Remembering Jesus: Christian values in a changing society

Dr Pamreihor Khashimwo *

Born in the town of Bethlehem in the West Bank into a humble carpenter’s family. Jesus lived a simple life and chose his disciples from a weaker section of society, unlike the enterprise of presence Churches of our society. Yet, became a world wonder of revolution against a corrupt priestly order and absolutist injustice. Judas Iscariot betrayed Him for a few pieces of silver coin.

Jesus spoke for all mankind and advocated a spiritual philosophy of truth of human rights and social justice. His advocacy of the humanist culture as the ultimate value, as against obscurantist faith, is evident from the reproach that Sabbath is for man, not man for Sabbath.

His teaching emphasis the unity and fraternity of humanity and the bonds of family loyalty in the name of God’s universal fatherhood and the brotherhood of all mankind, and denounced all private wealth, and personal advantage. He said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.”

For all human kind, Jesus’ hard-hitting teaching was a lordly demonstration of egalitarian society and liberation from obscurantist faith, authoritarian politics, theological orthodoxy, big business robbing, and corporatist endeavours of Churches. Jesus message established a de facto revolt against Roman oppressive ruled and imperialistic orientation, injustice and self-glorified ecclesiastic godism.

He endured for humble culture marked by a sacred, inspiring, empathetic ethos, and a divinity of humanity that is free from crass, materialism, division of class, and greedy grabbing possessions. He challenged Jewish priestly domination, opposed discrimination and commanded socio-economic justice in God’s name. This certainly is the essence of the Jesus jurisprudence of human dignity and brotherly obligation to work and help every human in suffering.

Jesus represented a revolutionary change in the theological earthly institution and fiercely advocated social justice, equity, and dignity in social order. H.G Wells observed, “This doctrine of the kingdom of Heaven, which was the main teaching of Jesus, is certainly one of the most revolutionary doctrines that ever stirred and changed human thought.

It is small wonder if, the world of that time and of our time failed to grasp its full significance, and recoiled in dismay from even a half apprehension of its tremendous challenges to the established habits and institutions of mankind.” Jesus proclaimed the actuality of a universal moral order and told that the kingdom of god was indeed within us.

He denounced the hypocrites who did their commerce inside the temples, churches, and the shrines. Today, right before our eyes, our churches and temples are again centre of big business, leading to mushrooming of the proprietariat, the commercialisation of god and the commoditisation of man. Big and great churches, pastors, god-men, leaders of religious establishment are a mundane part of the capitalist formation and are increasingly becoming anti-Jesus.

Every barbarity from those faithless days exists in our society, indeed in large scale, to victimise the have-not and slaughter the basic humanist. The followers of Jesus at the present time are living devoid of what Jesus preached. Jesus was a staunch supporter of egalitarianism, a socialist, and an economic democrat. Testimony of this lies in his stories and preaching.

In order to wipe every tear of grief from every sufferer’s eye, it needs a social transformation and an economic regeneration, and to fight against those who rob the people’s resources. Today, our society is devoid of this radiance and humanity of true spirituality. Pontius Pilate blasphemous administration and pertinacious justice delivery system put Jesus to the cross, who preached for the kingdom of heaven and denounced priestly order.

The same judge who set free Barabbas sentenced Jesus of treason. Today we are living in a society where innocence citizens suffers and robbery rides societal power. Barabbas jurisprudence is incurrency and prevalentin our society.

To my mind, Jesus advocacy and teaching of the kingdom of god is the indication to socialism, social justice, secularism and democracy. His absolute simplicity, matchless humility, compassionate humanity, gender reverence and pro-poor égalité are proof of humane character. He washed the feet of his disciples, to share and care for neighbour, made Jesus as a pioneer of world brotherhood, who advocated freedom from dogmas and obscurantist cults.

This is the Christianity to be practised daily- not the Christianity for a Sunday ritual services, and not eye-catching charity (tithes) linked with mighty greed. The lifestyles of many Christians and churches today reflect a preoccupation with fulfilling the lusts of the flesh.

Indeed, if Jesus is born today in our society, will certainly, meet Pilate’s justice system. Barabbas is in power and everywhere in the presence Christian society. Judas the pretentious disciple is presence, working, and practicing dual diplomacy- the cross in one hand and money on the other. Thus, the finest teachings of Jesus have perished, and our society today suffers a grave decline in the values of humanism, compassion, spirituality, morality and divinity. Greed vulgarity and the collapse of the public good have been a shock and a shame, we preached too much and practice nothing.

Resurrection, not in the lexical or biblical sense, but in the grand moral dimension of the term conveying the spirit of trans-material transformation, is the structural splendour of our society. The slogan of Peace, not war; stability, not subservience; high morality, not any grab-based acquisitive success; love, not hate; honesty, not Judas-ism has become meaningless.

Exploitation has become the rule of day, and equity and justice have become the vanishing point of community jurisprudence. The hidden agenda of religious institution is the vindictive approach of insatiable accumulation of wealth. The big divide in religious institutions, today, is between rich and poor, men and women, and between Judas-ism and Jesus-ism.

What Mahatma Gandhi said, “If Christians would really live according to the teachings of Jesus, as found in the Bible, all of India would be Christian today.”? Remembering Jesus, when worshiping power and money has become the daily dose of Christian life will reduce the present crisis of our society.