What Would Jesus Do?

[El_Machinae]

He'd be immolating all those who refused to help refugees.

"But I preached in your name! I cast out devils!"

"Yeah, and then you flicked off your TV when the sponsorship drive started and flipped through a catalogue of X-Box games for a bit, and then forwarded a meme claiming that all Samaritans deserve death."

"But I asked you to forgive all my sins!"

"Remember the Lord's Prayer? The one where Our Father would forgive you as you forgave others? As you forgave others? Yeah, I forgave you just as much as you forgave others. It's why I'm immolating you now."

 

[CavLancer]

Jesus hasn't returned in 2,000 years. I hardly think that he's going to return now, just because we happen to be alive at the moment.

Agree. He'll show up in his own time. Lots of folks have made predictions as to a specific date and been wrong. I'd guess that with nations focused on and against Israel that perhaps it will happen fairly soon, but really don't know.

 

[CavLancer]

My bet is he'd be pretty damn disappointed in a lot of his followers, at least.

Not his actual followers I'd imagine, but perhaps in many of those who call themselves Christians for self serving purposes. Again, its above my pay grade, I just don't know who Jesus is disappointed in, just hope its not me.

 

[Arakhor]

Agree. He'll show up in his own time. Lots of folks have made predictions as to a specific date and been wrong. I'd guess that with nations focused on and against Israel that perhaps it will happen fairly soon, but really don't know.

Israel has only been independent for sixty years and has certainly made a name for itself in that short time. I see no reason why Jesus would turn up now, rather than the uncounted centuries in which the Holy Land lay in Islamic hands or, you know, some time during the tragedy of the Holocaust. Millennial teaching just speaks to human favouritism, especially since if you read the Bible, the apostles were convinced that Jesus would return within a scant few decades.

 

[CavLancer]

Israel has only been independent for sixty years and has certainly made a name for itself in that short time. I see no reason why Jesus would turn up now, rather than the uncounted centuries in which the Holy Land lay in Islamic hands or, you know, some time during the tragedy of the Holocaust. Millennial teaching just speaks to human favouritism, especially since if you read the Bible, the apostles were convinced that Jesus would return within a scant few decades.

Sure, all good points. The only issue I would have is bible prophesy supposedly predicts that Israel must be reconstituted, among other things, before Jesus returns.

I'm sure what people think of Jesus own intentions means something, particularly to themselves. However Jesus is going to do what Jesus is going to do.

Didn't know that about the apostles however, any chance you could look that up for me and teach me where it is? I'd appreciate it.

 

[El_Machinae]

I expect the Bible to be as good at prophecy as it is at telling us about the past.
No, actually, I'd expect a book to be better at predicting the past as it is about predicting the future ...

 

[Arakhor]

Didn't know that about the apostles however, any chance you could look that up for me and teach me where it is? I'd appreciate it.

That would be more problematic. I remember hearing about it, but not where. Perhaps Plotinus could help you out in his theology thread.

 

[CavLancer]

Thanks anyway.

 

[CavLancer]

I expect the Bible to be as good at prophecy as it is at telling us about the past.
No, actually, I'd expect a book to be better at predicting the past as it is about predicting the future ...

Regarding prophesy, it seems to be doing okay so far. Israel does exist again.

I'm not one of those who think that everything that went into the book is good, but some of it certainly is. "Love thy neighbor", that's good stuff. God gave us brains and hearts for a reason, and seek and you will find is something that I buy into. I think its up to us to find the truth is what I'm saying. Not to be automatons, but to never stop trying, never stop seeking. Faith being the evidence of things unseen, we have to want it to get it, or God has to want you.

I was not a believer all my life. The family I was born into were not. It took an act of God to turn me from you into me. So don't think you are safe in your lack of faith, if God wants you he will have you, if he doesn't well...

But I commiserate. Used to not think much of it, mostly because of the condition and suffering in the world, and the fuglyness of some people calling themselves Christians.

I was wrong.

 

[Berzerker]

Didn't know that about the apostles however, any chance you could look that up for me and teach me where it is? I'd appreciate it.

When the apostles asked Jesus to describe his return he lists notable events in mostly generic terms to watch for and tells them these things shall happen before this generation passes away.

