Jesus was not a religious person. He was considered a heretic and degenerate by his own religious tradition. Jesus is about the least religious person you'd ever meet. He felt more at home hanging out with the notorious "sinners" of his day Jesus and religion don't go together. Jesus would be horrified in knowing that people created a religious system around his personality, life and teachings. Christianity is not the fault of Jesus.
The true significance and impact of Jesus cannot be grasped until one stops thinking of him as the proponent of religion. Neither make a religion out of a non-religious Jesus. If and how you relate to Jesus is your choice. In my view, the best one can do is embrace and live the truth and wisdom that Jesus lived and demonstrated.
I would say there are 10 ways Jesus is universally relevant, regardless of one’s religious, spiritual or philosophical belief-system:
1. Jesus both affirmed what was good and confronted what was wrong in his own religious tradition.
2. Jesus taught that love is and should be the ultimate fulfillment of all religious teaching.
3. Jesus pointed out the hypocrisy of claiming a close relationship with God while perpetuating discord and hostility in human relationships.
4. Jesus confronted the mentality of judging others, and instead told people to look in the mirror.
5. Jesus taught a human solidarity where every person sees themselves as a “neighbor” to those in need.
6. Jesus extended love, compassion and friendship to all people without condition.
7. Jesus affirmed the inherent and equal worth of all human beings, regardless of their status or place in the world.
8. Jesus confronted systemic oppression and took on institutional power structures that perpetuated it.
9. Jesus did not seek to convert people to any religion or belief-system but challenged his followers to embrace and follow the spirit of love within themselves.
10. Jesus affirmed that every person has the responsibility and authority to build a world of peace and harmony that works for everyone.
By Jim Palmer
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