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Lessons From The Gospel For Christians And For Humanity

By Editor on 19th August 2023 • ( 0 )

Lessons From The Gospel For Christians And For Humanity

All the revealed divine books give the message of God to humans. What is that message?

My deep study of world religions has convinced me that the purpose of all divine religions is to worship One God and protect Human Rights. All other issues and feuds are the creation of self-styled custodians of religions.

Some verses of all these scriptures are simple and direct and easy to understand and follow, while some other verses are paradoxical and proverbial in the form of fables, hence misunderstood, misconstrued, and misinterpreted by the short-sighted readers. Because of theses misconceptions, the sects emerged in all religions. To comprehend theses allegories, the men of sanity and sagacity are required. The priests are not philosophers and are retrogressive and extremists. The religions of prophets were altered into the religions of priests. The outcome is religious extremism and bloodshed in the name of God.

The crusades between Christians and Muslims are the grim and gruesome example which were fought in the name of religion. To comprehend theses scriptures, one needs rational approach. Otherwise, one is a strayed researcher. Eminent British philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote a book titled “Why I am not a Christian”. He regarded divine scriptures as the compendium of obscurantism. He wrote that the fables and metaphysical and metaphorical diction of the Bible does not meet rational aptitude. Actually, he was antagonistic to the short-sighted approach of the priests and parsons.

I am a great lover of the Biblical sermons and am mesmerized by the spiritual and revolutionary life style of Jesus Christ (PBUH). Once in New York some Christian preachers visited me and discussed the message of Christ with me. They, as usual emphasized on two points. One; Jesus Christ (PBUH) was the Son of God. They explained to me the Christian concept of Trinity. Second; Jesus Christ (PBUH) sacrificed for the sinners and any person who enters into his spiritual fold, his sins will be atoned and he will go in heaven.

I told them that Jesus Christ (PBUH) was more than you have said. As a Muslim, we pay him much tributes, regards and reverence but we believe in Oneness of God and Monotheism and that is the core of the faith of Muslims. When I told them that Jesus Christ (PBUH) had a revolutionary and humanistic divine mission, they were amazed. I told them that he stood against the financially corrupt officials of the Roman Empire and raised voice against the rabbis who were sitting on pulpits in synagogues like Demi-gods and exploited people in the name of religion. His basic mission was the change in society.

When he said that he would establish the “Kingdom of God” on earth, he meant the establishment of a welfare state based on justice, spirituality and equality. He was a protector of human rights. Even, today, the world needs his mantra and message for reformation. The Christian world needs to stand against capitalist society and papal religious practices. I highlighted the following words of Jesus Christ (PBUH) to them written in verses 10:31-34. Jesus Christ (PBUH) while addressing his disciples said:

“You must not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a young wife against her mother-in-law; and a man will find his enemies under his own roof.”

Does it mean, Jesus Christ (PBUH) came to create chaos in the society? Was he a peace monger or the wager of war? The Christian history tells that he was a great harbinger of peace. These words of Jesus Christ (PBUH) noted from the Gospel of Matthew tell us that his revolutionary mission was against the religious exploiters and government corrupt officials, tax-collectors and fascist agencies. He inspire people against evil forces who were all out to oppose his divine, spiritual and social mission.

The Christian clerics and clergymen only preach his spiritual mission and totally ignore his social mission. In verse 10:16, while addressing to his disciples once, he said:

“Look, I send you out like sheep among wolves; be wary as serpents, innocent as doves.”

It means you have to face the rascals and fight them valiantly, but be kind and innocent to the noble ones like doves. It gives the message of “tit for tat”. Great wise and practical instructions to his followers. In the verses 11:2-6, it is written:

“John who was in prison, heard what Jesus was doing and sent his own disciples to him with this message: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect some other?” Jesus answered, “go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind recover their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are clean, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the poor are hearing the good news, —and happy is the man who does not find me a stumbling-block.”

Why the poor people were happy on the sacred and spiritual mission of Jesus (PBUH)? They found a Redeemer and a Saviour in the shape of Jesus Christ (PBUH) who would free them from the shackles of economic and social injustice. There is not a shred of doubt in it that Jesus Christ (PBUH) had spiritual healing powers endowed on him by God, and his mission was to show the man the “Ways of God” as Poet John Milton described it in his poetry book titled “Paradise Regained.” Besides; we must not put aside his Social Mission to changing the corrupt society into a just and pious society.

I am of the considered opinion that the mission of all prophets was to purify souls and establish welfare state based on democratic values and social justice. Abraham (PBUH) stood against polytheism and fascism and did not bow before Nimrod. Moses (PBUH) stood for the freedom of the Israelis and challenged the barbaric rule of Pharaoh. Jesus Christ (PBUH) sacrificed for the end of religious and economic exploitation. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) crusaded against polytheism and social injustice.

I wish the followers of all religions should learn a lesson from the revolutionary lives of the prophets and unite to end religious extremism and racism. We must protect and promote humanism, peace, justice, love and universalism. Humanity is One and let all humans unite under the banner of Humanity. Our slogan should be “Peace and Justice for all.”

So far as there are some sectarian controversies between different Christian sects, such conflicts are found in all religions but sanity demands, we should unite on the spirit of religion. Jehovah Witnesses is a major sect of Christianity. They believe that the word ‘Son’ used for Jesus (PBUH) is in spiritual sense, not in physical sense. In the verses of the Mathew Gospel 11:19 and 12:8, the words “Son of Man” are used for Jesus Christ (PBUH). They believe that the word “Father” (11:26) for God by Jesus Christ (PBUH) is also in spiritual sense. They take Jesus Christ (PBUH) as a prophet like other prophets and quote this verse from the Holy Gospel:

“To receive you is to receive me and to receive me is to receive the One who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet as a prophet will be given a prophet’s reward.” (10:41).

The purpose of the advent of Jesus Christ (PBUH) is more important than irrelevant sectarian debates prevalent in Christianity. After the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ (PBUH) and his recantation from his grave on third day as believed by Christians, it is an historical fact that his disciples and followers had very tough times in the Roman rule. The Christians declared their faith Spiritual; not Political. To save their lives from the stern policies of regime, wisely they announced to be non-political. Same happened with the Muslims.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) announced total opposition to the fascist policies of the Kings and wrote letters to them to do justice with the people in their states. He fought for the human rights. He gave respect to the slaves and down trodden classes. Besides, spiritual and moral mission, his mission was political and social. He desired the establishment of “Kingdom of God” on earth. Same was the mission of Jesus Christ (PBUH).

The mission of Prophet Moses (PBUH) was to emancipate Israelis from the yoke of Pharaoh. It was a political mission. The Muslims also fell a pray and because of monarchy, they only stress on religious rituals and spiritual reveries. The social, economic and political aspects of Islam are not discussed in Muslim monarchies and fascist regimes. In the Muslim countries, Islam is the Islam of monarchs, Sufis and Mullahs.

I strongly appeal to the Muslims and Christians and the followers of other religions to practice the real message and mission of the prophets and that is the Protection of Human Rights. Christianity and Islam stand for human dignity, spirituality, freedom, justice, love and humanity. They must unite to end fascism, slavery, poverty and injustice as Jesus Christ (PBUH) and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stood for human rights.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Voice of East.