Comments on: Sundays with Uncle-God Momma: anger and compassion http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2010/01/10/sundays-with-uncle-god-momma-anger-and-compassion/ Think. It ain't illegal yet... Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:13:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lex http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2010/01/10/sundays-with-uncle-god-momma-anger-and-compassion/comment-page-1/#comment-76394 Lex Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:51:57 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=14067#comment-76394 Crossan has an easy read called <i>Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography</i>, which is backed up by a much more scholarly edition that i'm currently digging through. (<i>The Historical Jesus</i>) It's fascinating because of its historical context and sociological/revolution context. Actually, it's rather alarming to read for this 21st C. American. Crossan is a Christian, but he's also a founding member of the Jesus Seminar. It's worth checking out, and they're current project is early Christian history. Thanks for engaging, Mad Hatter Crossan has an easy read called Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, which is backed up by a much more scholarly edition that i’m currently digging through. (The Historical Jesus) It’s fascinating because of its historical context and sociological/revolution context. Actually, it’s rather alarming to read for this 21st C. American.

Crossan is a Christian, but he’s also a founding member of the Jesus Seminar. It’s worth checking out, and they’re current project is early Christian history.

Thanks for engaging, Mad Hatter

]]> By: Mad Hatter http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2010/01/10/sundays-with-uncle-god-momma-anger-and-compassion/comment-page-1/#comment-76393 Mad Hatter Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:12:17 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=14067#comment-76393 I've never read anything by Schweitzer or Crossan. I'll check them out. Thanks. It would really be great to know the actual Jesus and what he really thought. One thing of which I am sure is that American fundamentalists would be sorely disappointed if they knew the truth. I’ve never read anything by Schweitzer or Crossan. I’ll check them out. Thanks.

It would really be great to know the actual Jesus and what he really thought. One thing of which I am sure is that American fundamentalists would be sorely disappointed if they knew the truth.

]]> By: Lex http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2010/01/10/sundays-with-uncle-god-momma-anger-and-compassion/comment-page-1/#comment-76391 Lex Sun, 10 Jan 2010 21:28:56 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=14067#comment-76391 I'm of the opinion (and it is mine alone) that "turn the other cheek" is more likely about reaction than action. It is a refutation of the "eye for an eye" law, and here we need to seriously consider the thesis of Jesus as a social revolutionary*. (That's a strong thesis, btw, strip away the miracles and some of the mysticism and that's what you'll find.) Yes, i believe that anger has its place because there is injustice and it cannot be corrected by meekly accepting the injustice. King did not take "turn the other cheek" to mean stay-the-fuck-at-the-back-of-the-bus; he took to mean that when the agents of injustice confront you with clubs, dogs and guns that you meet that confrontation without them. He appealed to the power of compassion. Meat is good, and killing a plant to live is still killing to live. At least that's what the cows have taught me. Spiritually speaking, vegetarianism comes mostly from the East and from systems where the goal is to exit the circle of life...not somehow make it more pleasant. I'm not sure, but if the vitriol is worse it is so only by a degree or two. And you're probably right, the major difference is the ease with which vitriol is broadcast. Where there may be a difference is that today there are few movements that stand against the vitriol with compassion. We can choose to remember history as the victories of men like King rather than the degradations of men like McCarthy. *Discussions of Jesus are dangerous because of the layers of church and state that envelop whoever he really was. It's important to note though that very early in Christian history (mid first century) we can see two schools taking clear shape. One is called sapiential and focuses very much on activity here and now. The other is apocalyptic and focus on being personally prepared for the always imminent end times. Paul, who represents the latter, obviously won. So when people look at Christianity and note a disconnect between what Jesus appears to have said and how Christians generally act they are actually revisiting the oldest schism of the Church. To them i would recommend reading authors like Schweitzer and Crossan who approach Jesus as a social revolutionary. I’m of the opinion (and it is mine alone) that “turn the other cheek” is more likely about reaction than action. It is a refutation of the “eye for an eye” law, and here we need to seriously consider the thesis of Jesus as a social revolutionary*. (That’s a strong thesis, btw, strip away the miracles and some of the mysticism and that’s what you’ll find.) Yes, i believe that anger has its place because there is injustice and it cannot be corrected by meekly accepting the injustice. King did not take “turn the other cheek” to mean stay-the-fuck-at-the-back-of-the-bus; he took to mean that when the agents of injustice confront you with clubs, dogs and guns that you meet that confrontation without them. He appealed to the power of compassion.

Meat is good, and killing a plant to live is still killing to live. At least that’s what the cows have taught me. Spiritually speaking, vegetarianism comes mostly from the East and from systems where the goal is to exit the circle of life…not somehow make it more pleasant.

I’m not sure, but if the vitriol is worse it is so only by a degree or two. And you’re probably right, the major difference is the ease with which vitriol is broadcast. Where there may be a difference is that today there are few movements that stand against the vitriol with compassion. We can choose to remember history as the victories of men like King rather than the degradations of men like McCarthy.

*Discussions of Jesus are dangerous because of the layers of church and state that envelop whoever he really was. It’s important to note though that very early in Christian history (mid first century) we can see two schools taking clear shape. One is called sapiential and focuses very much on activity here and now. The other is apocalyptic and focus on being personally prepared for the always imminent end times. Paul, who represents the latter, obviously won. So when people look at Christianity and note a disconnect between what Jesus appears to have said and how Christians generally act they are actually revisiting the oldest schism of the Church. To them i would recommend reading authors like Schweitzer and Crossan who approach Jesus as a social revolutionary.

]]> By: Mad Hatter http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2010/01/10/sundays-with-uncle-god-momma-anger-and-compassion/comment-page-1/#comment-76389 Mad Hatter Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:56:41 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=14067#comment-76389 I do consciously try to be a compassionate human to all living things but I am not a 'turn the other cheek' type of person. When I get slapped for no good resaon then I want to return the favor. Also as you said in your post....anti-compassion (anger) is sometimes needed to address injustices. Oh, and I do like to eat meat. Here is a question that I have been struggling with the last 20 years. Is the political vitriol truly worse now than it was 25 - 50 years ago? Or is it just covered and broadcast better by the improved and diverse communication media (maybe even egged on and highlighted by that same media)? It is only recently (since I've retired) that I have devoted more time to studying history. Sadly, it seems that most history is written from a POV and I feel it is very difficult to really get a handle on the historical truth. Hell, even living through some historical periods, I still wonder if I really know the truth about those periods. I do consciously try to be a compassionate human to all living things but I am not a ‘turn the other cheek’ type of person. When I get slapped for no good resaon then I want to return the favor. Also as you said in your post….anti-compassion (anger) is sometimes needed to address injustices. Oh, and I do like to eat meat.

Here is a question that I have been struggling with the last 20 years. Is the political vitriol truly worse now than it was 25 – 50 years ago? Or is it just covered and broadcast better by the improved and diverse communication media (maybe even egged on and highlighted by that same media)? It is only recently (since I’ve retired) that I have devoted more time to studying history. Sadly, it seems that most history is written from a POV and I feel it is very difficult to really get a handle on the historical truth. Hell, even living through some historical periods, I still wonder if I really know the truth about those periods.

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