who is jesus to you?

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blueyedpoet

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I grew up in a pastor's home. For the past few years I have thoroughly tried to run away from any notion of Jesus. Yet, here I am asking what you all think of him.
For me Jesus stands for all that is beautiful in human nature: rebellion, humility, strength, courage, love, poetry, story-telling. His approach to life was so similar to many teachings of the east. Taoism actually brought me back to the messages of Jesus. So, without getting into a dismall discussion about the validity of him being the messiah, or another da vinci code dialogue, just write who you think was and what he stands for...please.
 
Strength, courage, honour and forgiveness ~ the connection to eastern philosophies is a most interesting note considering the mixing along the trade routes and imperial conquests.
 
Justice, Commitment, Integrity

The chap stood for some great values. Common sense ones, yet good ones.

He's nothing to go all crazy over though.
 
Jesus was, and still is, one of the very few "historical figures" (I mean, obviously as a Christian I believe He's much more than that, but I'll stay on topic here) who was fully and consistently on the side of the poor. He originated the idea of a preferential option for the poor (see liberation theology), believing and acting such that the Church should not merely help the poor, but seek to liberate the poor from poverty and make this a priority over serving the needs of the comfortable and the wealthy.

Jesus was also, to me, the paragon of unselfish love and the first, best, and only model of what sacrifice means. Jesus personified in his life and death the "love for all the world" of which the Gospels speak, and so when I struggle with love, I think of Jesus--thinking, really, of the lengths to which true love will go.

Hmmmm. Hope that all made sense.
 
humility, non-violence, non-judgement. damn near communist, too.

pretty much the opposite of what most right wing politicized Christians stand for.

seriously. whatever Dobson says, i imagine Jesus would think the exact opposite.
 
All about love, able to look beyond material posessions, socialist, stands up for those being oppressed, lives what he actually preaches making him the ultimate peace dude,
 
Jesus is all about love. His love comforts me when times are tough, like they are now. He's about compassion for the poor, the sick, and the otherwise marginalized.
 
A NON-POLITICAL but SPIRITUAL revolutionary figure, a preacher of love, compassion, obedience, peace, and forgiveness, even in times when they are unpopular.
 
Neither liberal, nor conservative, Republican or Democrat, capitalist or communist. He is not suppose to belong to us but us to him. To me he is sacrificial, selfless, and a host of other things. Most importantly (to me) the Son of God.
 
Thats wonderful descriptions of the son of God

He is the most revolutionary figure in the history of mankind!
Still relevant after 2000 years
 
nbcrusader said there are some attributes of God we don't like...some would suggest that we created God, if that is the case why don't we like all the attributes?
(i'm not technically leaning one way or another)
 
Anyone that has read the 4 Gospels knows that Jesus claimed he was the son of God or God incarnate (there's not much difference b/w those two titles if you ask me). If you believe that Jesus did not make any messianic claims, you're getting your information from somewhere else.

I agree with nbcrusader that Jesus taught alot of principles that we find counter-intuitive and against our nature. And even though he lifted up the poor and oppressed, he loved the rich and intolerant also. He didn't attack those that attacked and mocked him, instead he prayed for them. In the 1960's, MLK practiced 'love thy enemy' as he suffered at the hands of bigotry.

It amazes me that MLK called on the name of the Lord to lead his people to the promised land of equality. Why would he believe in the same God that his oppressors did? Weren't blacks Christianized by slave masters? It seems like he would be sickened by the name of Jesus. Malcolm X and others used this logic to denounce Christianity, but MLK continued to believe in the God he heard speaking to him that night while he sat at the coffee table. It just so happened to be the same God whose message had been perverted by racist doctrine.
 
Jesus wasn't any political figure (not conservative - didn't propogate war ; not liberal - didn't propogate abortion) nor did he have any political ideas. He is the Son of God, alive and well today. Jesus is life. He came to heal and to save those who were blind and lost.

Jesus, to me, is my true friend, my comforter, my healer, my lover, my Savior. He is the ultimate example of love. He is selfless, yet not powerless. He rules all things. He is wonderful and I'm learning so much from him, day after day. He is full of grace!!!
 
From my perspective as an agnostic tending towards atheism, Jesus was a person who came up with some very good ideas on how to relate to each other and was then crucified because the society in which he lived didn't take to some of those ideas. I do not blame Jesus in any way for the subsequent wrongs committed in his name over the next 2000 years.
 
and what about the subsequent RIGHTS that have been committed in His name over the last 2000 years?? why always the negative???

just some different perspective.....
 
seankirkland said:
and what about the subsequent RIGHTS that have been committed in His name over the last 2000 years??
Click to expand...

Mind listing some examples?

Melon
 
"came up with some very good ideas."

when He claimed to be the Son of God, that's a pretty bold "good idea." He put too much on the table to be viewed as just a good, or even great, person. He's either all or nothing (the Savior/Son of God or a madman).
 
I'm not sure of exact things that have been done in public (as opposed to all the negative things that get remembered, such as crusades), but it's the small, unnoticed acts of those "nameless, faceless" people who are acting in faith and in the selfless love of Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, that I'm talking about. These will never get published or remembered and they don't need to be. God sees them! Fame for these would only lead to pride and recognition.......

There are countless missionaries and martyrs in countries around the the world today who are giving their lives for the sake of Christ. My wife and I were blessed with being able to go to India and work in some children's homes. It was life-altering. We were in a Mother Theresa home and were with the despised, left-in-the-streets kids who are deformed and seen as cursed by the society there. We were able to just be with them, play with them, pray with and for them and be the present day extention of the hands and feet of Jesus.
 
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