CEO Jesus Arises to the Occasion!
CEO Jesus really rises to the occasion this week of Easter! What could be tougher than answering the difficult and often inane questions put forth at a press conference? In his first go around, Jesus’ public relations department really had a big gaffe by sending two women to witness the resurrection. In Jesus’ day, women were not considered reliable or viable witnesses. What was he thinking? Of course, the modern-day CEO Jesus understands the complexities of oppression in Western civilization. These days, proper paperwork and avoiding getting bogged down in innuendo are the armor and shield of modern management. There’s no question that many modern folks doubt the actual physical resurrection of Jesus. For me, that’s less the point than addressing truth in an upfront and Jesus like manner — actually living a life that witnesses to the profound truth that life is stronger than death. In these modern times, with all of our science and technological sophistication, obfuscation of the truth is as old school as ever! This week’s parody is on the birthers. Who needs facts when simple doubt will do? Why accept evidence when such realities don’t suit one’s biases and bigotries? When Jesus appeared before Pilate, Pilate mocked the irrelevancy of truth, with his classic rhetorical question, “What is truth?” In the end, Pilate just tested the political winds and gave the mob what they wanted. Some things never change.
Interestingly, modern day evangelical Christians seem more interested in proper documentation through theological litmus tests and dogmas of belief in whether one should receive the proper credentials of being “born again” than the incarnate power of Jesus boldly witnessing to the reality that life is stronger than death, and good is stronger than evil. Rather than exchanging résumés of belief, I would suggest that they will know we are Christians by our love, not our doctrine. Unfortunately, for human control freaks, the way of love is way too wild and free. By reducing deep spiritual truths to belief and dogmas, institutional religion is born, again, and competition for brand control become the preeminent reality. Jesus rocks, quite literally on Easter, but I find that Christianity often gets in the way of following Jesus. Wherever you are entombed in your life, come out! Hmm…is that Jesus calling?
