48

My Friendly Thoughts for today are not mine at all, but I thought they were worth sharing with everyone who dares to read what I have to say. Teens sport bracelets with the initials WWJD to remind them to ask themselves "What Would Jesus Do?" in difficult situtations. I thought we could take a few minutes today to consider "What Would Jesus Do?" in the light of current events. So proceed at your own risk and if you would care to I would be glad to hear what you think when you have read this article. Thanks.

Earl J Prignitz

As this nation debates going to war, and reels from a decade of institutionalized and glorified greed, it might be wise to refer to one of the "gold standards" for behavior - the gospel of Jesus. Certainly any Christian who has ever uttered the phrase "What Would Jesus Do? (WWJD)" might find this exercise profitable.

Although many of the Founding Fathers were enlightened humanitarians, skeptical of organized religion, a great many were Christians. Today, most of those who govern the USA profess to be Christians; many invoke God in their public pronouncements and are known to attend Church. Thus it is fair to ask aloud just what part of the gospels they practice, and which part they ignore. Why not examine what Jesus did and said, and see how their words and deeds measure up?

DID JESUS EVER SAY...?

[Find his actual message in brackets]

"Blessed are the warmakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Kill those whom you fear may kill you." ["Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Matthew 5:9]

"Those who live by the sword shall not only live, but prosper by the sword." ["Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword shall die by the sword." Matthew 10:52]

"The rich shall forever rule the earth, so adjust your loyalties accord- ingly." ["Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5]

"It is written, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth'; but now I say to you justice is better served by taking out ten eyes for every eye, and ten teeth for every tooth"? ["You have heard it said, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; but I tell you, do not resist an evil person."

Matthew 5:38-39]

"State your devotion to God often when making public pronounce- ments that are devoted to politics, the economy, and war, and associate it with the ends you are pursuing, as this is pleasing to God. ["Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 7:21]

"Blame the poor and the suffering for their condition, and ignore their plight; they deserve what is happening to them." ["But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind." Luke 14:13] and ["Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." Matthew 5:42]

"Forgive no one. Those who wrong you are wrong. By forgiving them, you excuse the wrong, and only encourage them." ["If you do not forgive people their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

Matthew 6:15]

"Hate those who hate you; were they worthy of your love, they would already love you. Tell me, if you love those who hate you, why are you to be commended for that? Only a fool would return love to hate. Loving those who hate you only encourages them to take further advantage of you." ["If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them." Luke 6:32]

Seeing the familiar sayings of Jesus rewritten in their reverse form offers the benefit of them being more instantly recognizable to all of us, since we are either totally guilty of the descriptions herein, or have had to witness them. As always, there is still hope, there is still time; it is never too late for an epiphany.

*Tom Blodget teaches Spanish at Butte College and Shasta College in California.

Well my friends Tom Blodget says it all as far as I'm concerned. What do you think?