Charity for the poor is definitely not a Christian innovation. It is basic in many older world religions, and injunctions to give charity to the poor are all over Old Testament, starting with the chronologically oldest parts.
My journey out of evangelicalism included developing an understanding that many religious, semi-religious, indigenous and self-proclaimed non-religious groups all have traditions of Love and Charity. I used to think that only Christianity had it right. It’s freeing to be out from under that misconception.
That said, Jesus still remains amazing to me. Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
I should write something up on this. I don’t think there’s no value in any other path, but it always seems clunky to just insert that over and over. I also don’t think Jesus would have said something like “make people feel badly and like they’re not enough!” The Jesus I know makes me go “ugh, well I guess that’s the right thing to do so now I have to go and do it I guess.”
I hear you. I’ve been exploring other Christian traditions, particularly the Universalism that was, much to my surprise, common in the early centuries of the Church until the West doubled down on Augustinian interpretations regarding original sin.
I mention this because, it seems to me, that Jesus’ ethic was based in Love and not in Fear. This had far-reaching implications for how I saw myself in the world. My movement from a fear-based ethic to one that is rooted in the belief in Original Goodness (“…and God saw that it was good.”) has been the single greatest change in my life.
And to hazard a guess, I think you will eventually find yourself not saying “Ugh” as much as you might do now. Peace.
I loved the descriptions of the dead enders. Our small town had a few people like that although I don’t think they were homeless. I’m sure there were probably some people sleeping in their car or on friends’ couches, but as a kid, I thought homeless people were just in the movies. I didn’t see someone begging on the street until
Age 12 when we took a family vacation to Washington DC.
I might be misunderstanding your point about Christian charity. It sounds like you’re saying that Jesus invented the idea that God wants his followers to help poor people. My impression is that Jesus was reminding fellow Jews of what they already were taught about helping the poor.
There are a lot of verses in the Old Testament telling the Israelites to give to the poor and widows.
It’s woven into the famous story of Ruth and Naomi. Ruth was poor so she was gathering wheat or something from the edges of the fields that Boaz owned. Boaz was following the Jewish commandment to not harvest his entire field, but to leave the edges alone so poor people could pick that area to feed themselves.
But I take your point that Jesus didn’t follow the cult leader model we’re all familiar with.
You’re right. I goofed it. I did this quickly and then my son broke my wife’s cold brew thing we just got her for Christmas so I didn’t have time to do a once over. The part I wanted to emphasize was that it was the first time the obligation was specifically for everyone other than your own community.
Late Merry Christmas,Guy! 🤶 Another great funny/serious take. Jesus Himself was breaking up a cult, the Pharisees and others like them, who were making avocado sandwiches only for Jews who followed their self-aggrandizing rules.
You have this way of putting into words a thought that is stuck in my head and won't come out. I love it. Merry Christmas.
Late but Merry Christmas.
Charity for the poor is definitely not a Christian innovation. It is basic in many older world religions, and injunctions to give charity to the poor are all over Old Testament, starting with the chronologically oldest parts.
You’re right. I updated it.
Thanks. I love your writing by the way, so keep at it.
My journey out of evangelicalism included developing an understanding that many religious, semi-religious, indigenous and self-proclaimed non-religious groups all have traditions of Love and Charity. I used to think that only Christianity had it right. It’s freeing to be out from under that misconception.
That said, Jesus still remains amazing to me. Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
I should write something up on this. I don’t think there’s no value in any other path, but it always seems clunky to just insert that over and over. I also don’t think Jesus would have said something like “make people feel badly and like they’re not enough!” The Jesus I know makes me go “ugh, well I guess that’s the right thing to do so now I have to go and do it I guess.”
I hear you. I’ve been exploring other Christian traditions, particularly the Universalism that was, much to my surprise, common in the early centuries of the Church until the West doubled down on Augustinian interpretations regarding original sin.
I mention this because, it seems to me, that Jesus’ ethic was based in Love and not in Fear. This had far-reaching implications for how I saw myself in the world. My movement from a fear-based ethic to one that is rooted in the belief in Original Goodness (“…and God saw that it was good.”) has been the single greatest change in my life.
And to hazard a guess, I think you will eventually find yourself not saying “Ugh” as much as you might do now. Peace.
I loved the descriptions of the dead enders. Our small town had a few people like that although I don’t think they were homeless. I’m sure there were probably some people sleeping in their car or on friends’ couches, but as a kid, I thought homeless people were just in the movies. I didn’t see someone begging on the street until
Age 12 when we took a family vacation to Washington DC.
I might be misunderstanding your point about Christian charity. It sounds like you’re saying that Jesus invented the idea that God wants his followers to help poor people. My impression is that Jesus was reminding fellow Jews of what they already were taught about helping the poor.
There are a lot of verses in the Old Testament telling the Israelites to give to the poor and widows.
https://www.christianbiblereference.org/faq_generosity.htm
It’s woven into the famous story of Ruth and Naomi. Ruth was poor so she was gathering wheat or something from the edges of the fields that Boaz owned. Boaz was following the Jewish commandment to not harvest his entire field, but to leave the edges alone so poor people could pick that area to feed themselves.
But I take your point that Jesus didn’t follow the cult leader model we’re all familiar with.
You’re right. I goofed it. I did this quickly and then my son broke my wife’s cold brew thing we just got her for Christmas so I didn’t have time to do a once over. The part I wanted to emphasize was that it was the first time the obligation was specifically for everyone other than your own community.
Here's a Christmas present I know you will enjoy. And please pass it on!
https://kathleenweber.substack.com/p/you-cant-get-good-help-anymore
Lol. I like it because it’s kind of inscrutable. Have you seen Biden and Trump singing a sad, mournful Chinese love song to each other?
Not yet!
This is the sauce.
Late Merry Christmas sir.
Merry Christmas to you and your family Guy! Thank you.
Late Merry Christmas to you Daniel!
Late Merry Christmas,Guy! 🤶 Another great funny/serious take. Jesus Himself was breaking up a cult, the Pharisees and others like them, who were making avocado sandwiches only for Jews who followed their self-aggrandizing rules.