To liberate something is to set it free. We live in a society where the sacred is slave to the profane. The cost of this slavery is that the Christ of America bears no resemblance to the Jesus of scripture.
Some of sectors of our society call America a Christian nation. That is outright blasphemy. Our history is filled with injustice, cruelty, and oppression. Ask a Native American about exploitation and genocide at the hands of people calling themselves Christian. Most of descendents of those that survived still live in extreme poverty. Or ask an African American about kidnapping and cruel slavery, also at the hands of powerful Christians. Ending slavery did not end discrimination and racism. The current crop of “good” Christians are actively promoting materialism and shredding every safety net for the poor, sick, and disabled. If we are a Christian nation, then Jesus must have taught greed, theft, hatred, cruelty, murder, selfishness, and slobbering worship of wealth and privilege.
Sound familiar? And for those that worship King James, here is another version:
I prefer the Jesus of scripture to the Christ of America.
Some of sectors of our society call America a Christian nation. That is outright blasphemy. Our history is filled with injustice, cruelty, and oppression. Ask a Native American about exploitation and genocide at the hands of people calling themselves Christian. Most of descendents of those that survived still live in extreme poverty. Or ask an African American about kidnapping and cruel slavery, also at the hands of powerful Christians. Ending slavery did not end discrimination and racism. The current crop of “good” Christians are actively promoting materialism and shredding every safety net for the poor, sick, and disabled. If we are a Christian nation, then Jesus must have taught greed, theft, hatred, cruelty, murder, selfishness, and slobbering worship of wealth and privilege.
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Sound familiar? And for those that worship King James, here is another version:
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
I prefer the Jesus of scripture to the Christ of America.
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