Tell The Truth
Friday, May 31, 2013
DON’T DO
WHAT YOU HATE!
By
Francis William Bessler
Laramie, Wyoming
5/31/2013
DO NOT DO WHAT YOU HATE. Believe it or not, the “Left Wing” Jesus supposedly said that some two thousand years ago. A “Right Wing” Jesus, of course, would not agree. Who knows which Jesus really lived? But this is not about that. This is only to pursue an argument that a Left Wing Jesus may have made.
What is a “left wing Jesus”? Just the opposite of a “right wing Jesus.” What is a “right wing Jesus,” then? The “right” of anything, politically and spiritually speaking, seems to be a position that the individual must serve the common good and must not think he or she has the right to step out of bounds from some so called “norm.” Right wingers flourish all over the place, prancing about in attempted “dictation.” There is some “common good standard” - and all must subject themselves to it. That is the basics of a “right wing” pattern of thought.
Currently, right wing politicians in America are busy trying to impose two specific standards that they believe should be “standard for all” - all abortions should be illegal and homosexuality should be banned. Those are just two of the current examples of right wing thinking. Essentially, a right wing person is one who believes that some common good standards must be demanded - and no exceptions made. The idea there is that an individual should not have the right to decide for him or herself what is right for him or her - but that some standards should be decided by some that all must abide - or obey.
The “left wing” of thought, then, as the opposite of right wing thinking, must stand for the right of an individual to decide for him or herself what is right or wrong. A “lefty” could stand on both sides of an issue - by virtue of an attitude of tolerance. One might choose to oppose abortion - or favor it. One might choose to condone homosexuality - or oppose it; but regardless of decision, a lefty considers it is his or her right to decide an issue - but only for him or herself.
A lefty cannot say it is right for him or her to choose abortion, but it is not right for another to choose for him or herself. A lefty cannot say it is right for him or her to practice homosexuality, but it is wrong for another. A lefty can argue something is wrong or right for all, but a lefty cannot impose that decision on all others. A “righty,” however, considers that a given choice or standard should be commanded of all.
If I were a homosexual and took the position that you must follow in my path, then I would be a “right wing homosexual.” I must admit that right wing homosexuality is almost an impossibility because homosexuals tend to be very freedom oriented, making it unlikely they would demand their practices for all, but the possibility is there.
What has any of this to do with my initial statement that Jesus may have stated that I should not do what I hate? I think it has everything to do with it.
But before I get into my reasoning about that, let me supply the “proof” that Jesus may have said such a thing at all. Keep in mind that I offer that Jesus “may” have said such a thing - not that he definitely did. As a “left wing Christian,” I guess I am open to the possibility that Jesus “may” have said something - and let my reasoning powers decide for myself how likely that “may” may be. OK?
My source is THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THOMAS. In previous blogs - as in other writings contained in my OUT IN THE OPEN selection of my website - I offer a little history of THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THOMAS. I will not do that here; but just assuming for argument sake that THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THOMAS is legitimate and that Jesus may have said what is claimed by that writing, let me cite the verse I am talking about.
In Verse 6 of the referenced work, it is stated: His disciples asked Him: Wouldst thou that we fast, and how should we pray, (and) should we give alms and what diet should we observe? Jesus said: Do not lie and do not do what you hate, for all things are manifest before Heaven. For there is nothing hidden that shall not be revealed and there is nothing covered that shall remain without being uncovered.
Imagine, for a moment, a Jesus really saying that. I think you have to imagine the audience as well as the teacher, though. Who was the audience of that teaching? One would expect “all Jews” - or mostly Jews - since the location of both Jesus and his audience was Israel. So, who would have comprised the likely audience of Jews? People who have been taught that what could be called THE LAW is the most important aspect of Jewish life. The Law (of Moses, mostly) was the agenda that all good Jews must obey - lest they be banned by Jewish Law from participating in a society of Jews.
Never mind the details for the moment. The whole idea is that a society had meaning only as a society in general - and that individuals within that society have meaning only related to the society in general. In other words, individuals have no worth by themselves. Their only worth is in respect to some general consensus or general community.
