First...SO SORRY...for getting behind on answering questions. So much going on combined with little help have made getting everything accomplished a big challenge. This week's question comes from Alex in Raleigh, North Carolina.
"Do you believe in the virgin birth of Jesus?"
In a word, "No." Honestly, I have not thoroughly studied the birth stories surrounding Jesus. This is quite simply due to the fact that Jesus' birth is not a focal point for me. It represents in no way, shape or form the crux of my faith. If someone told me that they had definitive proof that Jesus was born of celestial semen in a virgin birth, my response would be a surprised, "Okay." If someone told me that they could definitively proof that Jesus was not born of a virgin, again, my response would be, "Okay."
My connection to Jesus is really found through his teachings and the wisdom he offers a hurting world, a world that truly needs to connect with its Father in the spirit of love and compassion. I don't see the 'fundamentalist Christian' version of Jesus when I reflect on him. The fundamentalist version demands a 'belief' in Jesus as God in order to satisfy a divine requirement. That very idea, I believe to be very much foreign to the real Jesus. I believe Jesus was introducing us to the Kingdom of God as a here and now, happening reality that is right here and beyond here. As such, he touted relationship to the Father (God, spiritual entity, etc. however, one terms God) which would create lives consumed and driven by compassion. Lives that would create a very different world in first century Palestine or 21st century America for that matter.
I really think that Jesus would look at much of Christianity today and say, "...wow, you people still don't get it!" He would look at the millions spent trying to halt a gay marriage bill and just say, "This is how you display love for your brothers and sisters? Let all rejoice in their love and put that money to better use...feeding, clothing, helping those truly in need."
So, forgive me if my "birth" knowledge of Jesus is lacking. Those are wonderful stories found in Matthew and Luke, but most likely just that--with certain elements of truth and certain elements of narrative symbolism. I hope I've helped somewhat.
True
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Question of the Week...August 9th, 2010
The Compassion Revolution receives several e-mails a week that pose various questions about various religious and social issues. We wanted to start posting those questions on the website, blog and Facebook page. The first is this: “There is one path to God. Jesus says so himself. How can you expect me to ‘embrace’ the beliefs of Muslims who kill for lives and Hindus that worship idols? “ (from Gina in Savannah, Georgia)
RESPONSE—“Good and challenging question. First, I would challenge that Jesus truly believed in one path to relationship with the Sacred. Those statements are attributed to him in John, which is most certainly a writing that emerged from the beliefs of the early Christian movement. I don’t believe that Jesus actually said that he was the exclusive “way” to God. Those were ideas from the early Christian evangelists who saw ‘sameness’ in Jesus with God. In other words, I don’t believe that Jesus was creating a legalistic path to experiencing God--his path and ONLY his path. I believe those words in John are a reflection of the movement’s feelings toward Jesus. Inspiring thoughts, certainly, but not ideas that should be taken legalistically and used to denounce another's right to experience God along another path.
Second, put simply, I would not expect, nor would I want, anyone to embrace any belief system that did not coincide with their own experience with God. I do, however, hope that others will respect another’s right to experience a relationship with their God in a way that is effective for them. Murder is a universally deplorable response delivered by man…not God. I don't believe for a moment that God views the attacks of 9/11 from extremist Muslim sects, as acceptable acts of devotion. Nor do I believe that God ordered Samuel to slaughter an entire village of men, women and children as I Samuel 15:3 states. Violence is not an act of a generative spiritual entity. Harmony is in-sync with a Creator. Such a harmony allows me to embrace others even though I disagree with them. I can embrace an orthodox Christian, even though I don’t believe in the literality of Scripture. The same is true with various aspects of other faiths. After all, if I had to agree on all topics with everyone I encounter, I probably would not even find a friend in the mirror!
Jesus, first and foremost, promoted relationship to the Sacred. With that, he knew that lives driven by compassion would emerge—as it did for him. Lives driven by compassion seek a harmony in the world that brings inward peace and promotes outward peace as well. So Gina, you don’t need to bow down to someone else’s idol. I do, however, hope that you’ll express an acceptance of the right of a brother or sister to experience spirituality in their own way. Best wishes, True.”
Is there an question that you would like to pose to the Compassion Revolution? Just e-mail us at or follow this link: info@thecompassionrevolution.net
RESPONSE—“Good and challenging question. First, I would challenge that Jesus truly believed in one path to relationship with the Sacred. Those statements are attributed to him in John, which is most certainly a writing that emerged from the beliefs of the early Christian movement. I don’t believe that Jesus actually said that he was the exclusive “way” to God. Those were ideas from the early Christian evangelists who saw ‘sameness’ in Jesus with God. In other words, I don’t believe that Jesus was creating a legalistic path to experiencing God--his path and ONLY his path. I believe those words in John are a reflection of the movement’s feelings toward Jesus. Inspiring thoughts, certainly, but not ideas that should be taken legalistically and used to denounce another's right to experience God along another path.
Second, put simply, I would not expect, nor would I want, anyone to embrace any belief system that did not coincide with their own experience with God. I do, however, hope that others will respect another’s right to experience a relationship with their God in a way that is effective for them. Murder is a universally deplorable response delivered by man…not God. I don't believe for a moment that God views the attacks of 9/11 from extremist Muslim sects, as acceptable acts of devotion. Nor do I believe that God ordered Samuel to slaughter an entire village of men, women and children as I Samuel 15:3 states. Violence is not an act of a generative spiritual entity. Harmony is in-sync with a Creator. Such a harmony allows me to embrace others even though I disagree with them. I can embrace an orthodox Christian, even though I don’t believe in the literality of Scripture. The same is true with various aspects of other faiths. After all, if I had to agree on all topics with everyone I encounter, I probably would not even find a friend in the mirror!
Jesus, first and foremost, promoted relationship to the Sacred. With that, he knew that lives driven by compassion would emerge—as it did for him. Lives driven by compassion seek a harmony in the world that brings inward peace and promotes outward peace as well. So Gina, you don’t need to bow down to someone else’s idol. I do, however, hope that you’ll express an acceptance of the right of a brother or sister to experience spirituality in their own way. Best wishes, True.”
Is there an question that you would like to pose to the Compassion Revolution? Just e-mail us at or follow this link: info@thecompassionrevolution.net
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