I’m not an expert on Jesus, to put it mildly, but I do think you can (and need to) boil it all down to ‘attitude and intent.’ People are imperfect, and ideals are named as such because they are usually not achievable. What matters, I think, is whether someone harbors a true and honest desire to realize the ideal, even with the knowledge that it may never be achieved. Refusing to make an attempt, however, would obviously land you in the ‘you who are cursed’ category. I do believe that those who want and attempt to change society into a more benevolent entity for its less fortunate members display this ‘attitude and intent’, even if they don’t wash smelly feet.

That said, it is indeed curious that those who seek to infuse ‘Christian values’ into society are more concerned with imposing rules about what and who is acceptable and worthy of societal benefits than ensuring that those benefits are available to everyone without discrimination. I guess those who are so afraid of ‘socialist values’ never stopped to think that they might actually be Christian values as well. Socialism is first and foremost about caring for those who are unable to care for themselves. Let that sink in for a second. Yes, you got it, Jesus was a socialist.

So, what would Jesus do?

I am also trained in economics, and I also have dealt with a very sick child. The health care plans being floated by Congress will not work. They are impractical. Free markets actually work, and if we actually moved closer to insurance market reform, there’d be more affordable health care, not less. People like my son, who need far more care than the average kid, along with the old and chronically ill, will be the ones who lose out with the proposed plans. Plus, we are strapping on an insupportable debt, with this and other legislation this year, that horrifies me when I think about my children’s futures.

Why would I favor a health care plan that doesn’t work? What if it sounds kind and is actually cruel? What if the plan is cleverly packaged, but junk inside the box? What if I know enough about markets to know that it promulgates far more suffering instead of less?

What is the political ambition that wants to pass ANYTHING is at the expense of passing something useful? Why would I want to be a pawn in some rich, powerful politician’s game when all the proposed legislation exempts Congress itself from the proposed health plans.

Yes, we are our brothers’ keepers, but do read about the Jamestown settlement and how the people starved until told that they had to work for their own food and couldn’t live off the others. Or read about Paul telling the congregation that if someone wouldn’t work, they were not to eat. We live in a practical world. Let’s reason together and do things that make practical sense.

I was just thinking yesterday that I don’t understand why so many professed Christians assume all people’s misfortunes are divine punishment, deserved. Jesus sure didn’t deserve what happened to him. Seems relevant, somehow.

The young one that was the target of their judgement didn’t even do something as (supposedly) drastic as a tattoo …she simply decided, at the age of 22 to have a boyfriend and hold hands with him. (GASP! can you imagine? …growl)
So, then my family thought it was ok to throw such judgemental words as ‘slut’ ‘whore’ … all based on Romans chapter 1. I guess they’ve never stepped out of their judgemental box long enough to read Romans 2:1

I supported my niece …which has earned me the label in the family as ‘evil’. (yes, that is true. My 7 year old niece has been told that her Aunty Peggi is ‘evil’)

People really really need to read the life of Jesus and find that while he loved …he unquestioningly loved … relentlessly loved … eternally loved …he did judge some.

The religious know it alls …the judgemental leaders and the prideful ‘righteous’ ..those who put themselves above others because their practice of faith was so impecable. He blasted them (oh ye generation of vipers …quite the statement!)

I, too, find myself hesitating, at times, using the term Christian …it’s come to mean judgemental and prideful.
It is supposed to mean Christlike.

ok, taken up enough of your blog space. Great post!

I have tattoos too and I don’t fit in with the religion I was raised or the Christian Conservative lifestyle I grew up in.

Very good post, thanks for sharing.