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The Not so Nice Jesus


Why Jesus?
Jesus has been held in high regard by Christians and non-Christians
alike. Regardless of whether he existed in history, or whether he
was divine, many have asserted that the New Testament Christ
character was the highest example of moral living. Many believe that
his teachings, if truly understood and followed, would make this a
better world.

Is this true? Does Jesus merit the widespread adoration he has
received? Let's look at what he said and did.

Was Jesus Peaceable And Compassionate?
The birth of Jesus was heralded with "Peace on Earth," yet Jesus
said, "Think not that I am come to send peace: I came not to send
peace but a sword." (Matthew 10:34) "He that hath no sword, let him
sell his garment, and buy one." (Luke 22:36) "But those mine
enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring
hither, and slay them before me." (Luke 19:27. In a parable, but
spoken of favorably.)

The burning of unbelievers during the Inquisition was based on the
words of Jesus: "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a
branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the
fire, and they are burned." (John 15:6)

Jesus looked at his critics "with anger" (Mark 3:5), and attacked
merchants with a whip (John 2:15). He showed his respect for life by
drowning innocent animals (Matthew 8:32). He refused to heal a sick
child until he was pressured by the mother (Matthew 15:22-28).

The most revealing aspect of his character was his promotion of
eternal torment. "The Son of man [Jesus himself] shall send forth
his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that
offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a
furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
(Matthew 13:41-42) "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is
better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to
go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched." (Mark
9:43)

Is this nice? Is it exemplary to make your point with threats of
violence? Is hell a kind, peaceful idea?

Did Jesus Promote "Family Values"?
"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and
wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life
also, he cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26)

"I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her
mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."
(Matthew 10:35-36)

When one of his disciples requested time off for his father's
funeral, Jesus rebuked him: "Let the dead bury their dead." (Matthew
8:22)

Jesus never used the word "family." He never married or fathered
children. To his own mother, he said, "Woman, what have I to do with
thee?" (John 2:4)

What Were His Views On Equality And Social Justice?
Jesus encouraged the beating of slaves: "And that servant [slave],
which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did
according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes." (Luke
12:47) He never denounced servitude, incorporating the master-slave
relationship into many of his parables.

He did nothing to alleviate poverty. Rather than sell some expensive
ointment to help the poor, Jesus wasted it on himself, saying, "Ye
have the poor with you always." (Mark 14:3-7)

No women were chosen as disciples or invited to the Last Supper.

What Moral Advice Did Jesus Give?
"There be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom
of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive
it." (Matthew 19:12) Some believers, including church father Origen,
took this verse literally and castrated themselves. Even
metaphorically, this advice is in poor taste.

If you do something wrong with your eye or hand, cut/pluck it off
(Matthew 5:29-30, in a sexual context).
Marrying a divorced woman is adultery. (Matthew 5:32)
Don't plan for the future. (Matthew 6:34)
Don't save money. (Matthew 6:19-20)
Don't become wealthy. (Mark 10:21-25)
Sell everything and give it to the poor. (Luke 12:33)
Don't work to obtain food. (John 6:27)
Don't have sexual urges. (Matthew 5:28)
Make people want to persecute you. (Matthew 5:11)
Let everyone know you are better than the rest. (Matthew 5:13-16)
Take money from those who have no savings and give it to rich
investors. (Luke 19:23-26)
If someone steals from you, don't try to get it back. (Luke 6:30)
If someone hits you, invite them to do it again. (Matthew 5:39)
If you lose a lawsuit, give more than the judgment. (Matthew 5:40)
If someone forces you to walk a mile, walk two miles. (Matthew 5:41)
If anyone asks you for anything, give it to them without question.
(Matthew 5:42)
Is this wise? Is this what you would teach your children?

Was Jesus Reliable?
Jesus told his disciples that they would not die before his second
coming: "There be some standing here, which shall not taste of
death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom" (Matthew
16:28). "Behold, I come quickly." (Revelation 3:11) It's been 2,000
years, and believers are still waiting for his "quick" return.

He mistakenly claimed that the mustard seed is "the least of all
seeds" (Matt. 13:32), and that salt could "lose its savour" (Matthew
5:13).

Jesus said that whoever calls somebody a "fool" shall be in danger
of hell fire (Matthew 5:22), yet he called people "fools" himself
(Matthew 23:17).

Regarding his own truthfulness, Jesus gave two conflicting
opinions: "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true"
(John 5:31), and "Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is
true" (John 8:14).

Was Jesus A Good Example?
He irrationally cursed a fig tree for being fruitless out of season
(Matthew 21:18-19, and Mark 11:13-14). He broke the law by stealing
corn on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23), and he encouraged his disciples to
take a horse without asking permission (Matthew 21).

The "humble" Jesus said that he was "greater than the temple" (Matt
12:6), "greater than Jonah" (Matthew 12:41), and "greater than
Solomon" (Matthew 12:42). He appeared to suffer from a
dictator's "paranoia" when he said, "He that is not with me is
against me" (Matthew 12:30).

Why Jesus?
Although other verses can be cited that portray Jesus in a different
light, they do not erase the disturbing side of his character. The
conflicting passages, however, prove that the New Testament is
contradictory.

The "Golden Rule" had been said many times by earlier religious
leaders. (Confucius: "Do not unto others that you would not have
them do unto you.") "Turn the other cheek" encourages victims to
invite further violence. "Love thy neighbor" applied only to fellow
believers. (Neither the Jews nor Jesus showed much love to foreign
religions). A few of the Beatitudes ("Blessed are the peacemakers")
are acceptable, but they are all conditions of future reward, not
based on respect for human life or values.

On the whole, Jesus said little that was worthwhile. He introduced
nothing new to ethics (except hell). He instituted no social
programs. Being "omniscient," he could have shared some useful
science or medicine, but he appeared ignorant of such things (as if
his character were merely the invention of writers stuck in the
first century).

Many scholars are doubtful of the historical existence of Jesus.
Albert Schweitzer said, "The historical Jesus will be to our time a
stranger and an enigma." No first-century writer confirms the Jesus
story. The New Testament is internally contradictory and contains
historical errors. The story is filled with miracles and other
outrageous claims. Consisting mostly of material borrowed from pagan
religions, the Jesus story appears to be cut from the same fabric as
all other myths and fables.

Why is Jesus so special? It would be more reasonable and productive
to emulate real, flesh-and-blood human beings who have contributed
to humanity--mothers who have given birth, scientists who have
alleviated suffering, social reformers who have fought injustice--
than to worship a character of such dubious qualities as Jesus.




Published by Freedom from Religion Inc.

http://www.ffrf.org/nontracts/jesus.html