Comments on: Who are we? http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/05/29/who-are-we/ Some place between 40 and Death Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:47:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Huw http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/05/29/who-are-we/#comment-3579 Huw Fri, 30 May 2008 10:44:06 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=2679#comment-3579 I know the good side of what you share - the constant use of guilt being one of the more distasteful aspects of traditional religion. The way of reading the Passion that you describe - the people reading the voice of Christ - is one of the most powerful tools I know for learning sacrifice, love, forgiveness (and not guilt). But I think it's important to realise that some things are, in fact, wrong: among them the inequitable distribution of wealth and power in this global empire we've built. And it is important to see where we are in the eyes of the Gospel writers not to feel guilty about it, but to find more ways to do justice. I know the good side of what you share - the constant use of guilt being one of the more distasteful aspects of traditional religion. The way of reading the Passion that you describe - the people reading the voice of Christ - is one of the most powerful tools I know for learning sacrifice, love, forgiveness (and not guilt).

But I think it’s important to realise that some things are, in fact, wrong: among them the inequitable distribution of wealth and power in this global empire we’ve built. And it is important to see where we are in the eyes of the Gospel writers not to feel guilty about it, but to find more ways to do justice.

]]> By: Margaret Lukens http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/05/29/who-are-we/#comment-3564 Margaret Lukens Fri, 30 May 2008 04:11:35 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=2679#comment-3564 No matter the sins and deficits of this country and of myself, I found extraordinary power, not in the invitation to identify with the "bad" people or even with Christ's clueless friends, but in identifying with Christ and with God. For me this, and only this, was revolutionary and life-changing. **I** am Christ. **I** say, eat, **I** ask, forgive them. Now what? For me, the traditional (in my tradition) practice of having the people read the part of the crucifying crowd just fed my useless, dis-empowering guilt. But to see myself as the body of Christ -- this is revolutionary. No matter the sins and deficits of this country and of myself, I found extraordinary power, not in the invitation to identify with the “bad” people or even with Christ’s clueless friends, but in identifying with Christ and with God. For me this, and only this, was revolutionary and life-changing. **I** am Christ. **I** say, eat, **I** ask, forgive them. Now what?

For me, the traditional (in my tradition) practice of having the people read the part of the crucifying crowd just fed my useless, dis-empowering guilt. But to see myself as the body of Christ — this is revolutionary.

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