Christianity today vs Judaism in Jesus' day

[Bravus]

In another thread (discussing the animated movie 'Happy Feet', of all things!), Shane and I were chatting about the way Jesus took on the religious establishment of his day, and Shane commented that he didn't see Christianity today as being in the same sort of state as Judaism in Jesus' day.

I definitely don't want to see bashing of either religion, but I do think there are important parallels that can (and maybe should) be made.

[bevin]

I think that all organizations mutate into 'self-preservation' mode, and all leaders mutate into 'whatever is good for me is good for the organization, and if it is bad for me it must be bad for the organization' mode.

Just watch the boards and CEO's of today's big companies justifying their huge salaries and golden parachutes.

Happy Feet clearly is down on leaders that simply say 'God is punishing us' rather than looking for the real cause of the problems.

There is a lot of evidence that leaders become disconnected from the real problems and their real causes.

/Bevin

[Bravus]

The kind of thing I had in mind: http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20061124/1069655.asp

Not saying their chosen issues are unimportant, but adding a concern for the poor to the mix doesn't seem like that big a leap... and their active rejection of it...

[Dr. Shane]

Actually this was my quote:

Quote:

I think most Christians today do not consider the church to be in the same state as the Jewish religion was in the days of Christ.

The reason I say that is that if most Christians did believe the church was in the same state they would either get out of it or change it.

As Adventists what we find most objectionable about much of Christianity is its teachings against the seventh-day Sabbath, their teaching about the state of the dead and the secret rapture. We also fear the historical religious intolerance of Catholism and early Protestantism. We do believe that one day much of Christianity will become spiritual Babylon and God's people will be called out of her. However I don't think Robin Williams shares too many of our concerns.

Hollywood's big gribe with Christianity can be summed up in one word: sex. Hollywood doesn't object to the work the Christian churchs do in feeding the poor, rehabilitating prisoners, alcoholics and drug addicts, running hospitals and tending to the sick or teaching their members not to lie, steal and to respect the elderly. Hollywood clashes with Christianity over sexual issues such as pre-maritial sex, abortion and homosexuality.

The movie Happy Feet is filled with sexual induendo and then mocks organized religion. The two are obviously tied together. Organized religion is bad because it teaches sex is to only be part of marriage between a man and a woman and when life is concieved inside the womb man should not destroy it.

[bevin]

I watched the movie. It was not filled with sexual innuendo.

In fact, I don't recall any sexuality. It was probably there in a few places, but none of it made it into my memory of the movie.

The old fool who was clearly the Fundamentalist Preacher definitely laid down a track, though...

Going back to Bravus point, there was a news item tonight about the Christian Coalition having troubles integrating concern for the poor and concern for the environment into there platform.

There is something sadly wrong with a christian group having trouble adding concern for the poor into their platform.

/Bevin

[Amelia]

Guess I'll have to watch it and decide for myself.

[Dr. Shane]

Quote:

I watched the movie. It was not filled with sexual innuendo.

I will post the Christian Spotlight review in the Happy Feet thread.

[Planey]

A psychologist was evaluating a male subject and was showing him some Rorschach inkblot tests.

The first "picture" elicited the response "That's a naked woman". The next, "that's two people making love". The third, that's two dogs doing it." And so it went on for one ink-blot after another.

Finally the doctor said to the men "I think I see your problem. You're obsessed with sex."

"Me??!!?!" the man retorted. "you're the one who's been showing me all the dirty pictures!"

===================================

Sometimes I think that may be your problem when watching some movies/TV shows, Shane. Don't project so much of your expectations onto what you are watching!

Graeme

[Dr. Shane]

If some want to suggest that it is not the entertainment industry that is obsessed with sex but rather Christians, Jews and Muslems that object to what really isn't sexual content are the ones that are really obsessed... I will let that fall by its own weight.

[Gerr]

Just tagging on.

I saw "Happy Feet" last week. I recall perhaps two episodes that perhaps had sexual inuendos in it.

Unfortunately, Bevin's observation that organizations and CEOs tend to go into "self-preservation modes" once they are established is all too true.

While I believe Shane is correct in saying that Hollywood is too preoccupied with sex in the movies they make, let's not also make the mistake in seeing sex in everything they do.

Rather than merely pronouncing conclusions as to whether Judaism in Jesus' day is the same or different than today's organized Christianity, let's look at them.

The Judaism of 2k yrs ago had their conservatives (Pharisees) and their liberals (Sadducees), so do we.

They had their law experts but didn't know how to live it, so do we.

They had their share of people who paraded their 'goodness' and liberal offerings, so do we.

They had their leaders who were very publicly down on sin why privately participating in it, so do we.

They had their leaders that participate in murder earlier on Friday and then hurry home to greet the Sabbath before sundown, so do we.

They had their honest truth-seekers too, and so do we.

They had people eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come, so do we.

Come to think of it, has anything changed?

Gerry