Jesus or Judas:Will the real terrorist please stand up?

by Valis 23 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  bebu

  I think Judas, the only guy from Judea, was a thief at heart and had an outward character such that the other disciples didn't immediately suspect him when Jesus told them that one of their group was to betray him. That doesn't portray a "terrorist" to me, it portrays something different. A mole. A great deceiver.

  Y'know, the disciple that I'd always felt would tend to be accused of being more of the terrorist-type would have been Simon the Zealot--the Zealots were a group of very political "zealot" Jews who were working to overthrow Rome. Zealots were radical; no doubt he was hoping hard that Jesus would boot out the Romans and begin reigning ASAP. Here's where terrorism is waiting to spring forth.

  What about James and John, the Sons of Thunder? Didn't they want to call down fire from heaven onto a Samaritan village that refused to welcome them as they went on their way to Jerusalem? Jesus rebuked them for this thought.

  Peter cut of Malchus' ear. Jesus rebuked him, too.

  Jesus looked with compassion on the people. He wept over Jerusalem.

  I guess his 'terrorist' side led him to clean out the moneylenders and merchants from clogging up the Court of the Gentiles, and also calling the Pharisees and Saduccess vipers. I think he'd have called the GB vipers, too, don't you? (Yahoo! I'm sure he would.) Jesus never strikes me as being smarmy, too-careful, unreachable, or trance-like (like Bin Laden). I'm sure he laughed when he held children on his lap to bless them. He wasn't afraid of getting snot on himself.

  It seems to me that we always seem to reframe things according to fads. Terrorism is a hot topic/fad now, so it seems to me that everything must now get reviewed in terms of terrorism, and everyone can be measured as to being a terrorist. I think it looks very silly sometimes. Until recently, no one ever thought of accusing Jesus (or even Judas) of being a terrorist before. Ten years from now, i hope no one will think this could ever have been a serious topic... It will go the way of so many other wild speculations...

  (Perhaps Jesus appears a terrorist in that in the Bible he keeps making demands of us individually, and some of us don't like/agree with/believe them. Turning him into a bad guy is one way of getting us off the hook of having to deal with any his claims/demands.)

  That's how I see it, anyway...

  bebu
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  Valis

  bebu, from a personal perspective I tend to agree with you about the teachings of Jebus not being terribly off base, and in general good things for people to consider and try to live by,, but from the Roman and Jewish government perspectives he was espousing a fairly radical idea, which would have led to even more turmoil in their societies, not to mention the religious upheaval involved. Would you not agree? This is why I used the word terrorist, although the word insurrectionist, rebel, radical, could have been substituted, and ultimately why he was exectured IMO.

  Sincerely,

  District Overbeer
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  bebu

  Drat, my computer crashed just before I sent out my reply!!!

  So here's what I tried to say to reply a few minutes ago:

  Yes, Valis, I agree with you.

  It seems semantics are the issue. Also, today's politics. Surely Jesus was considered a rebel, a radical, or an insurrectionist; but the contention that Jesus or Judas was a 'terrorist' is new. There would be better speculations about Simon the Zealot, however, as having potential leanings (which I don't think he did, tho' others in the group may have). This seems overlooked now. I just haven't found anything to give credence to Jesus or Judas being perceived as a "terrorist".

  BTW, I read an account where, just before Jerusalem fell in 70 AD, some Jewish "terrorists" decided to push the envelope. The Romans had laid seige to Jerusalem, but the Jews inside had several years worth of stockpiled food. Being concerned that some Jews might try to appease the Romans, and lose unity against the Romans, some of them (Zealots?) destroyed all the food that was warehoused, and forced a crisis where everyone would have to fight. Things didn't go as those radicals wished, however...

  bebu
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  manon

  The theory or logic of Jesus or Judas being a terrorist is as old as the story of Jesus himself. The theory originated from the Esoteric & Judeo perspective on Christianity. Within their belief system Jesus can be the radical, teacher, healer, terrorists, foundation of church but Jesus could never be the messiah since they are still waiting on him.

  The story of Jesus and his disciples is strip bare to the saga of a man and his followers who built a church. The entire essence of god and spirit, satan, divine inspiration are eliminated the notion of Jesus son of god isn't recognized. It is a lesson without spiritual embellishments.