Christ Revealed

[MagnetMan]

I find it reasonable to accept
that some two thousand years ago
when human societies were still involved in
clan feuding
tribal warfare
and Roman conquest
and when everyone accepted the 3 billion year-old Law
that the most powerful animal in the jungle
is entitled to the lion's share of the territory
the consciousness of a young Jewish carpenter/ theological scholar
came to the inspired realization
that might is not necessarily right
That love for one's neighbor
that peaceful coexistence
instead of hate and war with one's neighbor
held out greater possibilities for long-term social advancement
and spiritual fulfillment
than short-term territorial occupation and exploitation
followed by revengeful retribution

I also find it reasonable to accept
(since Freud had not yet explained the sub-conscious)
that this humble carpenter sincerely felt his novel idea
which went completely against conventional thinking
had to be God-inspired
and that he felt was specially selected to be the Divine messenger

I also find it reasonable to accept
that twelve of his friends and relatives
also became enthused by the possibilities of his idea
and that this small group
during a time when there was general public unrest
and common dislike
for the weight of the mighty Roman heal
that they found a willing and growing audience
among the oppressed.

I further find it reasonable to accept
that influential Jews
waxing rich under Roman patronage
and seeing the advantages of Roman technology
decided that a peasant revolution of civil disobedience
was not in their best interest
and had the carpenter silenced
permanently
or so they thought.

But the revolutionary idea itself
and the new consciousness it brought with it
because it was true
did not and could not die

This being so
I further find it reasonable to accept
that in order to continue to advertise
promote and popularize this revolutionary ideology
in that predominately religious era
that the idea itself
had to have come down to mankind as the Word of God
and that a human face had to be put on it
thus the martyredom of the carpenter
was essential for furtherance of the revolution of new thought

Like all new ideas
it was up against the established custom
and was faced with a formidable social and religious barrier

In those pagan days
only the Sons of God
Romulus and Heracles and Apollo for instance
were worshiped and obeyed as the representatives
of Divine wisdom

I find it reasonable to accept
that after three centuries of struggle against Roman paganism
the Bishops at Nicosia
in their wisdom
decided that the young Jewish carpenter had to be deified

and thus the myth of the Virgin birth
took birth
and that via this strategy
of baptizing all new converts
under the creed
"Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God
and that his mother Mary was a virgin
that he died on the cross in order to wash clean the sins of men and was risen from the dead"
helped to convert all of pagan Rome to Christianity

I also find it reasonable to accept
that while so many people today
continue to believe that might is right
and that it is okay to exploit the poor
that this idea of love for neighbor
'should be spread throughout the world
by all good Christians

What I do not find it reasonable to accept
in this day and age
is that in order to be a good Christian
and see the long-term social advantages
and spiritual peace
in love for our neighbors
that every one of us
including our neighbors
has to accept that primitive creed as Truth
or face the prospect of being banished to hell for all eternity