Christianity: A Contemporary Oxymoron

I'm not intentionally trying to post a lot of religious or controversial posts - but simply what's on my mind.  (And naturally, as I search for Truth - or as Gandhi called it "Experiment with Truth" - I cannot help but question sensitive topics.)  The Orwellian double-think that pervades much of contemporary culture is such a virulent pandemic that I sometimes cannot help but erupt into a fever.

To begin, I love Jesus.  I consider myself a follower of Jesus - even a disciple.  But I am not christian, for as far as I can tell, modern christianity has nothing to do with Jesus.  (I concede that many people are true disciples of Jesus and also call themselves "Christians" - i.e. my sister Sunny Jo -, but the institution as a whole is very, very confusing to me.)

Take, for example this picture that I saw posted on Facebook today.  It was posted by a friend of mine - a very christian friend who I know through my previous engagement with a christian religion.

In case you can't read it, it reads: Urinalysis:  Shouldn't you have to pass a urine test to collect a welfare check, since I have to pass one to earn it for you?

I cannot, for the life of me, understand how a person calls themselves a fan or follower of Jesus, and could post this.  Not because I'm a religious zealot, not because I'm holier-than-thou, but because it simply doesn't make any sense at all.

This would be like posting a picture that says:  "Beating people with clubs: because you beat me first.  Brought to you by people who love and follow Gandhi."

Jesus, was very specifically an advocate of giving away lots and lots of free stuff, especially forgiveness and compassion to the poor.  Not just the poor - but the prostitutes, the "welfare moms", the "drug addicts" of his day.  When crowds would come and get hungry, Jesus' disciples would be like "dude, we only have enough food for us - not enough for them..." and Jesus said, "Nonsense - give them your food, we'll be taken care of."  So ... today that would translate into, "I don't care what percentage of your income you pay in taxes (render to Caeser what belongs to Caeser) for drug addicts to get to eat, they are human beings and deserve to eat, so feed them.  Don't horde your money - I don't care about money, let them have it.  You have enough.  Have faith that God will continue to provide enough for you and them."  The whole parable of the Good Samaritan is about showing mercy to anyone who is downtrodden on the streets, and not judging them by their history.  Anyway, I should think the examples are replete, and I can't quote them all here.

Jesus was also a recipient of welfare and told his disciples to not worry about where they'd get their food or raiment or bed from, but to trust that God would provide it.  He commanded his disciples not even to pack an extra coat or to take money with them, but to trust that someone would give them what they needed along the way.  So for those people who don't have jobs, who don't have income, who struggle to survive, because of addictions or any other reason ... aren't they actually living the teachings of Jesus?  (Nowhere in the recorded literature about J's teachings is there any mention about avoiding drugs; in fact, he specifically states that what goes into a mouth is far less important than what comes out of the mouth.)

Matthew, chapter 6:

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

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So I'm confused.  I don't understand what I'm missing here - as a student of Jesus' life and work, I can't corroborate the myriad spewings of hate, judgment, insensitivity, cruelty, pro-war, pro-violence, pro-torture, anti-equality, anti-aid, anti-compassion commentary I hear all over (particularly all over Facebook) from self-proclaimed christians with the man Jesus.

Jesus was the ultimate socialist.  He believed in owning nothing, living off of gifts and alms and magically-appearing food; he stopped working at the age of 30ish and just walked around and talked to people, offering free healing, free advice, free forgiveness, free everything.  He eschewed money, eschewed savings accounts, eschewed having-a-ton-of-stuff ...

I'm glad I got this out of my system - it's been confusing me for a while, and at least I can now refer to this post anytime it comes up again and not have to let it bother me.

As Gandhi said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."