Time to time there had been controversial publications about
the existence of Jesus, character of Jesus, real life of Jesus and so many. In
past two weeks, I came across couple of movies like “The Last Temptation of Christ”
and “The Man from Earth”.
The movies has reminded me well of the time of reading the books “The
last Temptation of Christ” and “Da-Vinci Code” years back. Also to rethink
about how Jesus should be. In the prologue of “The Last Temptation of Christ”,
I still remember author mentioning like the whole book as his imagination of
how Jesus would have lived – a pure fiction. During the peak days of “Da-Vinci
Code”, there was one priest who mentioned in the interview something like –
these are kind of sieve to filter our true-believers as they would not be
wavered by it. I would rather look at this as a chance to re-define the
beliefs.
Jesus – God or Human
I am not a person who likes to look at Jesus as God. I would
prefer to look at Jesus as human, with all human senses and emotions. If Jesus
was God, there is no point in calling him as one among us; His crusification is
nothing big. Probably, “The last Temptation of Christ” is all about that – author
considers Jesus as human, being tempted to all the worldly pleasures. When you
look at Jesus and then look at things he has done, it makes more challenging
worth making him God.
Last Sunday during church, I just came across a weird
thought. According to church, it’s a sin when you are not doing something good
you can to others. Then, during his first miracle of his
life (during marriage at Cana), Jesus was reluctant to do anything claiming it
was not his time yet. It was Mary who forced him to do it. Can’t we look at it
as human, procrastinating? So also we read in bible about Jesus whipping the
money changers from the temple. So Jesus too had emotions, he too cared for
his feeling and values. If Jesus has not taken it personal, he would not have
lost his anger.
Even during the last hours on cross, of the last 7
sayings on Christ, Jesus speaks emotionally of personal life, which has
nothing to do much with God during - “Behold your son: behold your mother” and “My
God, my God, why have you forsaken me”. These makes more human. Jesus cared
about his mother and he too is showing full trust on God. These all shows to me
Jesus as a man just like one of us, who has everything just like us, but he was
at the end able to move to win most of them.
Mary Magdalene
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From the movie: The Last Temptation of Christ |
Judas
In bible, we don’t see much good about Judas but can see
only miserable statements about him. Judas was even identified as the betrayer
in bible. So it’s clear that, even the apostates were not able to forgive Judas
– one among them. So I don’t think Bible will give true personality of Judas.
Bible describes Judas mostly as greedy and as man of no qualities. There could
be definitely some reason even if Judas was so and again “The Last Temptation
of Christ” has given the best possible character for Judas – the best companion
of Jesus, who loves Jesus and betrays Jesus as his duty.
I would say Judas should be a man who heard his inner voice.
For whatever reason he betrayed Jesus – money or whatever it is. But when he
knew what he has done was a mistake, he had the courage to admit that in front
of the counsel before he committed suicide. May be Judas, never knew Jesus will
be crucified because of his act.
Bible
Bible is a holy book but I would firmly believe there were
some adulterations done on it before publishing it as it. Even if there was
minor references which could result in questioning Jesus as God could have been
removed due to the political and religious situation at that time. And once the
bible got published and Christianity was popular, Church had never an option to
correct anything as it result in questioning her own existence. Even Church has
admitted, she was corrupt and lost it track during different times of history
and for the same reason John
Paul II had apologized.
Whatever be it, Bible like any other holy book just repeats
the same thing - “Do unto others as you would have them do to you”.
It’s not important to make Jesus God or not, it’s not about whether Jesus did
miracles or not, it’s not about having a final judgment or not, it’s not even about
being atheist or theist. It’s about keeping yourself happy and also making your
fellow being too happy.
Whatever it’s there in bible, whether Jesus is God or not, or
was he married or not, doesn’t make much difference to me. My belief is all
about being good to others and be happy about being so.
I would like to quote my friend’s way of defining the
life after- “Don’t live too good, as in case there is no life after; don’t live
too miserable, as in case there is a life after. So take a middle path”. Safer option
when Christianity offers a purgatory.