- Christianity or Christ like?
- (Painting by Father Fernando Aritzti)
banquet for her church. It was truly a pleasure spending that time with the one
who brought me to this earth 37 years later to the day...until it became quite
clear to me that these “Christians,” like most I have ever seen or known,
violated my notion of what it means to be Christian.
So what does it mean to me to be Christian? Well, I think it means that you
try to be as Christ-like as possible, with perhaps some enhancements. Christ
lived in a time that was very different to this one, and it seems to me that
Christ would have conducted himself according to the times while still
maintaining his principles and objectives. In essence, Christ would have
continued to grow and develop, and so should we.
Why did I feel that these people at their Christmas celebration were not
truly trying to be Christ-like? Well, the first clue came when they announced
the dinner plan. We were informed that the Pastor’s table would be the first to
eat. I turned to my mom and noted that Jesus fed the multitudes first
according to what I remember from my childhood readings and lessons. If the
Pastor were trying to be as Christ-like as possible, would he not have
suggested that the people go first?
The second and final clue came when I was told that the Pastor’s wife drives
a Jaguar, and the Pastor a Rolls Royce. Correct me if I’m wrong, but did Christ
not walk and (only when tired) ride a donkey? Christ didn't ride donkeys
because there were no chariots available; he did so because the trappings of
wealth did not interest him. If I recall correctly, Christ also wore simple robes,
not the majestic clothing that he could have worn had that sort of thing
interested him. This Pastor was dressed in the finest of suits, and his wife the
most elaborate of dresses.
When I heard about their modern day “chariots,” I asked myself, “How many
people could be fed for the price of a Jaguar and a Rolls?” I thought about my
dear old mother without a car, waiting for buses, paying to attend their
academic ministry and tithing every week so that they could drive symbols of
wealth. Were Christ alive today, I doubt that he would be driving a Rolls. I
think that he would find out who in his flock needed things that the price of a
Rolls could buy, and he would see to it that they got those things.
As for the event itself, I am sure that Christ would approve of a celebration
of fellowship. However, I doubt that he would hold it in one of the most
expensive hotels in the area. I doubt that he would suggest that it be a black tie
affair causing members of his flock to expend resources that could be put to
much better use. It occurred to me that perhaps many members of the
congregation would not be able to attend such an event because of the cost.
Did the pastor? My mom informed me that 12 people were allowed to attend
free of charge. Whoopeee! I guess he did consider it, but I wondered how the
twelve would be selected, or if anyone who couldn’t afford to go would admit it.
A much simpler, but no less joyous, event could have been held in a more
accessible venue if the purpose were truly to celebrate fellowship, as opposed to
an opportunity to preen.
I walked out of the affair in disgust. I added up the cost of this event
thinking of my mom, and others like her who struggle to make ends meet from
month to month. I thought about my going along with the whole thing because
that was what she wanted. I questioned whether I had done the right thing. I
thought about all that she could have done with the money spent on the event.
The entire thing saddened me.
Later I wondered if perhaps this sort of thing functioned for these people
like drugs did for others. If it did, it was probably less expensive, and even if it
were more expensive, at least the effects of such an event seemed to be less
harmful than drugs. In thinking of all this, I decided to write about what
Christianity means to me.
WHAT CHRISTIANITY MEANS TO ME
There are many who call themselves Christians, and I suppose they are...the
way they define Christianity. I wonder how many of them have asked themselves
if Christ would consider them Christians. I wonder how many of them have
actually examined their lives to see how closely those lives mirror the life of
Christ and/or the teachings of Christ. I can’t answer that, but I can answer the
question, “What does being a Christian mean to me?”
Being a Christian to me is to try to be as Christ-like as possible. Does it
mean blindly following the multitude of rules and regulations that have come to
represent “the word of God?” Absolutely not! Does it mean getting caught up in
rituals, exalting men and women who claim to have direct pipelines to God? I
don’t think so. Does being a Christian mean putting the earnings of your toil
and sweat into offering plates so that “men of God," and their wives can drive
expensive automobiles and wear designer clothes? I think not. To what church
did Christ tithe? To which ministers did he give tribute?
Before we can be Christ-like we have to have some idea of what Christ
might have been like, right? So what was Christ like? Was Christ committed to
the well-being of others? Oh yes. Did he always have the welfare of others on
his mind? I believe he did. Would Christ inconvenience himself so that another
might be "convenienced?" I think he would. Would Christ go hungry so another
might eat? There's no doubt that he would. My friends, I know that Christ was a
feeling man, not a coldly calculating one. The Jesus that I "know," the Jesus that
is a part of me and a part of you was a giver not a taker.
Was Christ a humble man? Yes I think he was...I think he was. But that does
not mean that he didn’t acknowledge his abilities, or gave up being who he was
because others thought he should. Did Christ try to set himself above others?
No, I don’t think he did, but neither did he bow down to, stand up in awe of, or
worship any other man. Did he request that the multitudes give him material
things for delivering his message? No, I don’t think he did that either. Was
Christ a seeker of power and prestige? Did he pursue wealth? Did he crave
fame? Did he long for the exaltation of men and women? Somehow I don’t
believe so. Did Christ see himself as the master of others? I don’t believe so.
