My Views On Jesus

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

From the movie: The Last Temptation of Christ

Her name was not referred as many times as number of controversial books published on linking her with Jesus. Everyone was interested in hooking Jesus with her. I still don’t know the reason. But I would definitely like to see Jesus as married – be it to Mary Magdalene or any other woman. That makes him so human. There is something I dislike to Buddha – when he went in search of getting enlightened, he decided to run away from all his responsibilities including as a son, husband, father and king. Buddha just walked away one day in search of his happiness breaking the heart of everyone around. But Jesus was emotionally attached to people – Mary Magdalene was with him during last moments of Jesus whatever was their relationship was. It makes Jesus much more adorable if Jesus could marry a whore knowing she is one.

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.