In life, we can be caring and good. We can be mean
and greedy. I’m not sure we can be all at once and preserve our humanity.
I thought about this much of yesterday. I also thought about
the words attributed to the Galilean at the end of the 25th Chapter
of the Gospel of Matthew in the Christian New Testament. Whether you think it was spoken by a god in human form, a real
person, or a historical character of fiction, it is an amazing piece of
literature. It may be the most embarrassing passage in history to those who
seek to hide their baseness behind a cloak of religion.
In the Galilean's own words, as he spoke of the final judgement by his god:
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me,
you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his
angels.
42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was
thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed
clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not
look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry
or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not
help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not
do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the
righteous to eternal life.” (NIV)Plainly spoken if you ask me. Rough translation? “Don’t use me as the basis for your cruelty and greed.”
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