Updating Jesus – American Jesus

Greetings Dear Reader,

We constantly need to be vigilant about remaking God in our image.  A simple Google search for pictures of Jesus will reveal that we seldom show him as a first century Jewish carpenter from the Middle East.   In most pictures he more resembles a European.   There is also Black Jesus, Buddy Christ, and American Jesus.

Too much of what we assume about following Christ is actually an American version of Christianity.  Whether it was intended or not many of the trappings of American Christianity do not reflect what the Gospels command us to do as Christ followers.  I realize that I repeat this often but the Gospel is very simple:

• Love God
• Love each other
• Take care of each other’s needs
• Follow in faith
• You cannot earn God’s favor

We Americanize Jesus to be on our side in politics, social issues, and religion.   We force him to theoretically bend to our religion.  We think we are better than others.  We do not make the needs of others our priority.  I am not speaking in anger here.  I am trying to speak plainly.  

We cannot say that we are Christ followers if we try to fit Jesus into our mold as Americans.  Our American history is littered with failures and abuses.  We have great potential but we do not live in a Christian nation.  We use God for our own purposes.

I must assure that I live the Gospel and not the mandates of a church that has left it behind.  Not all churches are bad.  Not all churches fail to live the Gospel.  The preponderance of politicized Christianity, however, consistently ignores the weightier matters of the Gospel. 

It is my obligation to keep the Gospel universal.  It is not about prosperity or possessions.  It is about love and generosity.  It is about faith and following.   When we try to use God for our own purposes we only hurt the message and diminish our own standing.

My God – Jethro Tull

People, what have you done?

Locked him in his golden cage, golden cage

Made him bend to your religion

Him resurrected from the grave, from the grave

He is the God of nothing

If that's all that you can see

You are the God of everything

He's inside you and me

So lean upon him gently

And don't call on him to save you

From your social graces

And the sins you used to waive, you used to waive

From the bloody church of England

In chains of history

Requests your earthly presence

At the vicarage for tea

And the graven image you know who

With his plastic crucifix, he's got him fixed

Confuses me as to who and where and why?

As to how he gets his kicks, he gets his kicks

Confessing to the endless sin

The endless whining sounds

You'll be praying till next Thursday

To all the gods that you can count

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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