Thursday, January 20, 2005

Jesus Appears at Inaugural Ceremony

My close friend and partner against the terror tactics of the far-right, Marie sent me the link to 10000jesuses.org, saying that it provided her with a bit of levity on a day so fraught with frustration. The goal of the organization was simple: show up at today's innaguration clad in long hair and flowy robes bearing signs like "Who Would I torture?", "Who Would I Bomb?" and "I never owned an M-16" in order to show Washington's warped theocrats that despite his invocation of "traditional American morals" during campaign time, President Bush's policy, both foreign and domestic "is diametrically opposed to everything taught in the New Testament".

How's that for creative organizing?
Check out what these folks have to say: I'm sure you'll agree that Jesus would be proud!

from the website:

Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor," and "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." He did not say, "Ensure the wealthiest elite in our nation get the easiest tax load; especially when this cuts funding to educational and health programs that help the poor."

Jesus said, "Turn the other cheek." He did not say, "Drop 500 lbs bombs on the civilization centers of ancient Mesopatamia." Nor did Jesus say, "torture prisoners in a sexually humiliating manner to advance the cause of nation building. Or, shoot wounded soldiers in the head while they lie before you, supine and desperate."

Jesus said, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." He did not say, "Condemn those who disagree with you as being Godless heathens who will be thrust into the bowels of hell for not accepting Jesus as their personal saviour."

Jesus said, "I pass judgement on no man," He did not say, "Judge all those whose religion you do not understand or whose sexuality you fear."

Jesus said, "I give you a new commandment: love one and other." He did not say, "love only people who go to church." Nor did he say, "love only white, non-gay, Christian borne-again Americans with good grooming habits and no history of pre-marital sexual relations." He did not say, "Love only people who may know the verses of the Bible, but who have forgotten how to throw the merchants out of the temple and so support one of the most repressive and intolerant regimes in America's history."

Jesus never said that. Neither should the evangelicals.