Was Jesus a good guy? was Re: Passover for all; relation of Christianity to Judaism

Bruce Alderman baa@southwind.net
Sun, 14 Dec 1997 21:13:12 -0600 (00882177192, IBKl0QcrB0NV092yn@southwind.net) 

Hello, everyone.  I'm new to the list.  So everyone knows where I'm
coming from, I'm a liberal Christian.  I believe the Bible to be the
centerpiece of Christian doctrine, but I don't believe it to be
inerrant -- I've read it too many times.

On Sun, 14 Dec 1997 12:38:51 -0800,
Helen Willis <hhiwater@BRIGHT.NET> wrote:

> Jesus, if he existed, was a not bad guy for his times I suppose,

> but I do have problems with folks that think that he is the most

> morally perfect person to ever walk on earth, because Jesus

> certainly didn't condemn slavery. It could almost be argue he

> supported it.


BRUCE
It has been argued that *Paul* supported slavery, but what evidence is
there to suggest that Jesus supported it?

Two other things which Jesus did not condemn -- setting him apart from
today's fundamentalists -- were abortion and homosexuality.  For what
it's worth.

HELEN

> Also, he wasn't able to make any argument against stoning an

> adulteress to death that could not also be used to free every child

> rapist/murderer in this country. I mean, let he who has never sin

> be the first to say lock the guy that killed little Polly Klaus up

> and never let him go. 


BRUCE
But Jesus' statements were not made in a vacuum.  He was replying to a
specific case, where a woman had been set up (they caught her in the
act, but did not catch the man??) and was being condemned; he wasn't
making an absolute rule to apply to all situations.  The story is an
example of the balance of justice and mercy, one of the central themes
of Christian doctrine. Jesus didn't condone the woman's unfaithfulness
to her husband, but he didn't condemn *her*.

I don't want to get into a discussion of political philosophy, which
I'm certain would be outside the scope of this mailing list, but I'll
just add that society has a responsibility to protect its citizens.
It's one thing to show mercy to a "sinner"; it's quite another to turn
an unrepentant rapist/murderer loose to terrorize children.
 
-- 
Bruce Alderman               baa@southwind.net
He died to take away your sins, not your mind.