The context strongly suggests he was talking about their generation, not some future people thousands of years in the future. But I guess the passages could be interpreted to mean the listed events will all occur within one generation.

The problem with the latter interpretation is that his apostles wanted to know what to watch for, not future peoples - thats why I figure the apostles dont seem too interested in writing down his story, they believed he'd return before their generation died out. Its only after they begin dying out that efforts are made to put his teachings on paper for posterity.

Jesus got in trouble for predicting the destruction of the Temple, that did happen before their generation passed away. I'm more concerned with the prediction made in Revelation about Wormwood - a mountain falls out of the sky and wipes out a bunch of people.

 

[Arakhor]

If the Four Horsemen start traversing the world, we're pretty doomed anyway.

 

[Colonel]

If you are putting this question in the context of the religious figure of Christianity and do believe this religion to be accurate, in so much as God existing and Jesus being God/God's son then you would have to believe under the current ideology of the modern church Jesus would accept the refugees. Under the ideology of say 500 years ago, the refugees would be executed upon arrival. This being acceptable under the best thinking of the time.

If you don't believe Christianity and believe solely that Christ was a historical figure who spoke onto the world a message of peace and harmony. I would have to say that Christ would at any point in history allow the refugees into the country.

The simple point here is that organized religion whether it be the Crusader driven Catholic Church of centuries past or the current ISIS pseudo-state has caused more destruction, death, and unspeakable atrocities across the span of human existence than any other natural or human factor. If one truly wants to fix the problems of our world, the very same problems that have plagued human kind since our earliest days, one's first step would be to ban/outlaw/remove organized religion.

 

[abradley]

Like with our southern border, I don't believe in bringing people here to solve their problems, rather help them solve their problems at home.

Want the whole world to have the American dream, especially America.

 

[Berzerker]

we're gonna solve their problems at home?

seems we are the cause of their problems at home

we destabilized Iraq and Syria and sent a wave of refugees into other countries in the region and beyond

The Republicans - the party of Jesus - ruined their countries and wont let them come here

 

[abradley]

We got rid of their Dictators, gave them voting rights, they decided what came next.

 

[Berzerker]

we got rid of their government and replaced it with ethnic cleansing and civil war

but according to you they should be thanking us

 

[abradley]

we got rid of their government and replaced it with ethnic cleansing and civil war

but according to you they should be thanking us

They should. But I've been around long enough to know 'No good deed goes unpunished.'

 

[classical_hero]

Why are people taking personal claims and making it out as if Jesus told the government on how to act? I do wonder why Refugees have the right to go where ever they want and citizen don't have the same right. I mean some citizens of Greece would love to live in Germany and live off the taxpayer, but th can't do that, so why do refugees get better treatment than citizens? The ultimate reason for government is to protect it's citizens, but right now we are no seeing that happening.

But if Jesus were around he would know the hearts of the people trying to claim asylum and those coming here on false pretence he would return back to where they came from. Considering the vast majority have to go through safe countries to get to where they want to go, they aren't geniune refugees.

 

[Berzerker]

Yeah, Bush was merely doing us all a good deed when he lied us into war

Thank you, George, I gotta imagine Jesus is up there with a smile on his face while he counts up your heavenly treasure

The Republicans and Democrats and their constant wars have made us less safe and I'm tired of it, we cant even help the refugees we created for fear of the people who want to kill us for our good deeds.

But maybe you're right, perhaps the final judgement on George will come down to a vote and he'll win or lose based on the will of the majority - his victims who hate his guts or his victims who prefer the chaos to Saddam.

 

[Berzerker]

CH

Considering the vast majority have to go through safe countries to get to where they want to go, they aren't geniune refugees.

I think most are in neighboring countries, but they're refugees because they had to flee their homes for fear of death. The fact any had to travel thru other countries to find a place to live aint relevant. You might wanna look in a dictionary for that requirement.

But if Jesus were around he would know the hearts of the people trying to claim asylum and those coming here on false pretence he would return back to where they came from.

We dont have the luxury of knowing hearts, but in the OP Jesus and his friends are among the refugees and they're being refused asylum...by Christians. Hell, Chris Christie wont even allow orphans under 5 years old in his state.