Jesus was a communist

Ok, before you go ballistic, please read what this is about.

There is nothing here that is sacrilegious or blasphemous. The communism I mean is the pure meaning of the word. The political doctrine of Marx and Engels appropriated the term "communism," but that's not the communism I mean. Jesus and his disciples, a.k.a., the apostles, shared things in common, hence they were communistic in their daily lives.

They were not interested in enriching themselves or in leading followers to a sociopolitical party. They did, in effect, rebel against the prevailing way of life, including the Hebraic tacit endorsement or, at the least, tolerance of the status quo. They were radicals, and their radicalism caused Jesus to be crucified and their prominent figures to be excoriated and, in some cases, killed by the ruling powers of the time.

Modern-day, self-proclaimed Christians seem to have forgotten or to have selective memory about the history of their religion. Many of today's church "leaders" preach a doctrine that implies that being a Christian is a way to enrich yourself in this life. The emphasis on the afterlife is still present, but it's treated almost as a footnote to this feel-good focus on ensuring material comfort while in the present dimension.

That's not the church I grew up in. But it is the church that has - I believe - all but turned its back on what it means to be Christian. To be Christian, in the tradition of Jesus and the apostles may be difficult, because it entails making personal sacrifices for the common good. It entails being a rebel . . . and when necessary, putting your life on the line for what you believe. It entails criticizing and standing up to the status quo. It demands that you do what is right for your fellow man and God's other creations, in spite of what your government, your political party or your false prophets say you should do.

Jesus loved the little lambs. But he didn't want us to be sheep.