In my two-pennies on the issue about the painting of every one with Jesus holding babies, even Christ:

The essential story of Jesus Christ (which predates 'Jesus' himself by thousands of years), is that we all contain within us the 'being of Christ' and that Jesus the 2nd coming is our own being finding the inner self we were born with(The Jesus 'within'). That's what being born again means. In relation to Buddhism also, Buddhism teaches we're all born with an inner self, the truest flower of living, but it's plasticized by society and external thoughts of other peoples minds which are not our own, so then we're molded into a personality which we're not born with but needed to sustain as long as we remain part of a section, faction, or whatever group of society we are raised in. The teaching of all religions are written in parable symbolic messenges, and only intelligent people see through the messege to obtain the truth that we already know. It's the Church's and priests who push the messege literally so that people need the Church to exist. When people take it spiritually and symbolically, it surpasses the need for the Church, because you yourself -- become the Church. This is why all religions (for the most part) are so harsh in addressing the literal sense of all that is taught. Why then, would 'God' or whoever writes all the Holy Books write it in such complex symbolism, instead of just coming out with the answers. And when people say God 'speaks' to them -- what do they mean? The answer is simple: Isn't it more fulfilling when you accomplish something yourself, and find something out on your own doing? Sure, it's easy for someone to tell you the answer, but it's much more fulfilling when someone pushes you along scarcely enough for you to make the discovery yourself. This is why it's all in a symbolic-sense.
Be the Church!

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