Frequently, I will point out to those who insist on debating Christianity with me that Jesus wasn't all sweetness and light. I'll indicate passages of the New Testament where he says things that are, let's say, not exactly in keeping with his image as the Prince of Peace.
And it's really funny (in a pathetic sort of way) how these folks will bend over backward, rationalizing these examples in order to maintain warm fuzzy feelings for their savior and their faith in general.
Here are just a few samples.
In Luke 14:26, Jesus explains to his followers that "If any man come to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple."
Seems pretty straightforward, doesn't it? Ah, but no. To the rationalizing Christian, this is just an example of Jesus using hyperbole. He's just exaggerating, trying to make a point. What point? Well, I'm informed that this is Jesus putting himself above even the closest human relationships. Why? Well, who else could make such an outrageous claim that our love for that person should make even parental relationships seem like hatred in comparison?
Does that make any kind of sense to you? Yeah, me, neither.
Next example. In Matthew 10:34, the aforementioned Prince of Peace says, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."
Sounds rather militant to me. But I'm often told, no… it's not a literal sword. It's just a metaphor representing the word of God, which is divisive between believers and non-believers.
Well, I'm sorry, but whether it's the word of God or the sword of God, it's still divisive. Because religion in general is divisive, and possibly no religion in history has ever been more divisive than Christianity. How many sects of Christianity itself are there? I've lost count. All believe themselves to have the clearest understanding of their holy books. But they can't all be right. And they seldom agree with each other.
Forget Jesus' (s)word dividing between believers and non-believers. It divides between believers themselves. Some of the vilest invectives I've heard spouted by Christians have been toward other Christians. It's just insane. One glance at Ireland is all you need to see this.
Moving on. Back to Matthew again, this time 10:35-37. Jesus says, "For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's foes [shall be] they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
Well, golly. That's not exactly what I view as family values. The rationalization? More hyperbole. More edicts that we must love God above all others, even our own family members. Or, as I put it, yet another example of God acting like an egomaniacal child. Me, Me, Me! Give me your adoration or I'll send you to hell!
Real mature, huh? I think he needs a Time Out.
For my money, any religion that has to resort to threats in order to exact obedience is a religion built on negativity. Any religion that focuses so much on punishment and reward is a religion fit only for those who haven't much of a brain in their heads. And any religion that is forced to rationalize the negative things it says is a religion in dire need of re-examination from the ground up.
And that's an examination that Christianity fails miserably.
