Is it really so hard to be like Jesus??

Jesus, whether he existed or not, set the bar for the way to behave on this Earth. through either his actions or teachings, he set an impressive example for us to follow.

well, believing he was real or not shouldn't keep one from ignoring all he had to teach. i was thinking how many people, namely Christians, strive to be Jesus-like with their behavior. i've always thought, almost subconsciously, that acting like Jesus is the ultimate way of being - aspiring to be like him is such a demanding task and noble achievement, and most seem to make it out like it's nearly impossible, at least very difficult. we practically place him on a pedestal, one that's far from reach, like he's only something that we can admire from afar, idolizing his perfection. it's almost as if we're accepting that it's unattainable to be as humble and servantile as he is - surely it's impossible to be as good as Jesus; no one's perfect, right?

Wrong.

it's so simple, but we don't even realize it! all it takes is to help your fellow man, show kindness towards all others, and exercise everything that has to do with the broad concept of Service-to-Others. be humble, do "turn your other cheek" when someone berates or harms you, show everyone that you can be a servant and still gain respect by setting an admirable example...

i know it seems hard to be so good when times are tough and everyone around you is mean and hateful, but all it takes is a little control. now i know why the "WWJD" phrase existed - i used to think that it had a lot to do with a marketing campaign, and i'm sure many still feel that way, but i'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt, for those that actually ask themselves, "What would Jesus do?", will surely gain some insight on what it takes to be a truly generous humanitarian.

i was thinking of all this in church on Sunday, yet i don't even consider myself religious, let alone Christian (i only go because of my wife and her mother-in-law). still though, i can't disregard all of these simple teachings on how to be a good man and assist all of my brothers and sisters in the world. the conspiracy here is that no one is perfect. that might be true, but it's only hurting ourselves and our planet, for our bodies and mind are perfect - we just need to learn how to use them properly and not treat them so badly, and with such disrespect. we've known of the Golden Rule since childhood, but no one ever practices it because we don't really see anyone else practicing it in today's world... we can be perfect, but being selfish is easier.

all it takes is a little, simple change within, to have an enormous impact and make our world perfectly harmonious. the change starts with you - set the example, and others will follow!

don't be left in the dark.

You have good intuition into this. I like you, feel, that living this way is obtainable by man. I'm not saying that I live perfectly by his words now, but unlike many other people, at least some of us are actually trying.

To live like Jesus is to be free of hatred, angry, justification, righteousness, supremacy and accusation.

I see very few Christians that are capable of half of the above. Everyone wishes to know what is good and bad, and to spread what is good and bad to everyone and let people who are bad know they are bad, and people who are good know they are good.

Of course, more often the letting good people know it is never practiced. The selfish impetus of man tends to override.

reply to post by adrenochrome



Hey Amigo...

yet i don't even consider myself religious, let alone Christian (i only go because of my wife and her mother-in-law). still though, i can't disregard all of these simple teachings on how to be a good man and assist all of my brothers and sisters in the world.

Don't disregard them, they are spot on...


But Ya' know what else is spot on, is that I can perform my civic duty, mirror the 10 commandments, 'try' to leave my ego at the door, and believe that there may very well be something 'more' out there, all the while thinking organized religion and the worshiping of jesus sux a$$...






Other than that - I completely agree...


Thanks for the thoughts...

I think you are correct. I do not believe Jesus was the Son of God any more than any one of us. I do believe that he taught the right life lessons.

I also think that mixed in with his lessons is a concession that there will always be the need to turn the other cheek and to be a servant to those more powerful. So he seems to teach that there will always be oppression. The world look forward to is a world without any opression. I don't think we should accept evil to any degree.

It is difficult to be like Jesus in this day and age, but we must strive to be like Jesus! Great post!

Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:


Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Society goes against the very nature of man. It encourages separation.
Lets be part of this group, this ethnic pride that, illegal immigrant whatever, homeless bum over here, female bitches to the right, lecherous ahole men to the left, black pride, white pride latino pride, and everything in between, rich, poor, elite, smart, stupid, walking to work, driving a lexus, taking the bus, working at mcdonalds, working for intel,
The list goes on.
We are all human.
Humans have common goals, the most paramount of which is the perpetuation of the species.
Anyone reading this is no better than anyone else.
A homeless person is no better than Bill Gates.
Both are human, both have needs, both will die, and both will live.
Jesus was a teacher in the virtue of tolerance.
If a man strikes you in the face, turn the other cheek and let them have at it.
Judge no one, for judgment is the the reserve of the LORD.
Let those who are without sin cast the first stone.
To show devotion, pray to GOD in an open field, not for the benefit of showing everyone your faith.
One set of footprints in the sand was the LORD carrying you.
When we as humans stop judging one another, Let's let GOD know, perhaps we will be open to his message then.
Until then, everyone, back to business as usual, being our selfish loathsome selves.
We all should be really proud.

I'd like to go to one of your parties adrenochrome we wouldn't even have to worry about running out of wine!!

If people truly started to act like Jesus, they would gain a feeling of self importence and still think they were right, heck, just look at old GWB following what "Jesus" told him...

reply to post by RenDMC


do you mean like, they would get all cocky?

that might indeed be the case, but unless you add humility to your behavior, you'll always have a tainted self!

...and i don't think it counts when you do what "Jesus tells you" when you misinterpret his Word, twist it around, and bend it to benefit and justify your selfish actions...

...and don't get me started about the Bush family


what i'm basically saying with this thread, is that we need to try and ask ourselves every moment, and in every situation, what Jesus would do - how would he handle this situation or that? i think once we take that step back, then we'll all progress together and take a giant step forward!

reply to post by adrenochrome


It would be so hard to follow Jesus because we've all been brainwashed to love ourselves.

His command is to hate ourselves, hate our life, leave our jobs, not love our family, not conform to the world, sell all property and give to the poor...

Does anyone think that is easy? Especially if you are intelligent, making lots of money, have a beautiful wife and children, and large an nice house?

His command is specific, "Go and make Disciples out of nations". And unless you do those things, you cannot be a disciple. Jesus wants disciples, not Sunday worshippers!

Originally posted by ahnggk
reply to post by adrenochrome

 

His command is to hate ourselves, hate our life, leave our jobs, not love our family, not conform to the world, sell all property and give to the poor...

where does it say that in the Bible?? from what i got, we're supposed to love ourselves, love our beautiful lives, love our families (and anyone else for that matter), and help any and every one as a servant to all people.

as far as i know, he taught everything to do with being good in this world, and the only reason we'd have to leave our jobs is if they weren't morally correct, as in being selfish for their personal gains at our expense...

selling all property isn't a bad thing, because we don't need anything but the temples on our heads and the brains God gave us!

also, i don't think giving to the poor just meant giving money - we can share all knowledge to them, too, because personally, i think a wealth of knowledge is more powerful and valuable than paper money.

WWJD? Well, I'm off to the church bingo hall to overturn some tables!

reply to post by adrenochrome


Good thread, that is a good ideology but unfortunately I dont think people are ready on an evolutionary scale to act like that. But it doesnt hurt to try.

Originally posted by adrenochrome
where does it say that in the Bible?? from what i got, we're supposed to love ourselves, love our beautiful lives, love our families (and anyone else for that matter), and help any and every one as a servant to all people......

.......also, i don't think giving to the poor just meant giving money - we can share all knowledge to them, too, because personally, i think a wealth of knowledge is more powerful and valuable than paper money.

Luke 14:26

26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.

If you think Jesus commanded us to love ourselves, you likely got the idea from TV, or magazine, not from the Bible.

...And giving to the poor, yes, knowledge is good too - it's actually more valuable for them to learn the truth not just giving them money... But letting go of all your possessions is a way to show that you have already found something more valuable than money and all the good stuff in this world Money, jobs are a deception, they blind you to things that matter for the soul.

Ok, now Luke 14:26 maybe a very harsh verse indeed, here's the explanation: If you love your family, you will do anything to please them, a huge part of that being in this world, conforming to this world, and doing what everybody does to please their own families. A huge part of your time is spent on worrying about them. You attention and focus will be split between God and your worldly worries. God is demanding full attention for you to realize your own potential to be a savior of this world like him...

It is hardly a conspiracy if you ask me because virtually nobody ever does it.

[edit on 19-5-2009 by ahnggk]

reply to post by ahnggk


well in that case, it basically means that if you love your family or yourself more than you love Jesus, then you can't be his disciple...

