now).

Jesus was not conventional. He spoke out against the authorities: Romans, Sadducees, Pharisees, the rich. He believed in separation of church and state ("render onto Caesar..."). He criticized fundamentalists (Zealots). He had female friends: Mary Magdalene, Martha and Mary...

If Jesus were alive today, he'd hang out in the inner city or the developing world with the poor, the homeless, the drug addicts, the disease infected, the downtrodden. He'd heal, he'd preach and he'd teach. He'd be considered a rebel, an instigator and anti-authoritarian. He would despise hypocrites who used his name to make money, to condemn others and to ignore the downtrodden. His followers would be convicts, crack addicts and whores. I think at his table would be an HIV positive, former drug addict / former prostitute (healed by Jesus) who was a homeless transsexual. Jesus would love, would forgive and would not judge.

Jesus would scare the be-Jesus out of the rich, the government and most of those who profess to believe in him but use his name in vain for their own gain, glory and greed. I do not understand the Jesus of the megachurches, of fundamentalists, of the Right.

Jesus was human. He loved; he had contempt. He lost patience. He died a miserable death. He loved his mother. He loved his friends. He detested hypocrites. He lost his temper. He was kind to children. He was kind to women. He forgave his enemies. He resounds because he was human. Because he was like us but better than us. This is the Jesus I admire Jesus the rebel, the healer, the peacemaker, the teacher.

Yes, maybe that may be my own interpretation. But this is my personal Jesus. The myths and miracles do not matter. The content of the message does.