According to my understanding of the man Jesus Christ, he was the servant of
The Supreme, the master of none. He lived as he was called to live by that
which created him; touching the lives of all that he could in the time he walked
the earth.
Was Christ a principled man? Was he convinced of the rightness of his being
and expressions, what we call “teachings?” Yes he was. And did he waver from
his principles, his knowledge of rightness, did he abandon his efforts for
goodness even when he was chastised, belittled and scorned? I don’t think he
did. Christ died believing as he believed, living as he believed, amidst the
ugliness of human fanaticism, human greed, human jealousy; still a shining light
for all who cared to see. So when I say to be a Christian is to be as Christ-like
as possible, I mean that a Christian uses the mirror of Christ to see him or
herself, to view his or her actions. I mean that a Christian uses the being of
Christ, the essence of Christ as the standard by which he or she measures his
or her being. However, contrary to what most would say, I believe that Jesus
Christ was a human being, albeit an exceptional human being. Jesus died a
young man and I believe he would have grown to be even better human being
had he lived longer. What I mean is that even Christ, had he lived to maturity,
would have been critical of some of his behaviors as a young man.
The scriptures tell us that Jesus flogged those violating God’s temple.
Perhaps a more mature Jesus would have chosen a different, less violent
method. The Bible suggests that Jesus chose only men for his disciples. Maybe
a more mature Jesus would have chosen some women as well. The Bible tells us
that the people called him “master.” Perhaps a more mature Jesus would have
told them that “servant” was a more appropriate term for his role. According
to my memory of the Bible, Jesus told people how they ought to live. Maybe a
more mature Jesus would have shown people how to look within to find the
supreme within themselves, and to live according to what they found there.
Perhaps a more mature Jesus would have instructed parents to show their
children how to do the same...But then, Jesus did what he did because it was
what he had to do at the time he lived. I keep in mind that while some of the
practices outlined in The Bible are time and culture bound, Jesus’s essence and
fundamental principles are timeless and unlimited by culture.
We have had the example of Jesus Christ for many centuries, and we have
not followed that example. Instead of modeling the essence of Christ, instead of
following the principles of Christ, we have tried to follow cultural practices of
the time and place in which he lived, cultural practices that may have been
appropriate then, but are certainly inappropriate now. In my heart, I know that
what might serve us better is to apply the essence and principles of Christ in
our current day lives. I think we need to build upon those principles and follow
them to their logical extensions. In essence, I mean that a Christian does not
merely model his or her life after the Jesus Christ who lived millennia ago, but
tries to reach beyond the level of humanity reached by Jesus Christ. I mean
that, while trying to achieve the level of humanity reached by Christ, a
Christian seeks to improve on areas that Christ might have improved on had he
lived longer.
I believe at the very foundation of Christ’s essence is the notion that we are
all of one source, and as such are all related and of equal worth. Also at this
very basic and foundational level is love and caring. When I put these two basic
building blocks of Christ’s being together, I see a deep concern for the well-
being of humankind as his prime motivation. I do not see a deep concern for
just people who look like me, for just people who behave like me, for just people
who care about me, please me, or people about whom I care. At the essence of
Jesus’ being I see a deep concern for all.
Also central to Christ’s being I see a deep concern for honesty and purity
of feeling and expression, a commitment to living true to one’s inner calling. I
see this commitment as coming from a true communion with the supreme force
and from the knowing that comes through this connection. When I examine this
concern for honesty and purity, combine it with the commitment to living true,
and add the basic concern for the well-being of all, I can understand why Jesus
lived as he lived and died as he died. I can understand why he said and did
things that displeased many. I can also see why doing what he knew to be for
the well-being of the “all” (and I believe he thought of the “all,” in terms of the
entire cosmic picture, at all times) was often at odds with the customs of the
people of the day, since they were primarily concerned with the immediate and
the few.
Most interpretations of Christ that I have experienced suggest that what he
taught to the multitudes was the means to an end, the end being a place in
Heaven after death. I believe his primary lesson was that living by the principles
he espoused would bring us closer and closer to fully being the supreme essence
that lies within us all. My interpretation is that in living the life of love and
caring for all, in achieving that purity of being, in establishing that commitment
to being as one feels one is called to be, one ultimately achieves a state of being
that is the epitome of existence, i.e., heaven.
So how does all of the above relate to what it means to me to be a Christian
in today’s world? To me being a Christian means to be concerned more with
giving than getting. It means being more concerned with human “beings” than
with human “things.” To me it means being more concerned with how you think
than how you are thought of. To me being a Christian means to be more
concerned with caring for others than how others care for you. To me being a
Christian means to be more concerned with serving than being served. To me
being a Christian means living as one is called to live by the supreme force
rather than living as one has been told. It means growing strong enough in our
commitment so that we stay true and honest to the manifestation of the
supreme force that is each of us. It means learning to love enough so that we
are not consumed by envy, jealousy, hate, anger, revenge and all things that are
contrary to the well-being of others and ourselves. It means that we do not
seek to put ourselves and our own desires above those of others. It means that
we seek to establish enhancing relationships with each other. And in so doing
enhance our relationship with the supreme force which is in each of us and
ultimately, is us.
| TAMAJ UNITED "Ask and it shall be written" |
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