Rosie
Teen Member
Step out of the sun if you keep getting burned
Posts: 8,672 
|
Post by Rosie on Oct 6, 2022 14:28:30 GMT -5
Jesus was kind of bullied.
|
|
|
|
Post by scarlette on Oct 6, 2022 16:33:04 GMT -5
And what is your point?
He was also crucified. Should we condone crucifixion because he allowed himself to be crucified.
|
|
|
|
Post by Vince on Oct 6, 2022 16:44:09 GMT -5
I guess?
But it was more of a political persecution by the entrenched power structure that his ideas were threatening. Whether you believe it was the Jewish temple authorities or the Roman authorities doing the persecuting (I personally don't buy the idea portrayed in the gospels that the Romans only crucified Jesus to placate the temple authorities), Jesus was being proclaimed as the messiah and in an age where Judea was under Roman subjugation, that meant that people saw him as someone who would overthrow Rome. And the Romans were quite good at snuffing out insurrection threats before they got out of control. And the Jewish temple authorities knew that if the Romans got ticked off, it was going to be bad for everyone, including the Jewish power structure.
|
|
|
|
Post by Tatiana on Oct 6, 2022 20:14:38 GMT -5
Jesus was kind of bullied. Explain please. |
|
|
|
Post by Vince on Oct 6, 2022 21:04:30 GMT -5
And what is your point?
He was also crucified. Should we condone crucifixion because he allowed himself to be crucified. Maybe that's not her point and it's more like, "Wow, even Jesus got bullied." |
|
|
|
Post by Kim on Oct 6, 2022 22:10:30 GMT -5
The kids were given this to read and journal on all next week.
Jesus Taught the Solution to Bullying
Izzy Kalman
I am writing this on December 24. Tonight, almost a third of the world’s population will celebrate Christmas, the holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus. Christmas has become a gift-giving holiday. This article is my gift to the Christians of the world: an increased appreciation for the teaching of their spiritual leader, Jesus, who provided the solution to bullying, the number one problem confounding modern society.
Caveat: Please don’t make any assumptions about my religious beliefs or lack of such. This is not a religious article. When I refer to religious figures, I am strictly referring to their wisdom, their psychology. Furthermore, I am not a Bible scholar and don’t claim to speak with any authority about its contents. I am merely presenting my own understanding of what I read.
My New Testament quotations below are from an online work called Jesus – a Bible in Modern English by Charles Templeton. It is the version I have found easiest to understand.
I received a traditional Jewish education from first grade through high school (in the 1950s and ‘60s), and we had been forbidden to read the New Testament. Considering that the Jews’ major persecutors for the previous 2,000 years were Christians, I can understand the Jewish taboo against Christian texts. Leaders of a religion that is based on promoting universal love didn’t always extend that love to practitioners of the religion of Jesus (Judaism), though he was born a Jew, promoted Jewish morals and observance, and died a Jew.
About a decade ago, I decided it was high time to investigate the New Testament. I was amazed by what I discovered. First of all, his teachings were Jewish. Secondly, he perfectly understood and taught the solution to bullying. He'd been teaching it a full 2,000 years before me! Of course, these teachings are not limited to Jesus. They were also taught by the Buddha, Confucius and Aristotle. In fact, all wise people who know the path to peace teach the very same things. These teachings can be summed up as The Golden Rule. I don’t know if anyone, though, spelled out the solution to bullying as unambiguously as Jesus. As I will be showing shortly, it is found in the Sermon on the Mount, the compendium of Jesus' moral teachings.
Ironically, the modern world, including the Christian, is desperately searching for a solution to bullying but is getting nowhere. Bullying is being called “an epidemic” by bullying experts despite the fact that society has been implementing those experts' recommendations for the past 13 years (since the Columbine massacre) and even mandating them by law. “Anti-bullying” (I think it is more accurate to call it “antibullyism”) has become a modern secular religion enthusiastically embraced by all of society, including Christians, despite the fact that it is the antithesis of what Jesus taught. If antibullyism were consistent with his teachings (as well as those of all teachers of peace, of course) it would be successful.
If Jesus taught the solution to bullying, why then are Christians not using it? It's because they don’t recognize it. Jesus never said, “The following is the solution to bullying.” But it can be inferred from the Sermon on the Mount, which begins by acknowledging the suffering of the downtrodden and encouraging them to follow his instructions, which will enable them to “inherit the earth.” In other words, it is the way for the powerless to become the powerful.
