In case you have not seen this little bit from Real Time with Bill Maher, be warned that it is a bit raunchy and the part that related to this post begins around 2:30. (Thank you to Adam and Neil for sharing this with me.)
I want to know why is it that Maher, who is not a professed Christian, doing the work of the Christian minister?
Maher, despite the language and crassness, gets the non-violence of Jesus in a way that many Christians do not.
How is this possible? How has the church failed the followers of Christ so much that we have not been able to stand up as one voice and say, NO! to violence?
How is it possible that the Church is debating about issues but missing the point of violence?
Is this what Christians are known for? Violence?
Do we believe in love up to a point? That is to say do we think that we start with love and if that does not work then do we use violence because it "works" for some things?
If we believe that, in the end violence is a viable option, then do we really believe that Love has the final say?
I have heard Christians say, "Oh I have hope there will be peace, but I know that there will always be war."
Really? Always?
Have we read the Bible?
Did we miss the part in which we proclaim that in the end Peace and Grace have the final word?
Did we miss Easter?
My believe in peace and the message of Jesus informs me that it is not a matter of "if" humans will stop fighting but "when" will we stop?
We can stop right now. Or we can stop in the future. But the Bible I read and the Jesus I follow teach of a trust that in the end, ultimately, war and violence will end.
We can have that end come right now if we want.
Or we can keep on fighting.
Thank goodness that Maher gets the Christian message. I am not sure he believes it, but he at least gets it. In his articulation of the non-violence of Christ he has shown me that we in the Church may have missed a big part of sharing the message of Jesus to the world.
Thank you Bill Maher for using your platform for the message of Christ.
I want to know why is it that Maher, who is not a professed Christian, doing the work of the Christian minister?
Maher, despite the language and crassness, gets the non-violence of Jesus in a way that many Christians do not.
How is this possible? How has the church failed the followers of Christ so much that we have not been able to stand up as one voice and say, NO! to violence?
How is it possible that the Church is debating about issues but missing the point of violence?
Is this what Christians are known for? Violence?
Do we believe in love up to a point? That is to say do we think that we start with love and if that does not work then do we use violence because it "works" for some things?
If we believe that, in the end violence is a viable option, then do we really believe that Love has the final say?
I have heard Christians say, "Oh I have hope there will be peace, but I know that there will always be war."
Really? Always?
Have we read the Bible?
Did we miss the part in which we proclaim that in the end Peace and Grace have the final word?
Did we miss Easter?
My believe in peace and the message of Jesus informs me that it is not a matter of "if" humans will stop fighting but "when" will we stop?
We can stop right now. Or we can stop in the future. But the Bible I read and the Jesus I follow teach of a trust that in the end, ultimately, war and violence will end.
We can have that end come right now if we want.
Or we can keep on fighting.
Thank goodness that Maher gets the Christian message. I am not sure he believes it, but he at least gets it. In his articulation of the non-violence of Christ he has shown me that we in the Church may have missed a big part of sharing the message of Jesus to the world.
Thank you Bill Maher for using your platform for the message of Christ.