The unexamined life is not worth living
so it is that
The unexamined faith is not worth having.This last is attributed to so many different people it is rather difficult to determine who originally wrote or spoke the words.
If I make statements about the religious majority on the United States Supreme Court and speculate as to how much of a role their religious beliefs may have made on their decisions, their beliefs about corporatism and human rights, I should think that any thinking believer might first say:
Hmmm, I wonder about that. It sounds extreme but...Rather the kneejerk reaction has been to leap instantly to the attack and heap all to sorts of ad hominem attacks upon me for my speculation. Because of the instantaneousness of these attacks, forgive me for wondering if any thinking was done before the attacks were made.
Is one’s faith not to be examined? I suppose that if one believes, one believes that the faith is ordained by God and must never be questioned.
Fine. But keep your unquestioning beliefs out of my nation’s politics. And do not impose your unquestioning beliefs on others who like to question what they believe in on a daily basis, who even dare to question authority.
Surprisingly, I find a great many worthy beliefs in the teachings of one Jesus Christ. I admit to having a problem with driving demons into a herd of hogs and sending the herd to drown in the Sea of Galilee. For one thing, there’s the idea of Jesus trafficking with demons and hearing their pleas. I happen to find that section of the bible one of those questionable ones where the author might have been high on something. Or other.
It is interesting to note that there are three scriptural citings of Jesus and the unclean spirits and a herd of swine: Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39. Group high anyone?
But to get back to the main message of Christ, his exhortations to not seek wealth above all else, his admonitions to look after the sick, take care of the wounded, visit those who are in prison, seek out the lowly, the dispossessed and lend them aid.
This same Jesus Christ has said nothing about the fetus in the womb. Nevertheless, many who claim to be his followers seem to think that the rights of the fetus reign above the rights of the individual woman.
And I wonder at the response of Roman Catholic Italy in the early part of the 20th century, their embracing of corporatism in the form of fascism. I’m trying to figure out where that is in the bible.
Fetuses.
Corporations.
Did Jesus discuss these things in his Sermon on the Mount?
No. Jesus mentions the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness – justice?, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers (not the little gun, folks), those who are persecuted for righteousness sake – would that include “whistleblowers”? Because those folks, for sure, aren’t getting any justice, those who are reviled, persecuted and have all manner of evil things falsely said against them for the sake of Jesus.
The concept, “for the sake of Jesus,” is a tad vague.
Does that refer to Jesus the Savior, focusing on the thing of salvation vs. damnation?
Or does it refer to the social teachings of Jesus, being fair to the little guy, the meek, those who seek justice, those who seek peace?
For the sake of Jesus? Corporations? Fetuses? Do they figure in that “for the sake of Jesus” thing?
