He liked to party- especially at weddings.
He hung around with a bunch of guys- within his own age group, in a hot, dry, country, wearing only sandals and light cotton “shifts” flitting here and there across the countryside, having “picnics” in the shade of Olive trees, frolicking on the beach, having long talks about the future as well as hanging around- occasionally, with women.
Ummm.
Make that just one woman, by the name of Mary Magdeline. Actually, a Jewish family of the era would not be too happy at the thought of a 30 something year old man- who was unmarried, spending an inordinate amount of time just “hanging with the guys”.
Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
He got a charge out of raising the dead and then spending a few days tucked away with the born-again dead man, asking not to be disturbed. It was said the man was young, had died before his time and was a bit of a “looker” too. Maybe even- “pretty”!
He enjoyed making friends and strangers feel inferior by performing little feats of magic such as walking on water. This trick of the eye- a miracle no doubt in biblical times, may have been performed in a shallow lake where a sandbar had been created by the gusty winds blowing across the water- since a huge storm was brewing.
He loved to “provide” for huge throngs of people and had a knack for turning water into wine. 31 was a great year! He also could work wonders with a couple of loaves of Wonder Bread and some seafood from the local fishmongers.
Theologians and lay people alike have written articles and stories about Christ over the centuries. Whether you believe any or all of them is purely a matter of “faith”.
However, I always find it interesting when I read something for the first time about the mortal man Jesus, who was born of Mary, the young lady who conceived him free of any interference in the act of lovemaking by a male sex organ.
It’s called “immaculate conception”.
In this case- “the” immaculate conception- meaning without “sin” is the actual physical act referred to as sin- which is dirtier than a groundhog’s butt.
Conception by this “immaculate” method hasn’t happened very often these past couple of centuries. Maybe once. Maybe twice. Perhaps not at all- except for the first time, if you believe what you are told to believe. After all, that is what a Christian is taught.
You have to be carefully taught.
The fact is, just one I.C. has received all the press over time.
So, I happened to read about the Muslim faith and discovered that they too believe a man called Jesus walked on the earth in long ago Galilee. However, they don’t hold him in quite as high esteem as Christians.
They don’t believe he was the “son” of God.
They do, however, extol his virtues as a profit.
Fortunately for this belief in Jesus, God swept down to earth and saved him from death and took him to Heaven on high. Apparently, Judas just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and was executed instead- so this story goes.
If this were true- and it has just as much of a chance of being so as the Christian religion, the Christian’s would need to find another I.C. or re-jig a few things.
The cross would be useless.
The “Crucifix” would have no place in the Catholic Religion- not to mention The “Saviour’s” suffering for mankind.
Then there’s the “Divinity”- the coming back to life after the resurrection-
Gone!
Of course, if we were to step closer to present day, the Mormons would have you believe that Jesus appeared to a fellow in Utah- that would be the second coming- and as a result a new book and religion was born.
Now, consider the members of the Jewish faith who can’t get their collective heads around the first coming- let alone the second!
Then the Jehovah’s who let their faithful die based on a biblical passage regarding blood from another’s body entering their own. I wonder what Christ would think of that?
Too bad there wasn’t a passage about “not” knocking on people’s doors at all hours of the day.
Gosh, I’m feeling a bit light-headed with all this.
I am overcome this day- are you?
