Is there one Jesus for the left and another for the right?

A study at Stanford University in California found that the Jesus of liberal Christians is very different from the one envisaged by conservatives. The researchers asked respondents to imagine what Jesus would have thought about contemporary issues such as taxation, immigration, same-sex marriage and abortion. Christian Republicans imagined a Jesus who was against wealth redistribution, illegal immigrants, abortion and same-sex marriage, while the Jesus of Democrat-voting Christians would have had far more liberal opinions.

Johnjoe McFadden, writing in ‘The Guardian’ says: “Conservatives envisaged a Jesus with views close to their own on morality issues; but they recognised that the man who gave all his possessions to the poor would probably have advocated more progressive taxation policies than those of the Republican Party. Conversely, liberals saw Jesus as having similar views as themselves on fellowship issues but they believed his views on gay rights would be to the right of their own.”

It seems that while the Bible claims that God created man in his own image, this Stanford University study suggests man creates God in his own image.

Re: Is there one Jesus for the left and another for the right?

Everyone simply wants to claim Jesus as their own.

If Jesus understood the modern world with its overpopulation and cruelty to unwanted children, he might be lenient on abortion but I doubt he would give it a carte blanche blessing. In fact, I think he would modify or lift many of the "old rules" found in the Bible as many of them no longer apply. I feel Jesus would definitely frown at conservatives hating on poor people, and the right-wing Social Darwinist approach to life would, beyond a doubt, raise Jesus's ire. I also believe Jesus would put his hands on his hips and glare, asking, "Why is America, a nation so bent on claiming me as her own, the only advanced nation on earth without a NHS system? Did I not cure the sick and heal the blind free of charge? Did you see me asking for anyone's insurance card?"

It seems that while the Bible claims that God created man in his own image, this Stanford University study suggests man creates God in his own image

and that the support for fictitious Gods and their earthly prophets is just effort wasted without any practical advantages gained.

Papaumau wrote:
I think that if we think more about that question we have to concede that the further left we go the closer we get to atheism and to no recognition of Jesus - or God - at all.

… a healthy feeling for the needs of the proletariat mostly comes from the left-wing…

… all I know is that that guy in the long dress has not done me or mine any good whatsoever…

bobby wrote:, I know Jesus walked on water

I dont care if he walks on water, so long as he doesn't do it where i'm fishing.

Ivan wrote:
How would Jesus vote?

Extracts from an article by Paula Kirby:-

"Far from emphasizing the importance of wealth-creation, Jesus repeatedly told his followers to forsake it; that it would get in the way of their relationship with God. His advice to a wealthy would-be disciple? Sell all you have and give it to the poor.¹ No sign here that he thought of the poor¹ as being to blame for their own predicament, people to be frowned on, people who did not deserve to have their well-being taken into account."

1. Which “poor”, ptochos or penes?
   
   

Ivan wrote:
"Suppose Jesus really were alive today. Would he despise the poor? Ignore their needs? Begrudge their miserable welfare hand-outs? Cheer at the idea of letting the uninsured die of disease?"

Ivan wrote:
"When did the Jesus of the Gospels¹ ever proclaim that the poor and sick and unfortunate do not deserve your compassion?² That you are not your brother’s keeper?³ That paying tax is an abomination?"⁴

"The sight of American Christians in full self-righteous fervor, working themselves up into a rage over other people’s beliefs and other people’s sexuality, is hard to reconcile with the Jesus of the Gospels, whose anger was almost exclusively reserved for those who dared to judge and look down on others."

1. The term “the Jesus of the Gospel” is, to me, a bit irksome. Y’shua, a decent transliteration of Hebrew name, is also the name of Joshua, the leader of the Nation of Y’srael as they crossed the Jordan. More appropriate differential terms, in my opinion, are Jesus the Messiah (Y’shua Moshiach) and Jesus the Anointed (Christos/Christ).
   
   
2. Never.
   
   
3. Never.
   
   
4. Never.
   
   

Ivan wrote:
"… other people’s sexuality…"

Greek Bible:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.

For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful, and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

Romans 1:18-32

Greek Bible:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Ivan wrote:
"Romney, of course, is a Mormon."

Ivan wrote:
"But many of those who support the right-wing politics he espouses will be mainstream Christians.¹ Christians, it must be said, whose Bibles must contain very different accounts of Jesus’s teachings than the one on my bookshelf."¹

1. if the Bible on the author’s bookshelf contains accurate translations of Jesus’ teachings, the author’s Bible is identical in substantive content to that which Christians follow; accordingly, those that the author identifies as “Christians” evidently are not Christians.
   
   

Two friends went to India; one in 1988, the other in 2003. Both returned with a different attitude-in-common toward American USV street beggars. Compassion demonstrated by action for the poor in Calcutta (1988) and Mumbai (2003); both gave every day as he had money/sustenance to give. Neither was left with compassion for American USV not-really-poor.

The two Greek words mentioned above are ptochos, poor with no way to change their conditions, and penes, poor in comparison.

RockOnBrother wrote:
Two friends went to India; one in 1988, the other in 2003. Both returned with a different attitude-in-common toward American USV street beggars. Compassion demonstrated by action for the poor in Calcutta (1988) and Mumbai (2003); both gave every day as he had money/sustenance to give. Neither was left with compassion for American USV not-really-poor.

Shirina wrote:
I'm concerned about being poor where I live, not being poor somewhere else. Because that "somewhere else" is irrelevant.

Shirina wrote:
The issue in America is that we tend to look at a place like India and think, "Well, Americans aren't starving yet like the Indians are, so why should I care about poor Americans?"¹ The implication being that we're going to wait until they ARE starving,² at which point, it is often too late.

1. I’ve not said this.
   
   
2. I’ve not implied this.
   
   

RockOnBrother wrote:
The two Greek words mentioned above are ptochos, poor with no way to change their conditions, and penes, poor in comparison.

Shirina wrote:
And then there is this issue, the mythology that living in America means you have the ability to change your conditions. That is the illusion we're led to believe, but it's pure bunk.

Fact: The poor in America USV do not either receive alms or starve to death on the streets of American USV cities.

oftenwrong wrote:
One would like to think that all of us would rise against a regime in either the UK or the USA which permitted some of its citizens to literally starve to death.

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends [securing Creator-endowed unalienable Rights onto all men], it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

United States Constitution, Preamble:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The poor in America AND UK are increasingly looking to help from soup kitchens and other food/clothes donations.

The earth will be destroyed by fire and a new place will be found for a new beginning.

Violence is only one of many sins Shirina.

That happening would not prove to be genocide.

Mel wrote:
They who have lived by the word of God and those that repent I believe will be saved for a new beginning at a place so wonderful that would be beyond our comprhension.

Greek Bible, Y’shua bar Yosef, Y’shua Moshiach:

“Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me.”

“In my Father's house¹ are many mansions:² if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

John 14:1-3

1. οἰκία, oikia, residence, abode, by implication a family, home, house, household.
   
   
   
2. μονή, monē, mansion.
   
   

Greek Bible:

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all¹ men² to be saved and to come unto the knowledge³ of the truth⁴. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men,² the man² Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all¹…”

1 Timothy 2:3-6

1. πᾶς, pas, all, every, the whole, everyone.
   
   
   
2. ἄνθρωπος, anthrōpos, a human being, man.
   
   
   
3. ἐπίγνωσις, epignōsis (from ἐπί, epi, an intensifier, and γνῶσις, gnōsis, knowledge), clear and exact knowledge, thorough participation in the object of the knowledge.
   
   
   
4. ἀλήθεια, alētheia, true, truly, truth, verity.