Most Christians feel obligated to soften the face meaning of the word 'hate' to something like 'love less than me,' even though the Greek word miseo means 'hate.'

In line with this comment, skeptics will stress the meaning of the word "hate" and insist that the word must be read literally, and that Jesus is truly preaching hate. But in fact, the "softening" is correct to do -- and is perfectly in line with the context of the ancient world, and the Jewish culture in particular.

For a background on the use of extreme and hyperbolic language in the Bible, I direct the reader first to my foundational essay on this subject. Abraham Rihbany (The Syrian Christ, 98f) points to the use of "hate" in the Bible as an example of linguistic extreme in an Eastern culture. There is no word, he notes, for "like" in the Arabic tongue. "...[T]o us Orientals the only word which can express and cordial inclination of approval is 'love'." The word is used even of casual acquaintances. Extreme language is used to express even moderate relationships.

Luke 14:26 falls into a category of "extreme language," the language of absoluteness used to express a preference, and may refer to disattachment, indifference, or nonattachment without any feelings of revulsion involved. To seal this matter completely, let's look at some parallel materials which prove our point. The closest example comes from Genesis 29:30-1:

And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

Here, "hated" is clearly used synonymously with one who is loved less. Let it be added that if Jacob hated Leah in a literal way, it is hardly believable that he would consent to take her as his wife at all! (See also Judges 14:16 and Deut. 21:15-17.)

Now here is another example from Jesus, Luke 16:13:

No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.

Such extremes of feeling would be atypical, but the extremes are not meant to be taken literally; the point is that one master will get more dedicated labor than the other.

www.tektonics.org...

as far as i know, it just means to "love less"...

you still think Jesus is teaching the literal translation of hate?

Originally posted by adrenochrome
as far as i know, it just means to "love less"...

you still think Jesus is teaching the literal translation of hate?

I don't disagree with you regarding 'love less'. But think about it, if you love someone less that's supposed to be let's say, you're wife or kids, they will hate you!

Unless they also exercise full devotion to Christ... But most will not be like that.

Also, did you read the 2nd to the last paragraph of my earlier reply? I gave an explanation to Luke 14:26 based on the Bible too and it's not about hate but rather a means to avoid forcing yourself to conform to this world.

[edit on 19-5-2009 by ahnggk]

Originally posted by ahnggk

Originally posted by adrenochrome
as far as i know, it just means to "love less"...

you still think Jesus is teaching the literal translation of hate?

I don't disagree with you regarding 'love less'. But think about it, if you love someone less that's supposed to be let's say, you're wife or kids, they will hate you!

Unless they also exercise full devotion to Christ... But most will not be like that.

that's a good point, but yes, if everyone showed the same devotion towards him, we'd all understand how much his ideas are more important than family itself - what could be more important than loving life, caring for everything in it, and showing pure devotion to our Divine Creator, because after all, isn't He the one who brought all of us into this world in the first place??

actually, i don't hear too many people saying that they love their mom more than Jesus... though i can understand there are many that do...

Originally posted by adrenochrome
what i'm basically saying with this thread, is that we need to try and ask ourselves every moment, and in every situation, what Jesus would do - how would he handle this situation or that? i think once we take that step back, then we'll all progress together and take a giant step forward!

Amen. This is the key.

I often struggle to be christ-like but when I am I fear nothing. Rather than being a burden (the worlds idea of what it is to be like Christ) its actually the exact opposite. It empowers you.

The hard part is not conforming to those around you. If you can overcome this mindset you can overcome any obstacle, and life suddenly stops becoming a trial.

But dont forget the most important imgredient - Faith in god. Without faith you have nothing.

Rely on this (its Gods word and he is not a man that he should lie) -

Proverbs 3:5-6; Acknowledge God in all you do and He will guide you
in all things.



[edit on 19-5-2009 by Nonchalant]

reply to post by adrenochrome


No, it is impossible to be like Jesus. Jesus is the One, who no-one else is like.

Would you willingly be crucified?

Would you willingly take on the sins of the world?

All we can do is try and obey what Jesus said. Love your brother (and that means everyone), do not judge other people, and live in peace - no wonder the world is doomed - we cannot live in peace, because of people who would rather wage war, and because of the rich people, and because of the evil people in general.

They will never see Jesus Christ.

But what about the hair? I gues i would have to be more like Mohatma Ghandi