Gaining some extra clarification from the quote at hand, Jews - or good Jews - were expected to “fast, pray, give alms, and observe some restricted diet” to have any meaning. From what I have ever learned about Jewish life and Jewish Law, I expect that to be true. It stands to reason, doesn’t it? If I have meaning only related to something outside of myself, then it stands to reason that I would have to “obey” something outside myself to have meaning. My fasting is to “impress” some outside factor. My praying is to “impress” some outside factor. My giving alms is to “impress” some outside factor. My observing some restricted diet is to “impress” some outside factor. Never mind what the “outside factor” is, the whole idea is that there is some “outside factor” that I must “obey” to have any personal meaning.
So, the “Jewish audience” of the above circumstance can be assumed to include Jews who were taught that no individual has meaning unto himself - but has meaning only as part of a general community or a nation - in this case, Israel. In other words, most, if not all, in the audience of Jesus in this case can be assumed to consist of “right wing” members of a community that did not recognize any individual autonomy. You had to abide by THE LAW - whatever that general law was - or perhaps be executed for treason to the community; and if my impression of Jewish Law is correct, many errant Jews leading up to the time of Jesus were “stoned to death” as punishment for disobedience - or non-compliance to “The Law.” That is what “right wing” societies do - they “stone to death” or “kill” in some fashion any who disagree with a norm.
One perfect example, perhaps is the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus was one to challenge prevailing thought - probably that the individual has no meaning outside of national or religious identity - and for that challenge, he was “killed.” Such is the response of many “right wing” fanatics - not all, for sure - but many.
Now, according to the above quote, we have what could be called a “left wing” person addressing a “right wing” mentality of people. That right wing group expected that to have any personal meaning, each had to “fast, pray, give alms, and observe some restricted diet.” Thus, someone in the little class of a left wing teacher, Jesus, proposed the expected of a “good Jew.” Hey, Jesus, tell us what we expect. Tell us that we have to fast. Tell us that we have to pray - to an outside God called Jehovah, of course. Tell us that we should give alms. Tell us what diet we should observe. Tell us what we expect is true.
That is putting into perspective the circumstance of the above speculative statement - Jesus commenting about those things of expected Jewish manners to Jewish persons. But what did Jesus say? He did not say what was expected of a “good Jewish, right wing, person.” Did he? No! He actually implied that any of the expected “right wing” manners is foolishness. What did he say when asked if his right wing audience should follow expected Jewish norms?
Well, as a “left wing Christian,” he answered like I would have answered. Never mind all your social customs and social laws and social commandments to have any meaning. Let me tell you what I think is important. Do not lie and do not do what you hate. Wow! What an answer! Then Jesus added: For all things are manifest before Heaven. For there is nothing hidden that shall not be revealed and there is nothing covered that shall remain without being uncovered.
Now, let us assume a different audience. Let us imagine Jesus talking to a group of people who have not been overwhelmed yet with some social agenda. Imagine Jesus talking to some who had never heard of a JEWISH LAW - or some restricted communal standards. Imagine someone in a crowd of open minded people asking Jesus: Hey, Jesus, what would you recommend as an “ideal way of life”?
What would a Left Wing Jesus say to such a crowd, based on the above quote. I think he would say the same thing as he did to the negative Jews, but in a positive way, expecting his students to be more positive minded. A positive person does not say “do not do this or that.” A positive person says “do this or that.”
So, what would the “do” be in this case? I think it would likely translate in a manner like this: TELL THE TRUTH - AND DO ONLY THAT WHICH YOU LOVE. It’s really the same thing as saying DO NOT LIE AND DO NOT DO WHAT YOU HATE, but personally I relate much better to the positive than the negative; and thus, I hear: TELL THE TRUTH AND DO ONLY THAT WHICH YOU LOVE.
But why would Jesus - or any teacher - offer such a recommendation? Why? Because one’s worth is not tied to some social norm. If one’s worth is not tied to some social norm - or commandment of outside law - then one is left to fend for oneself, as it were. In that light, for my own sake, I should always “tell the truth” because telling a lie is deceptive - not only to others, but to myself. If I lie, I lie not only to you, but I lie to myself as well. No one who wants to appreciate him or herself will lie to him or herself - and therefore, if I do not lie to myself, then it stands to reason, I would have no reason to lie to you either. But, you see, my commandment to tell myself the truth is for my sake - not for some general norm. I can recommend that the general norm be “telling the truth,” but the reason I should tell the truth is not for the sake of community, but for my own sake.
Now, let’s address the other “commandment of self worth” - doing only that which you love. Why is that so important? Why? Because one becomes what one does. Thus, if I insist on “doing what I hate, I will become what I hate” - and, more than likely, I will end up being miserable. No one is happy being miserable. Thus, to avoid hating and being miserable, do only that which you love. It makes sense to a “left wing” person like me. How about you?