His instructions are completely different from the teachings of antibullyism. He doesn’t teach us that if we are victims, other people need to change. He puts responsibility entirely on us. He understood that human authorities cannot solve our social problems for us, and that if our remedy to feeling downtrodden is for other people to change, we have no solution.
Antibullyism teaches that we need to fight for antibullying laws, as though laws can force us to like and respect each other. Jesus is a fierce opponent of the legal approach to conflict. He makes this clear throughout the Sermon, repeatedly contrasting what the law tells us with his own instructions.
In contrast to antibullyism, Jesus does not denounce bullies. He denounces hypocrites, and we are all hypocrites. He says:
"Why are you so concerned about a speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and unconcerned about the plank in your own? The nerve of you, saying to your brother, 'Let me help you get that speck out of your eye,' and there—in your own—is a plank! Hypocrite! Look to yourself first then perhaps you can help others."
Indeed, Jesus recognized that the bullies are not them. They are us.
Antibullyism has been promoting intolerance and even hatred of bullies. This is the antithesis of Jesus’ teaching:
"In the Law men are told, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But here is my teaching: love your enemies. Be kind to those who hate you and pray for your persecutors. That's the kind of behavior that distinguishes God's family. Doesn't God let his sun shine equally on good and evil men and doesn't he let the rain fall indiscriminately on the honest and the dishonest? Treat others the way you'd like them to treat you. If you love only those who love you, what's commendable about that? Scoundrels do that. If you're only friendly with your friends, what is exceptional about that?"
Yes, it is easy to love our friends. The challenge is to love our bullies.
Why do we become victims of relentless bullying? Because we get angry when people treat us badly. (And it doesn’t matter if we express our anger outwardly or try to keep it bottled up inside.) What did Jesus say?
"In the Mosaic Law men are told, 'Don't murder.' They are also told that a murderer must stand trial, that if a man shows extreme contempt for a brother he will be accountable to the Council of Elders and that the man who calls down a curse on his brother is liable to the fires of hell. But here is my teaching: I say that if a man is so much as angry at his brother he is in danger of God's judgement. So, if you happen to be in the sanctuary, praying, and remember a grievance someone has against you, postpone your praying and go and get things settled peacefully. Then, back to your worship."
In no uncertain terms, Jesus instructs us not to be angry. We are angry when we feel victimized. In our anger, we hate our abusers and want revenge against them. But when we get angry, it is we who are engaging in evil. Then our abusers feel justified in abusing us again. To be virtuous, we need to stop being angry with our abusers and make peace with them.
Antibullyism insists that we need anti-bullying laws so that the fear of being sued will make our bullies want to treat us like friends. We conveniently forget that these same laws can be used by others against us, for to them we are the bullies. And if you have ever been a party to a lawsuit, you know very well that it doesn't reduce hostilities–it escalates them. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that you will come out the winner. Even if you do, you will have lost lots of sleep by the time the verdict is passed and the other side will hate you in perpetuity for having defeated them in court. What is Jesus’ opinion about lawsuits?
"If you're due in court to answer a complaint, settle out of court as soon as you can. If you don't you may find that the plaintiff has brought you before the judge, and the judge has sentenced you, and the jailer has put you behind bars. You may be sure that you won't get out until you've paid your debt to the last penny."
In other words, if you have a problem with someone, avoid court like the plague. Deal with your opponent directly. They will like and respect you much more. You’ll save yourself a lot of money, time and misery. And you will be less likely to be left with an enemy.
Antibullyism teaches us that we are not to let anyone get away with any negative behavior. If someone hits us, we must report them to the authorities. What does Jesus teach?
"In the Law men were told, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But here is my teaching: don't even resist an enemy. If someone hits you on one cheek, present the other."
This is not a wimpy teaching. It takes courage to face the one who strikes you without retaliating, and to let him do it again. This makes a profound impact on the striker, who senses your fearlessness. And the nice thing is that he probably won't strike you again. Gandhi and Martin Luther King famously taught their people to take this approach, with great success. Turning the other cheek is not a recipe for losing, but for winning.
So please, read the Sermon on the Mount. It is Jesus’ gift to humanity. Whether you believe he is divine, mortal, or never even existed, the wisdom passed down in his name is the solution we are looking for. He isn’t called The Prince of Peace for nothing.
|
|
|
|
Post by Vince on Oct 7, 2022 0:45:17 GMT -5
Antibullyism teaches us that we are not to let anyone get away with any negative behavior. If someone hits us, we must report them to the authorities. What does Jesus teach?
"In the Law men were told, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But here is my teaching: don't even resist an enemy. If someone hits you on one cheek, present the other."
