Is it me....or is this picture of Jesus holding this woman just a bit too romantic? Images like this one bother me. A big part of it is that I'm a weirdo who often sees things in inappropriate ways. Some people would see this picture and feel comforted...accepted...loved. I see this picture and I feel...like Jesus should not have his hands that close to anyone's behind. Couldn't this be considered an abuse of power? And look at the woman. She looks like she's receiving a bit more from this embrace than just knowing the Lord is on her side. I know...I'm a jerk, and what I'm saying is probably blasphemous to most, but if you removed the robe and the flowing hair and replaced them with a t-shirt, jeans, and a nice shape-up, this could be the cover of an "urban" novel.
On a more serious note, however, it's not just my weirdo senses that are set on edge by this picture. I find it a tendency of religious people to make Jesus intimate in a way with which I'm not comfortable. I used to belong to a church where the pastors talked a good game of spirituality, but were really much more religious than spiritual. They were much more concerned with the order of service than its quality; where the elite of the church sat while in service than whether or not they were engaged; and whether or not everyone was tithing his/her ten percent, regardless of whether or not everyone had food on the table during the week. These people had nothing to do with what Jesus stood for when he walked the earth, but you couldn't tell them that. They couldn't see their own hypocrisy and how damaging it was to many people's relationship with God, especially mine.
One of the Pastors used to sing this song -
Falling in love with Jesus,
On a more serious note, however, it's not just my weirdo senses that are set on edge by this picture. I find it a tendency of religious people to make Jesus intimate in a way with which I'm not comfortable. I used to belong to a church where the pastors talked a good game of spirituality, but were really much more religious than spiritual. They were much more concerned with the order of service than its quality; where the elite of the church sat while in service than whether or not they were engaged; and whether or not everyone was tithing his/her ten percent, regardless of whether or not everyone had food on the table during the week. These people had nothing to do with what Jesus stood for when he walked the earth, but you couldn't tell them that. They couldn't see their own hypocrisy and how damaging it was to many people's relationship with God, especially mine.
One of the Pastors used to sing this song -
Falling in love with Jesus,
Falling in love with Jesus,
Falling in love with Jesus,
Is the best thing I've ever done.
In his arms, I feel protected,
Falling in love with Jesus,
Is the best thing I've ever done.
In his arms, I feel protected,
In his arms, I'm never disconnected,
In his arms, I feel protected,
In his arms, I feel protected,
There's no place I'd rather be
Now, I understand the sentiment behind these words. There should be intimacy between Christians, Jesus, and God. I understand the metaphor of being in Jesus' arms as one that means uniting oneself with Him. The problem, however, is that for religious people that metaphor often evokes images like the one above - a one-on-one relationship that is very "me" focused. God loves me, and I "fell in love with him," a term that is often more preoccupied with the object of "in-love" than with the mission of love itself. A term that humans use and most times don't fully understand; a trivial term when compared to the love we should have for God.
One's spiritual life is a personal thing that manifests itself in a public way, which is why my former pastor singing this song bothered me. Her public manifestation (and her co-pastor's as well) was nothing more than a ritualistic rendition of conservative, traditional beliefs. Jesus was revolutionary, not religious; he wasn't concerned about the rules and regulations that the elders of the church set. He was a spiritual man who embraced people and worked into the middle of social issues instead of retreating from them. Unfortunately, I couldn't say the same for my former pastors. They thrived on knowing just what to expect because they controlled everything. If she was so in love with Jesus, why didn't she try to please Him. Oh, I get it...she had fallen in love with Jesus, not with his work. It's all just way too Young and the Restless for me.
I'd much rather have Jesus as my homeboy. If I hang out with him, I'm probably going to do the things he does. That seems much better than expecting him to love me and allow me into his kingdom just because falling in love with Him is the "best thing I've ever done." How selfish!
Now, I understand the sentiment behind these words. There should be intimacy between Christians, Jesus, and God. I understand the metaphor of being in Jesus' arms as one that means uniting oneself with Him. The problem, however, is that for religious people that metaphor often evokes images like the one above - a one-on-one relationship that is very "me" focused. God loves me, and I "fell in love with him," a term that is often more preoccupied with the object of "in-love" than with the mission of love itself. A term that humans use and most times don't fully understand; a trivial term when compared to the love we should have for God.
One's spiritual life is a personal thing that manifests itself in a public way, which is why my former pastor singing this song bothered me. Her public manifestation (and her co-pastor's as well) was nothing more than a ritualistic rendition of conservative, traditional beliefs. Jesus was revolutionary, not religious; he wasn't concerned about the rules and regulations that the elders of the church set. He was a spiritual man who embraced people and worked into the middle of social issues instead of retreating from them. Unfortunately, I couldn't say the same for my former pastors. They thrived on knowing just what to expect because they controlled everything. If she was so in love with Jesus, why didn't she try to please Him. Oh, I get it...she had fallen in love with Jesus, not with his work. It's all just way too Young and the Restless for me.
I'd much rather have Jesus as my homeboy. If I hang out with him, I'm probably going to do the things he does. That seems much better than expecting him to love me and allow me into his kingdom just because falling in love with Him is the "best thing I've ever done." How selfish!
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