The key, though, is to do what you love, not what someone else loves. Let each decide on their own what to love. Anything else is pretense. If I pretend to love in such a way that is intended to impress someone else, I can never impress myself with my pretense because I cannot “get away from myself.” I can fool everyone of you, but I can never fool myself - though I guess I can get lost in trying to fool you and lose track of what I really am and what I really love.
In fact, that may be the exact cause of much insanity in the world - people pretending to be something they are not and eventually getting lost in their pretense, as if in a cloud of their own making.
In the above quote - or lesson - however - Jesus said: For all things are manifest before Heaven. For there is nothing hidden that shall not be revealed and there is nothing covered that shall remain without being uncovered. But that is only a way of saying: I cannot fool myself. So, why waste any time in life trying to “fool myself” or “lie to myself”? Why waste any time at all in “doing what I hate” if doing what I hate makes me miserable?
Does any of that make any sense to you? It sure does to me; but I must admit that I live in a world that sees the world as wonderful and all things as being Divine - or to emphasize wonderful and Divine - let me say, Wonderful and Divine. I do not live in a world that believes there is any separation of existence into so called “good” and “evil”; and I live in a world that does not recognize the usefulness of any sacrifice to some so called “god.”
Why is sacrifice of myself to some god - or God - useless? Because it implies that I need to address my source of life further for something other than what I have been initially given. If I am satisfied with the Gift of Life with which I have been endowed, then I would have no need to ask for more. It is “asking for more” that constitutes the rite and practice of sacrifice. The Jews of old required sacrifice to their god because they were not satisfied with what they had. They wanted “more” - and thus they deceived themselves into believing they could have “more” - if only they convinced their god they deserved more. Presto - sacrifice became a ritual of The Law of Moses, perhaps best understood as prayer to receive additional benefits.
But I do not need sacrifice because I believe that I should be happy with what I have - or be happy with that which I have been given in terms of the Gift of Life. I live in a world that is “FULLY GOD” and not divided between some assumed “God-less” and some “God-full.” Everything is “full of God” to me because I cannot imagine there being a place or a person that lacks “God.”
Everything was not God to the Jews, however. They failed to believe that God is in all. In fact, they believed that God can actually be for some and not for others. Witness the exclusion of the Egyptians from being included as “of God” in the time of Moses. It was a perception of the Jews of the time of Moses that God favored - or could favor - one people over another. How could that be?
It is a matter of opinion, of course, but I totally disagree with any notion that claims that God can favor one over another. How could it be that a true God could favor one race called the Jews and disfavor another called the Egyptians if that true God is truly IN everything? In my opinion, it is completely ludicrous to believe that an “omnipresent” God can be missing from anyone or anything. Accordingly, the Jewish belief that God could favor them over others has to be sheer fantasy.
Anyway, my world is up to me - and me alone - and I have to decide what to love while allowing others to choose for themselves as well. It is “my soul” that I have to inherit - not someone else’s soul. My God is inside of me and therefore, cannot judge me. I have to “judge myself.” Thus, it is up to me to choose what to love; and I think that is what Jesus was trying to tell the Jews of his time.
You are wonderful as an individual creation - or creature - of all of Creation. Your wonder is tied to being part of Creation, not to a nation within Creation. You are not a Jew. You are a human. Your worth is not tied to some arbitrary law invented by some arbitrary people, but your worth is decided simply by being a member of a DIVINE CREATION. Accept that - and you will respect yourself as a holy member of a Holy Creation. Deny that - and you will become lost in some contrived ritual of mankind, hoping for “more” than Life Itself.
So, what do you think? Is the Jesus of THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THOMAS right? Does that Jesus make sense? Well, I believe in the Jesus of Thomas because so much of what that Jesus says makes sense to me. I do understand, however, how it could be that only a few of his audience might have understood him. It’s good to keep that in mind, too, as we assess the possibilities of a Jesus gone wrong - or a Jesus being misunderstood - or a Jesus being misused.
In the end, we all hear what we can hear. By the saying - ALL THINGS ARE MANIFEST BEFORE HEAVEN, I hear “I cannot fool myself.” Others, perhaps like Peter and many of the so called disciples of Jesus, probably heard something entirely different - like - GOD KNOWS ALL AND YOU CAN’T FOOL GOD - as if to use the instruction to pose yourself as God to make others do as you bid.