This is not a wimpy teaching. It takes courage to face the one who strikes you without retaliating, and to let him do it again. This makes a profound impact on the striker, who senses your fearlessness. And the nice thing is that he probably won't strike you again. Gandhi and Martin Luther King famously taught their people to take this approach, with great success. Turning the other cheek is not a recipe for losing, but for winning.
Contrast this with a Sunday School teacher I had in college who used to say, "You know, Jesus said if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn and offer him your other cheek as well. But then if he hits you again, well that's another story..." and he would roll up his sleeves and get into a fighting stance.  |
|
Rob
Adult Member
Posts: 997 
|
Post by Rob on Oct 7, 2022 8:23:15 GMT -5
Scripture interpretation can be very problematic.
Jesus wasn't bullied because there wasn't an actual power deficit. He's God. He'll always be more powerful. He was following a design created by God who he happened to be. The trinity. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three but one. He agreed to the mission. That mission that was dreamed up by God, again who he happens to be.
Jesus was doing what he decided he needed to do to save mankind. I think it's a no brainer that God could have forgiven the world for what that apple eating Eve started without a crucifixion.
Jesus was not bullied and a bully is a victim.
The man who wrote that piece, wrote it to get money from a sponsor.
And people actually wonder why I'm an agnostic?
|
|
quinn
Adult Member
Posts: 6,633
|
Post by quinn on Oct 7, 2022 9:45:20 GMT -5
This all sounds too much like blaming the victim.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kittykat on Oct 7, 2022 10:04:33 GMT -5
Agreed Quinn.
|
|
mandy
Teen Member
Posts: 4,413
|
Post by mandy on Oct 7, 2022 12:05:51 GMT -5
Scripture interpretation can be very problematic.
Jesus wasn't bullied because there wasn't an actual power deficit. He's God. He'll always be more powerful. He was following a design created by God who he happened to be. The trinity. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three but one. He agreed to the mission. That mission that was dreamed up by God, again who he happens to be.
Jesus was doing what he decided he needed to do to save mankind. I think it's a no brainer that God could have forgiven the world for what that apple eating Eve started without a crucifixion.
Jesus was not bullied and a bully is a victim.
The man who wrote that piece, wrote it to get money from a sponsor.
And people actually wonder why I'm an agnostic? How do you know he wrote it for a sponsor? Why is Rosie in a Christian school if you don't believe in God? |
|
Rosie
Teen Member
Step out of the sun if you keep getting burned
Posts: 8,672
|
Post by Rosie on Oct 7, 2022 14:19:10 GMT -5
Cause he found the article online and it was in a magazine I think. If you just copy and paste a part of it then you will get taken to it. I know my dad don't like it cause he did a giant humongous super sized eye roll and then him and my mom give each other that look that is screaming bullcrap without the sound.
This weekend for 3 days I am supposed to look up times kids got bullied and write what I think Jesus would do. I don't think I better not say that apple eating Eve but I thought that was a funny thing my dad said. 
|
|
Libby
Adult Member
Posts: 3,098
|
Post by Libby on Oct 7, 2022 21:25:38 GMT -5
Jesus does call us to forgive as many times as forgiveness is needed but he isn't calling us to be stupid. His entire life was spent standing up against cruelty and injustice. He took special notice of the most vulnerable in that society. He called the children to him. He stopped a woman from being stoned to death, he healed the blind and the lepers. He does promise things to those who keep their faith despite injustice, read the Beatitudes but he isn't telling us to stand there and be taken advantage of. Jesus was treated cruelly but we can't compare him to us because he was sent here to be the sacrifice that would reunite us with the father.
|
|
Rosie
Teen Member
Step out of the sun if you keep getting burned
Posts: 8,672
|
Post by Rosie on Oct 8, 2022 18:57:24 GMT -5
That is very true to. Jesus was a kind of a radical for his day sort of like a way back womens lib person but not the no bras kind but the equal respect kind you know. I don't know.
I don't know if it is like this for you were you are but here in the US it is anti-bullying month so that is maybe how come we have got this crazy journal topic but I have been doing it you know.
|
|
|
|
Post by whetstone on Oct 11, 2022 8:59:01 GMT -5
I think what Kalman writes is pretty powerful and warrants a lot of introspection and questioning of our whole outlook on bullying and how we respond and treat other people.
Whether or not Jesus is God isn't the question. Jesus the man changed the world, and other than flipping out in the Temple over the money changers he was non-violent, and he didn't look for laws to change he told people to change.
|
|
