Dec 24, 2008 12:43 PM
2019 Views
(Updated Jan 06, 2009 03:47 PM)
God is An Aam Aadmi: Many years ago a lad in his Bible classes asked the question “Why God had to become an Aam Aadmi & walk the earth in the from of Jesus, 2000 years ago, why not now? If he were around now, it wud have been easy for me to believe”. The priest answered the lad “Today if Jesus has to be around, it has to be thru you & me. Christianity is nothing but trying to be Jesus”. Over the years the lad studied more about this man called Jesus & increasingly fell in love with him. He began seeing Jesus in different lights & often wondered about his works & his words, especially the difficult ones. For example, anyone who claimed “I am the way, light & truth” can only be mad or right! Soon enough the lad realized, “Before you believe Jesus as God, you must appreciate Jesus, the man”. The lad grew up to be an aam aadmi himself, trying to be like the greatest Aam Aadmi to have ever walked this earth – Jesus.
Jesus, The man: I had read many books on Jesus & reviewed one here too.
https://mouthshut.com/review/Life_of_Christ_-_Fulton_Sheen-84681-1.html
Still, when I came across this book in a stall, I first went thru the covers. This book is about the man Jesus before he became the central figure of Christianity. Today people, often without understanding what he stood for place him on a pedestal & worship him. His name is often used to spread values he didn’t stand for. In such a world its better to know the man Jesus before he began to be worshipped – bcos its those acts/attitudes/convictions of Jesus that made him different from his times. Once I read the covers & a page of preface, I knew this book was my cup of tea! ;-) I often wonder how a carpenter like Jesus, can even today carve people out of stones, like he did with me! ;-) To the Christians he is the visible form of invisible god, but the man Jesus belong to whole humanity, very much the way Ghandhi, Luther or Mandela.
Is message of Jesus Relevant Today? : We live in a world full of terror, Crime, exploitation, environmental problems, fanatism, fundamentalism, suffering, calamities, moral downfall, materialism & greed for power – how relevant is message of Jesus in such a world – author says its more relevant than ever, bcos when Jesus was around the situations were similar. Yet he changed people by being a man of his convictions, by being different from the crowd, by being the change he wanted to see… his trademark being compassion –something the world today lacks.
Book Contents: The author straightaway leads us to a journey of 1st century Palestine. Familiarizes us with the socio-political, cultural situations & movements that were prevalent there. The place was under roman occupation – among the jews there were all types of people. From Militant zealots who waged armed resistance to Jews who sided with romans in oppressing their own. (remember our own british rule!). Even in society there were ruling upper class, the working middle class & then the outcasts, poor & suppressed for whom there was no hope – very much like India – where we see oppression in the name of religion, caste, color. Add to it the deadly mix of politics & religion, the nation was divided. In such a place we have Jesus saying “a country that is divided in itself, will fall easy prey to enemy” – I wonder if he had India in mind, when he said that! ;-)
Friends of Jesus: In a Jewish society dictated by religious laws, comes Jesus with a message of healing, forgiveness & compassion. The people with whom he roamed around are the ones looked down, trampled upon. The lepers, blind, lame, prostitutes, low class people are his friends. He accepts them as they are & assures them they are also children of God. Himself a carpenter his chosen disciples are all so called low grade people. With them he starts a movement that soon gets noticed by the novelty & the powers that be. He is offered the leadership both by the zealots & the political class, but he says “I came to serve, not to be served. My kingdom is not of this world”! Only he could confront the establishments & powers in such a way that they all had to conspire to eliminate him – bcos the aam janta was after him. In a world where leaders kill others for their own power, Jesus stands out as a leader who lays down his life!
New Teachings: The author throws new light on teachings of Jesus in a eye-opening way. But there is some bad news. He suggests (implicitly) that heaven is not something you go to after death! I agreed as I also thought I am not going to any new heaven that I haven’t alredy experienced here, on earth. Wish we had some first hand account of someone who died, went to heaven & then gave his review! ;-). Author also enlightens about other kingdoms that rule the world – the kingdom of Power, money & evil. Author suggested something that I liked the most. We always call something a miracle if science cant explain it. He says things are a miracle even if science can explain it. To me the DNA, the colors of a flower, the flight of birds all were always a miracle.
Effects: This book helped me understand Jesus in much better ways. I also realized the need to be Jesus myself when I see the suffering hungry millions of our country. The book left me in more awe of the man Jesus & therefore the God Jesus. I understood what Mother teresa means when she says she sees Jesus in the lepers. To be Jesus is to have his compassion & love.
Book details : 5x8 inches, 228pgs, 85Rs, St Pauls, published in 1976. This is 25th anniversary edition with a special preface from the author
Back cover: nolan’s portrait of jesus introduces us to the man he was beforehe became the central object of Christian faith.
Front cover: the most accurate and balanced short reconstruction of the life of historical jesus
Book Dedicated : to the people of the third world
Author: a priest from south Africa, also wrote ‘Jesus today’ – about relevancy of Jesus message for this age ..going to read it soon
P.S: 1) if you have read so far, thanks! I pray that this Xmas season let Love be born in your hearts again.
2) This review is dedicated to the man Jesus – a carpenter who lived in 1st century Palestine
3) If you see anyone saying Xmas is Bday of Santa, please correct them – its bday of Jesus ;-)
Comments welcome.
Free End Quote:"Jesus works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature."
