Some bigot I had barely heard of got shot and for two days I’ve had to listen to my neighbors firing weapons of all kinds into the air, apparently in response. Because Jesus™.
I don’t really have a problem with Jesus. My problem is with Jesus™.
There’s the Jesus we know (as well as we can) from the Gospels. And then there’s actually existing Jesus, incarnate in the dominant form of Christianity in the U.S.: White evangelical Protestantism. When I say “dominant,” I mean economically, politically, and in the number and fanaticism of its adherents.
Let’s call Actually Existing Jesus Jesus™. Jesus™ is the historical descendant of Jesus, in the same way that today’s GOP descends from the Party of Lincoln, which freed the slaves, and therefore is the ultimate political friend to Black people if somehow they don’t see it that way. Similarly, Jesus™ wants full credit for all the good aspects of Jesus, despite having turned into something opposite and ugly.
Jesus™ is Russian Patriarch Kirill endorsing the extermination of all Ukrainians because of a Pride parade in Kyiv, and even celebrating the destruction of his own churches.
Jesus™ hired Islamophobic bikers to gun down desperate, starving people in Gaza because Jesus™ welcomes and funds mass killing in the “Holy Land” to bring on Armageddon. Then a militant Jesus (who’s a lot like Jesus™) will kick Satan’s ass and a few Charlie Kirk types who are still alive will be Raptured. (Sorry, Charlie.)
Jesus™ has made it unsafe for any woman to get pregnant in Texas.
Jesus™ despises the very idea of secular public schools. So Jesus™ stripped them of funds to lower the tuition of the very wealthiest Texans, who are already sending their kids to segregation academies where they learn about Jesus™.
Yes, there are nice churches (#NotAllChristians) that host food pantries and recruit drivers for Meals on Wheels. But Jesus™ helped put in place a government that defunded both, along with health care, mental-health care, cancer research, and education. Praise Jesus™.
Jesus™ backs a fascist regime that fills the streets of American cities with armed thugs meant to beat down anyone Jesus™ doesn’t approve of, especially if they believe in Someone Else, like Muhammad™ (who relates to the original Prophet as Jesus™ does to Jesus).
And, since I’m a shooting survivor, every bullet fired randomly in my direction by my gun-nut neighbors in reaction to the killing of a racist provocateur who loved Jesus™ feels like a nail being driven into my flesh. I’m being crucified by Jesus™.
And I wish He’d just de-resurrect Himself already.
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“Leaves of Oak” © MMXXV Lindsey D. Eck. All rights reserved.
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