Danes feel Obama is greater than Jesus

[kandrathe]

Jesus says, over and over and over, that anyone who does not accept his message is going to be cast into hell by God. Wailing and gnashing of teeth, and all that.

He draws a clear distinction between sin and sinner, however, despising the former, and loving the latter.

He is not shy about saying so - he goes to the temple and kicks over the stands of moneychangers.

That act of civil disobedience is more complicated than just a random act of rage. At that time, Jews from all over the area would come to sacrifice an animal at the temple, a dove for little sins, and maybe a baby goat or lamb for bigger sins. Many people could not bring an animal with them, so had to buy an animal in Jerusalem. The vendors had set up their animal pens within the temple (considered holy), and the money changers were converting coins to the common currency at hugely inflated rates, and in other words ripping people off right there in the holy temple. Hence, why he said, "My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers."

He stands up and publicly declares that existing religious authorities are simply hypocrites who are going to burn for eternity. His tolerance extends to everyone - so long as they accept his message - not just the "total love for humanity" bit, but the "I am the messiah" bit, too. Anyone who doesn't, even family members, are to be cast aside, because the end times are coming, and they will all burn in hell. Horrible calamities are to be expected, because the world is living in sin, and can expect no better than Sodom and Gomorrah when God decides it's all over.

This is also more nuanced. The religious authorities were very focused on the letter of the law, and no matter how immoral their intentions, and actions, as long as they remained true to the letter of the law they believed they were right with God. What Jesus preached that was different was that you needed to be right with God in your head and heart as well. This is why he declared many of the Pharisees hypocrites.

This sounds like Fred Phelps' message almost word for word. This is not surprising, since his message is based on a very direct, very strict reading of the Bible. Almost everything he says or does, regardless of how inflammatory, hateful, or simply insane, is taken straight from scripture. It's uncomfortable in the extreme, but he's not joking - it's all in there somewhere between Genesis and Revelations.

Phelps is nothing like him, really. Phelps congregation stays small because he is extremely quick to label and alienate almost everyone around him, excepting his own family (and even some of them have left to become excommunicated).

More on the rest later.