Was Jesus a good guy?

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Austin Cline wrote:

> 

> >CLAIRE

> >Pat, I am about to parrot something that my theology instructor told

> >me:

> 

> I hope that you are offering this explanation because you genuinely believe

> it to be true rather than simply because an authority told you it was true.

> 

>   Rabbis and Jewish teachers often used exaggeration to make their

> >points. Jesus was saying that you have to put God first (before your

> >family). If your family is preventing you from following Christ (e.g.,

> >by insisting that you go into some worldly business which hurts people,

> >then you should "hate" your family, i.e., disobey them).

> 

> Then you are reading the relevant passage metaphorically rather than

> literally. Pray tell, by what right/justification do you do so? What makes

> you think that it is *supposed* to be read metaphorically rather than

> literally?


CLAIRE
Dear Mr. Cline:

I truly believe what I "parroted" there. When I said I was "parroting"
my theology instructor (who DOES know much more than I about the
subject) I wanted to make it clear that I am not an expert in the
teaching methods of rabbis. 

Jesus made many metaphorical statements in the Bible. Why should his
statement about hating your family be interpreted literally?

~Claire O'Connor

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