JESUS WAS THE VICTIM OF FUNDAMENTALIST IDEOLOGY
Xavier James L.S.
Two thousand years ago there lived a man called Jesus who claimed, who was believed to be the Son of God. He was from a humble family. He worked for the integrity of human person. He lived for his values of love, peace, happiness, justice, equality etc… He was convinced of what he was speaking and doing.
He was a Jew from Palestine (Israel). He was a true Jew in his spirit. He mingled with the people of every walk of life. Though society had so many restrictions he was not much bothered about those blind and binding regulations. They did not have any base of humanity. He ate and drank with the Samaritans and tax collectors, who were considered to be outcastes and untouchables. He valued human person. He related with women, which was very scandalous in the society. He lifted the downtrodden and marginalized up and gave the dignity of human person. He loved the poor and felt at home with them.
He proclaimed that he was the Son of God and was the expected Messiah. He fulfilled the Jewish Scripture without undermining any word. He wanted the people to have change in the mental attitude. He wanted always newness that people might have new and broader out look. He called God as Father and no Jew would dare to call. He wanted to give new meaning to Sabbath and other rules in the Jewish religion and society. He cured the sick on that day. He advocated the universe as one family. God is the father and all are his children. Each human being is bound by fraternal love. He taught that God is of not only of Jews but also Samaritans and others too. He taught tolerance. He was against exclusivist ideology. One day he entered into the temple and drove the merchants away since they were doing business in the house of the Lord. Many people followed him to hear his gracious words. He was kind to everyone.
Though he did all these with good intention still he was misunderstood and was considered to a rebel. They were infuriated by his words and deeds. All Social and religious reforms were a threat to the traditional Jewish society and religion. The Pharisees, Sadducees and the Jewish elders did not want to loose their ancestral religion because of one person who thinks, speaks and does differently. Their minds were blocked to new ideas. They did not want to bring any change into their age-old religion. They were extra cautious in religious duties. They looked at him with pessimism and trying to find fault with him. They were frightened that if such thing went on then the Romans would destroy their religion. They had experienced before under the Egyptians, Babylonians, and Greeks. They did not want the history to be repeated. Therefore the Social and Religious leaders got together with the Political leaders and decided to get rid of him by hook or crook. They were fearful that they would lose their rights. They arrested him at night and after trying him in social and religious court they led him for political trial. He was accused to be revolutionary, leading people astray, He claimed to be the king, and he pronounced blasphemy. All these were false accusations in order to keep up their tradition going. In their fury they put him to death. They crucified him at the hands of the foreign rulers. They thought that they were the victors, successful and felt relieved. But on the third day there came and alarming news that the tomb was empty and he was alive. In this way Jesus was the victim of fundamentalist ideology. No wonder even after 2000 years the followers of Christ face the same ideology. History is being repeated when we stand for the same values of the kingdom.
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