Finding the Real Deal Jesus

August 3, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Finding the real Jesus means dropping old mental idols and getting informed by the social sciences. Recently, this blog has exposed several popular American idols. These culturally congenial Jesuses are American inventions and devotional distortions—identity thefts all. The fakes include “the Intellectual Sage,” “the Great One,” “the Alien Lifeform from Planet Kitsch,” and Jesus as “the Progressive Liberator and Rebel.” Today we go about finding the real deal Jesus. Someone commented to me, “Stop telling us who Jesus isn’t, and start... Read more

Progressive Jesus Is Also Fake

July 28, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Jesus was not a progressive. As my readers explored last week, U.S. Christians commit many identity thefts on Jesus. We’ve seen American counterfeits such as “the Intellectual Sage,” “the Great One,” and “the Alien Lifeform from Planet Kitsch.” Today we examine yet another American counterfeit Jesus—”the Progressive Liberator and Rebel.” Here is a video about this American Progressive Jesus— Progressive & Congenial Many in the U.S. today, Christians included, are committed to social justice advocacy. Like the historical Jesus, they have... Read more

Sharing? Miracle? Both? Nope!—Multiplying Loaves and Fish

July 25, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Sorry to U.S. Bible readers, but Jesus’ wonder of multiplying loaves and fish was neither a miracle nor a lesson about sharing. Here comes another Sunday of horrible homilies. It begins with the Gospel reading, another version of Jesus feeding a multitude (John 6:1-15). The story of Jesus feeding a crowd of Israelites is found in all four canonical Gospels (Mark 6:32-44 // Matthew 14:13-21 // Luke 9:10-17). Sharing the Origins of this Sunday’s Gospel Scholars, therefore, debate its origins. Does this multiply attested story... Read more

Alien Jesus is Counterfeit

July 23, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Alien to humanity depictions make Jesus unreal and provide yet another congenial identity theft. In the past several posts, we have been talking about committing identity theft on Jesus. American Christians almost always can’t stomach a Jesus not buying American values. Like so many others, we throw away the real Jesus in favor of culturally-congenial idols like “the Intellectual Sage” and “the Great One.” Among U.S. Catholics, there is a tragic preference for another disingenuous way of looking at the Galilean peasant... Read more

Great One Jesus or Reality?

July 20, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Great One Jesus is another culturally congenial identity theft committed by American Christians. “Make America great again!” Except for women, homosexuals, minorities, indigenous peoples, and pretty much anyone who isn’t a white male. Was there anything great about the USofA back in the 1950s-day? As a matter of fact, yes! But to recover it, we would need strong labor unions and a healthy workforce where labor is given human dignity. Regardless, we Amer-I-cans love being great. We even like our... Read more

Intellectual Sage or Real Jesus?

July 19, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Intellectual Sage Jesus is yet another culturally congenial identity theft American Christians. Last time we explored how Americans crave a Jesus just like them or just like how they desire to be. Like all Westerners, even atheist Richard Dawkins! He thinks the “brilliant” Jesus was just too smart not to have been an atheist! Dawkins, too, you see, is a devotee of Jesus the Intellectual Sage. Why do we see Jesus as the Intellectual Sage? It’s because we need a Jesus... Read more

American Counterfeit Jesus

July 18, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

American Christians prefer a fake Jesus congenial to our values in place of the real deal. Are you an American Christian who claims to love Jesus? Do you pray, “Jesus I trust in you”? Okay. Tell me about this Jesus in whom you love and trust. Forgive my suspicion of your claims. You see, as an American like you, I am also culturally programmed to refuse any Jesus who isn’t either just like me or someone I desire to be.... Read more

Inspiration is Messy Indeed

July 10, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Inspiration is messy and very human precisely because it is divine. This blog is named “Messy Inspirations,” and inspiration is indeed a messy business! Honestly, the world is messy too. Because of this, and because revelation or divine disclosure happens everywhere and always, we should expect it to be messy. Therefore, be happy messy people! And God did not limit revelation to only the Catholic circle or Christian circle or even the monotheistic circle, thank God! Additionally, God did not... Read more

Authority & Healing: Mark 6:7-13

July 10, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

Authority over demons figures heavily in this Sunday’s Gospel, but what is this really about? Sometimes I enjoy hearing Christians—especially my fellow Catholics—talk about angels and demons citing some spiritual writer or authority. It always gives me a chuckle. I wonder, “where are these experts getting all this fanciful stuff from?” Books, they answer. But the books they cite are a rehash of Western theological and spiritual ideas only distantly related, if at all, to our Middle Eastern Scriptures. Not... Read more

Upset? Too Bad!

July 3, 2021 By Fellow Dying Inmate

If you are upset by what I blog, that’s probably a good thing. Upset? Some people got upset at my last post. That’s good that they got upset! Hey people? Stick around! You are going to be upset again and again, and maybe that’s an excellent thing! The questions are: why are you upset, and what should you do with that upset feeling, unhappy camper? How is this blog challenging you? Isn’t that what’s making you upset? Sure it is. Confession... Read more