And in conclusion…

What I have been able to learn about the man, Jesus of Nazareth, leads me to think that if he were in the present moment he would be amazed and astonished by the technology that has developed over two millennia. More importantly, I think he would be incredibly disappointed and saddened by the infinitesimal spiritual and moral progress made in the same period of time. Whether we choose to label it a quarrel or debate, Jesus challenged the legalistic worldview of his time and would perhaps weep to discover that humankind has become only more so over the years, particularly in the United States. Our ethics are governed by whether or not something is legal, and any moral perspective seems to have died with God in the 1960’s. I am realizing that there’s not much to be gained by belaboring this point further. Suffice it to say that little, if any, of contemporary Christianity has anything to do with the life and teaching of Jesus other than to have incorporated him as the company logo. We may be less apt to find the Christ in church than in the yearning for a closer relationship with the Creator who relieves us of judging anything other than the quality of the connection.