No.

Electriclady: There would seem to be a difference between “worshipping” Jesus and “honoring” His sacrifice. As someone else pointed out, He did say, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.” That is why we pray TO the Father, but THROUGH Christ.

Scat: I agree with your interpretation of non-violence extending even to self-protection and protection of family, as hard as that is for most to comprehend. Despite comments here to the contrary, I doubt anyone would have expected Jesus to pick up a sword even if Mary was being threatened. (Indeed, not only did He specifically tell Peter that “those who take the sword shall perish by the sword,” but He also restored the ear of the centurion who was injured. Nor would Gandhi have “aken up the sword” under any circumstance, even for self-protection or the proteection of his family.

hammerud: Although I agree with your Scriptural clarifications of some of electriclady's comments, I believe you err in two regards. First, Jesus' comment about “every jot and tittle” did not refer to whether some Scripture is interpretive, metaphorical or allegorical. It is. That does not mean Scripture as a whole becomes “mushy.” And although I also accept Jesus' statement about “the way, the truth and the life” as literal, Scat is correct that it is just as important (if not moreso) that we understand that “Put another way, to believe in him is to live according to his teachings.” That is why we are called to live “Christ-like lives.”

I also disagree with your interpretations of Luke 22:36-38 and Luke 11:21. Re the first, taken in context, Jesus is speaking primarily to Peter about Peter's later “betrayal” (denying Jesus three times). It is in THIS context that he talks about “selling his garment” and buying a sword. Because it is Peter who uses that sword to cut off the ear of the centurion, this giving Jesus the opportunity to teach the “he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword.” Thus, Jesus “suggestion” that Peter “sell his garment” and get a sword was stated in light of future events that only Jesus could see.

Similarly, re Luke 11:21, the context is the accusation that Jesus must be a devil because He casts out devils, which leads to His famous comment that “If Satan be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand.” He then speaks of how others cast out devils, and how He does it. The remainder of this passage is: “And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore shall they be your judges. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.” Thus, the context is not “protection of goods”; that is simply being used as a metaphor.

Re, “[Jesus] recognized that this is an evil world, with real dangers. That is why we have police and a military,” I would actually warn you here that this is an incredibly dangerous comment. The “world systems” are not of God, they are of Satan. Thus, those things that the “world systems” spawn – including police and the military – are NOT of God. Does this mean we do not need “law and order” in order to avoid “chaos?” No. But we only need that law and order BECAUSE Satan has set up the world systems as he did. But do not confuse this with “God's plan”; as so many have commented here, Jesus' ministry was based on love, peace, humility, forgiveness, compassion, patience, charity, selflessness, service, justice and truth. NONE of these leave room for violence, war, etc.

It is important that we not do as the so-called “Christian Right,” taking Scripture out of context to support a particular interpretation. Scripture must always be read in context – i.e., what came immediately before, and what comes immediately after. Otherwise, we end up “cherry-picking” rather than seeing the deeper, broader truth behind Scripture.

Also, while you are correct that there are “good” churches and “bad” churches, as with other here I reject the majority of the mainstream, organized, hierarchical, capital-C Church. There is an old saying: “Religion is about laws, rules and behavior. Faith is about a relationship with God and Christ.” From what I have seen the broader capital-C Church is more involved with the former – occasionally to the near exclusion of the latter. One does not need to “forsake the assembling of yourselves together”; there are home churches and community churches that do a far better job of nurturing a relationship with God and Christ than the mainstream churches tend to do.

Finally, re applying all this to the Gaza situation, I think it is instructive to note that Gandhi and his followers liberated a country of 350 million people from the grip of the mightiest military power in the world at the time – without firing a single shot or engaging in any violence. Certainly if they could do this for a country of 350 million, the Palestinians could do it for a population of 1.5 million.

Peace.

Anyway, I really appreciate your post and hearing your thoughts. I felt a need to share my thoughts.

I don't think anyone will really ever understand just what Jesuswas in the sense of being “divine” or what it was about him that set him apart. Too often we forget that he spoke in metaphors and to attach too much importance to the words while ignoring the lesson or idea he was trying to describe leads nowhere. Personally, I think when he said that he was the way, the truth ,etc, he was not requiring personal worship of himself. I think he was expressing the idea that the way of life, the way of being and living in the world he was teaching was the only path to God. Put another way, to believe in him is to live according to his teachings. He demonstrated this by his non-violent acceptance of his fate as God's will. For those reasons I think a persons who never heard of Jesus Christ could still be called a Christian if they lived their lives consistent with Christ's teachings. I think God is big enough and clever enough to give every human born the opportunity to choose living according to God's will.

As for not having a church, isn't this sort of a church meeting when people get together on a blog to focus on God?