God is always on the side of the oppressed!!!!

[Dreadsox]

[Q]Yes, the God jesus came to proclaim was no neutral sitter on the fence. he took the side of the ooppressed, the poor, the exploited, not because they were holier or morally better than the oppressors. No, he was on their side simply and solely because they were oppressed. yes, this was the good news that Jesus came to proclaim-that God was the liberator, the one who set free the oppressed, the poor and exploited. He set them free from all that would make them less than he wanted them to be, fully human persons as Jesus Christ showed himself to be.[/Q]

Desmond Tutu at the funeral of Steve Biko.


Do you believe this to be true?

 

[Macfistowannabe]

It's very true.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

From the Sermon on the Mount

 

[deep]

W's ownership society

I thought Jesus

told them to pull themselves up
by their own sandal-straps

 

[melon]

I think "Supply-Side Jesus" would disagree.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/132/story_13245_1.html

Melon

 

[BVS]

That's one of the funniest things I've seen in awhile. Also sad because I know people like that.

 

[melon]

There's a good interpretation of "Supply-Side Jesus that I read:

Al Franken's cartoon is an exceptionally well done satire of a Jack Chick tract; he even got the creepy look-and-feel right. The juxtaposition of Supply Side Jesus (basically the evangelical Protestantism that is an integral part of the religious and cultural life of the southeastern U.S.) with Jesus of Nazareth (basically traditional Catholicism / Eastern Orthodoxy as once practiced in the northeastern and middle western U.S.) is a brutal social commentary on both the current state of American religion and the current spiritual character of the American people.

His outlook is also a very pessimistic one. Note that not only does Supply Side Jesus achieve great material success and prosperity, but the people (with one accord) choose him over Jesus of Nazareth...and for one-third less money than Judas demanded.

Melon

 

[speedracer]

I don't disagree with any of the sentiments that have been expressed so far.

But there was also the parable of the crooked servant...

 

[U2democrat]

Desmond Tutu blessed me when I was little. My dad was holding me and he came up and stroked my cheek and said "Bless you child." i still cherish it.

 

[nbcrusader]

Well, one thing is true, Jesus didn't leave room for a gray area....

 

[Jamila]

I agree wholeheartedly with Rev. Desmond Tutu.

Check out the Sermon on the Mount again, folks, for Jesus' clarification of it.

THE GOAL IS SOUL....

 

[Macfistowannabe]

Yes, the God jesus came to proclaim was no neutral sitter on the fence.

"The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

[hiphop]

Yeah, generally I would believe that ´s true, Dreadsox.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

That quote pretty much sums up who God is to me

 

[verte76]

I agree with this also.

 

[pax]

I'm also in agreement.

 

[tiny dancer]

Same here also.

 

[Sherry Darling]

How big an AMEN can I get? Thanks for that, Dread! The Lord hears the cry of the poor. But, while I believe we should pray for peace and for an end to poverty, for me it's more a prayer that we'll be strengthened in our efforts and guided by His love. NOT what I see so many Sunday mornings where folks pray that God will miraculously end hunger. He's answered that prayer already. WE ARE HIS ANSWER!



Phew. That felt good.

sd

 

[Salome]

I would hope that at least God doesn't take sides
so I would have to say - no

 

[Dreadsox]

I would hope that at least God doesn't take sides
so I would have to say - no

Could you clarify this please?

 

[Scarletwine]

I agree Dreadsox. I don't believe he takes sides in a physical way but in a supportive loving way for the oppressed.

The Sermon on the Mount is the basis of my morality. Any actions that do harm are immoral.

 

[Salome]

I just think it would be sad if God had to pick sides as if he was watching a soccer match and decided to root for the underdog

if it would ever come to God deciding to divide people into groups and take side of one group over the other than I hope he will truly look deep into someone's soul to decide how good or bad a person he/she is

I don't think being oppressed makes anyone by definition a better person than his/her oppressor
perhaps he/she would actually be an oppressor him/herself if the opportunity had been there

 

[Dreadsox]

I do not think Bishop Tutu is making a statement about one side being better than the other. Since we are all children of God.

 

[Salome]

"the God jesus came to proclaim was no neutral sitter on the fence. he took the side ...."

 

[Salome]

but I do think it's more a matter of interpretation than anything else

 

[Dreadsox]

It is still not a statement of taking sides.....

If you sit on the fence, you are not making a choice between right and wrong.

there is a difference between choosing between right and wrong.....

and picking sides

and choosing between one group of people and another.....

 

[LPU2]

Desmond Tutu blessed me when I was little. My dad was holding me and he came up and stroked my cheek and said "Bless you child." i still cherish it.

Are you serious? That is VERY cool.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I agree Dreadsox. I don't believe he takes sides in a physical way but in a supportive loving way for the oppressed.

The Sermon on the Mount is the basis of my morality. Any actions that do harm are immoral.

Before The Sermon on the Mount, people believed that God favored the rich. God wouldn't exactly take the side of the oppressors, that's for sure.

 

[Salome]

If you sit on the fence, you are not making a choice between right and wrong.

there is a difference between choosing between right and wrong.....

and picking sides

and choosing between one group of people and another.....

yes I understand that

but I was thinking about this part of the quote:
"No, he was on their side simply and solely because they were oppressed"

and that's why I said:
" don't think being oppressed makes anyone by definition a better person than his/her oppressor
perhaps he/she would actually be an oppressor him/herself if the opportunity had been there"
(which is a horrible sentence btw)


I think / hope I know what Mr. Tutu meant
but I can't fully agree with the way it's worded here

 

[Anthony]

I agree with Salome.

Ant.

 

[Dreadsox]

I guess I cannot see it that way. I do not think of it as God watching a soccer game rooting for one side or the other either.

I see it as, God being on the side of right or wrong.

"Oppression" to me is selectively denying a group of people just treatment.

By your statement that you do not know if the other group would be the oppressor if they were able the fact remains that you do not know. Are whites being suppressed in South Africa? Did our world fall apart here in America when we gave others their civil rights?

Can you think of an instance in history where an oppressive group has stood the test of time and survived? Or have they always fallen?