Tags: Liberal Chrisitianity, Progressive Christianity, Mammon
Let we liberals rejoice that Americans claim to be followers of the principles of Jesus instead of officially worshiping Mammon, the idol of greed and power. We need to be most thankful that Jesus certainly wasn't a proponent of the "what's in it for me" culture of the United State of Mammon.
Think about it. Here's a poor man who suddenly develops miraculous powers of healing. He also becomes magnetically charismatic and his voice is as beautiful as his words. He radiates love and goodness, someone you could trust instantly. Such a person could have made a very good life for his family and himself back in his day. Life was hard doing manual labor. You literally prayed to get the next bread to keep you alive that day. You literally prayed for your debts to be forgiven so that when you died your children didn't have to be sold to clear your accounts. So Jesus could have made his family a fortune simply staying at home and healing the long line of pilgrims who would have gladly flocked to him for the fleecing if he had chosen. Jesus could have been adored, loved and venerated simply for driving out demons and healing the masses of their afflictions. He could have lived a very comfortable life and been highly respected. He could have gotten all the attention, praise and worship he wanted in person. He could have played it safe. Yet he risked it all so that others such as you and me might be set free in knowing whom we are and our true inheritance of freedom, love and peace.
In doing so, Jesus was following in a long tradition of Jewish wise men and prophets. All of them claimed to have directly experienced God and as a result decried false religion, corrupt leadership and economic oppression. They all decried what I term Mammon's unholy trinity of church, state and corporation. State and corporation merged is called fascism. Church and state merged is called theocracy. But when all three merge they become a united state of Mammon, a most terrible beast not only in the temple but also in the marketplace, streets and your bedroom.
So, please, don't tell me that the Bible is all a bunch of ignorant superstitions and that it is to be totally disregarded. To me that is as arrogantly ignorant as all the modern "conservatives" who denounce the very liberalism that has allowed them the rights to bash what has brought them freedom of speech. Like it or not, the Bible and Jesus in particular provide the moral code from which we must start with the way things are in America. As for me, let me say it once again. I'm as happy as can be that Americans say they want to be like Jesus. Hopefully, they will be like Jesus and care more about the larger good than making a quick buck and their own selfish interests. And when they do, look out Mammon, peace is going to start to breaking out. from Jesus was a Liberal
