a new Way

When we last left off, we were exploring what it meant to implant oneself in this new cultural epic known as the God Movement. We noted that it does not accept the current model of Christianity, as presented by the cultural hegemons of our day, and, also, calls for a return to "Christ Values."

What do I mean by "Christ Values?" Well, they are quite simple, really. But, rather than hear me paraphrase, let's just let Jesus do the talking (something we should have been doing in the first place).


"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him. 2 And opening his mouth he taught them, saying: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. 5 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the clean of heart: they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: 12 Be glad and rejoice for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you." (New American Bible, Matthew 5:11)

From this fantastic opening statement (in the English world, we call this a hook), we are overloaded with opposites. The weak are strong, the poor are rich, the sad are happy, etc. Jesus was quite deliberate in this regard. He wanted the people listening to understand that the values cherished in the Kingdom (y'all got the message that it's at hand, right?) were different from those upheld by the Roman and traditional Jewish society. Jesus was calling for them, and us, to take our Empire goggles off, and put on his.

(yeah, sort of like that)

What a world it be would be if Christians removed the societal filters that skewed their vision. The poor of the world would not be looked down upon, but rather welcomed back into the fold of society. The millions who suffer for want of food would not be viewed as having deserved their fate, but rather seen as victims of political and societal constraints. Nations and peoples would not conspire to wage war with each other, but rather strive to empathize with their neighbor. Man would not set himself above nature, but would find that he was just like the "lilies of the field, and the birds of the sky." We would no longer see these attributes of our world as less than ourselves, but as things that should be cherished.

Now, I know their are some of you who may be thinking, "Well, this sort of thinking is all well and good, but how do we turn it into a practical way of living?"

In order to answer that question, we must first go within ourselves and retrieve that little thing we like to call the soul.

More on another day...