To a great degree, I think, the “right wing” Christian doctrine of “The Holy Spirit” is but an extension of GOD KNOWS ALL AND YOU CAN’T FOOL GOD - in order to use God as an excuse for some authority. I don’t think Jesus intended that I should do or not do based upon some judgment of an outside God, but I do think that many within Christianity do believe that Jesus taught a judgmental God. I do believe that to a great extent, the idea of a “Holy Spirit” is but a doctrine to “warn” would be offenders that they cannot get away from God and that God will punish them in the end. It’s like the “Holy Spirit” is an ever present “ghost” that is constantly looking over everyone’s shoulders and seeing all. Accordingly, you cannot hide from an ever present ghost - who is presented as “recording” every deed you ever do in some kind of scroll that will be referred to on “Judgment Day.”
But it’s all nonsense, I think. God is not a person to “look over my shoulder” and keep track of what I am and do. God is an Infinite Presence that is IN everything. In short, it is up to me to keep track of my own affairs. God cannot be in the business of doing such because God cannot be separate from anyone in order to judge them. This, I believe; and I suspect the “left wing” Jesus of THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THOMAS did too.
Be that as it may, if I read THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THOMAS correctly, I see a very “left wing” Jesus encouraging each of us to make up our own minds and do what each of us loves personally - for the sake of our own souls - but I also know there is another “Jesus world” that attaches to a “right wing” Jesus who commands all to obey some standard doctrine lest they be excluded from the “Kingdom of God.”
I don’t believe I can be excluded from the Kingdom of God because I think the Kingdom of God is Everywhere; and based on the Jesus of THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THOMAS, it is strongly suggested that Jesus believed likewise. Going back to Verse 3 of THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS, Jesus said: The Kingdom is within you and it is without you (or outside of you, meaning “everywhere”).
Where is your “Kingdom of God”? Mine is inside of me - and in everyone. I do not need to go anywhere to find my Kingdom of God because it resides in me and extends outward. I am “my center” of my Kingdom of God - as you are “your center” of your Kingdom of God. So, why not heed the “left wing” Jesus of THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THOMAS and always “tell the truth” for your own sake - and “only do what you love” because what you love resides in the center of you?
Love yourself - because you are worthy - being a member of a generally WORTHY WORLD & CREATION. There is no kingdom beyond that is not also here because there is no God elsewhere that is not also here. That has to be true, I believe, because whatever God is, God must be Infinite. Being Infinite means God must be Everywhere. Thus, there is no place you can go where God is missing. That makes Everywhere - including where you are and where I am - Heaven. I think Jesus - my “left wing” Jesus - probably believed that 2,000 years ago; and I believe it Now.
But it is not up to me to command you to believe as I do. You do as you will - and because I am satisfied with my life - I will not interfere. I think only those who do not believe they are complete unto themselves have any reason to object to what others do. Make a case for a given practice, but make it politely, not with arrogance. If it pleases me, I do it. If it pleases you, you should do it. That is what doing what you love is all about - as long as “doing what you love” is not imposing on anyone else. That only makes sense, doesn’t it? If I am to not be commanded by you, then it stands to reason that you should not be commanded by me. Doing what I love must respect that.
And very importantly, let me respect you for your choice of what to love too. It is only fair. If I am free to be what I am without interference from you, then you should be free to practice your choice of love too. It should not be for me to protest what you choose to think is right - even as I should be free to “advocate” what I believe.
“Advocacy” is not “protest”; and advocacy, in my opinion, is light years better than protest. Look, if you do not like something in this world, then advocate for some positive interest - like adoption, if you find fault with abortion - rather than protest what you do not like. Those who oppose abortion because they think a mother should not be entitled to decide she cannot care for a child ought to spend their energy doing something positive rather than protesting what others may consider to be morally right.
If you think that abortion is wrong, care for a needy live child rather than protest the birth of an unwanted child. It makes no sense to cry about someone choosing not to give birth to an unwanted baby - and then ignore the cries of a live child who could use your compassion. There are so many millions of live children in this world who are begging for a parent - or even a meal. If you think abortion is wrong, then do not waste your time protesting the well meaning moral decisions of others. Adopt a needy child instead - or at least, help to feed one.
Well, that is how I see it anyway. For what it’s worth, consider it an opinion of a “left wing” Christian. OK?