January 4, 2006
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This is what’s been on my mind lately. It’s nationalism. Nationalism is religion, and when you add it to Christianity (e.g. a Christian country), it becomes The American Way.
I saw a bumper sticker (I love bumper stickers, only they aren’t big enough to hold the things I want to say) that said, “God bless the people of all nations.” Now that was a nice sentiment. I’m not religious, although I can respect a religious view that is generous in spirit, and good, like that one.
I have been listening to lectures on CD from “The Learning Co.” about the history of China. At some point during a time in which Buddhism was growing in China, an emperor wanted to pay homage to a relic, a piece of bone that came from the finger of The Buddha himself. He was criticized for worshiping the decaying corpse of a foreigner. That got me thinking about how Buddhism is strong in Asia, but not so much in India where it began. Christianity also spread beyond where it began, and that means that for a country as new as the United States to claim some sort of special status is quite ridiculous. Which gets me thinking about one Texas governor who in the midst of a debate over whether to make English the “official language” of Texas said, “if English was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me.” You might expect most nationalistic Americans to echo the sentiment of the emperor’s critic, “why are we worshiping that foreigner, Jesus.” But I’m not sure they realize he was a foreigner. I, on the other hand, have no problem with foreigners, or with Jesus, just with Christianity and with Nationalism, and with the incongruity of the combination.
Because nationalism is anti-Christian, that’s what I think. Because Jesus wasn’t an American. I’m not rejecting who I am, or my love of what I know and what I grew up with, but that doesn’t mean I’m better than anyone else (at least not because I’m an American). I would love to know as much as I can about other cultures and what it would be like to have grown up somewhere else, and I would love to speak another language. And I would like Americans to stop being so damned proud, and so damned conceited. And I’d like Christians to remember that not only was Jesus Jewish, but he was also foreign. But more importantly, he was a dissident, and a rebel, and a peacenik, and a liberal.
Comments (7)
It is so hard to take someone seriously when they pass off as fact something so easy to fact check as that quote about English and Jesus.
I've missed your point of views like this lately. Amen!
I agree with all you are stating. I myself am Catholic but still do believe in my old Buddhist ways that I was brought up with. You can say that I've had a lot of mix culture in my upbringing and appreciate fully my parents for enforcing this openess. So what if you believe in different Gods, to me...it's all the same being with different names. 
Jesus, Lao Tsu and I would get along great. we'd throw rocks, clods of dirt, and trinkets at politicians and celebrities.
bill onesty - Was I trying to prove something based on that quote? Here's a link.
http://www.wisdomquotes.com/000536.html
If you want to do a little legwork and think you can prove that it isn't real, have at it. It doesn't matter, because it's just an example that isn't crucial to what I'm expressing. Though as far as reasons to not take me seriously, I'm glad you didn't say it was because I, like Jesus, am a liberal. That's never a good reason not to take someone seriously.
(that someone is a liar is a much better reason - which is certainly not the same thing).
Yay! I agree - it's facinating how many people assume that Jesus was basically a modern white American in a robe. So few actually take the time to logically think out that he was from the Middle East, and certainly did not speak English. It seems foolish to state that one country or group has a monopoly on God's approval. I don't really know if I'm saying what I mean to, so I will instead bow to your very eloquent wording of your beliefs, which pretty much sum up my own in a much more graceful way than I ever could.
i can't remember how exactly i stumbled across TheJob... i think it was just thru browsing around, not thru any comment or anything you left me. i was as surprised to find it as you were to find the comment there, no doubt.
people tell me i look like jesus all the time, because i'm white and blonde and longhaired and bearded. this makes me very amused. i always tell them no, jesus was black. many people are visibly offended by it. which of course only delights me more.
take care, andy.
Amen. Actually I've read Jesus was a Semite (hebrew) from the House of David. Jews are from the tribe of Judah, one of the two tribes that remained in Israel after the land was divided. The other ten tribes scattered throughout the continents.
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