This book perhaps could have been written as two separate books. The first would have dealt with the largely unrecognized fact that it was not the Christianity of the historical Jesus, but the Nicene form of Christianity that was developed and imposed by the church in Rome under the auspices of the Roman Empire near the end of the 4th century. This is the form of Christianity that we have inherited, and the form that is practiced in today's world. It would have also described how Nicene Christianity deviates from Jesus' ministry, and how much of what is happening to our nation in terms of the environment, the exploitation of the large majority, the concentration of wealth, and the drift towards a corrupt democracy can be traced to the fact that the Christianity practiced in many of today's churches ignores the behaviors and obligations imposed by Jesus' ministry. These issues are addressed in this PREFACE and in chapters 1-8.
The second book would have dealt with the fact that though large corporations, businesses and wealthy individuals are essential for the creation of jobs and the promotion of commerce, our democracy is increasingly dominated by a wealthy cabal exercising undue influence through lobby groups, foundations, non-profits, anonymous entities and think tanks that manipulate our captive politicians to the detriment of the large majority. In serving the undue influence many of our politicians have allowed the neglect of the environment, exacerbated the concentration of wealth, and the drift towards a corrupted democracy in exchange for re-election support, opportunities for enrichment, cushy trips and comfortable landings for them and their families. These issues are addressed in this PREFACE and in chapters 9-23. A four chapter Addendum includes matters of peripheral interest.
Christians in the United States have comprised virtually all the presidents, the overwhelming majority of the members of Congress, the 50 governors, the 50 state legislatures, state and federal judges, and the majority of Supreme Court justices. This nation is essentially headed where its Christian leadership is taking it; to the degradation of our democracy, and a factionalism seldom seen since the Civil War. Though 75% of those polled in 2015 identified themselves as Christians, most of us don't want to go where this nation is headed.
These two subjects; today's Christianity, and the degradation of our democaracy, are related. This book will attempt to show how.
Like Christianity, though the Bible was also imposed at the end of the 4th century under the aupicies of the Roman Empire, the Bible is used to question and show how today's Christianity is at odds with the Jesus' ministry.
In conveying God's message Jesus emphasized loving out neighbors as ourselves, living by the golden rule, being magnaminous to those who ask of us, caring for the poor, the afflicted, the imprisoned, not just remuneration from our abundance, but giving time, effort and love with self sacrifice to those from whom no love, return, or remuneration is sought, quietly and without notoriety. These requirements have been relegated to near obscurity and insignificance by many of today's churches and by many of Jesus' alleged followers.
Jesus instructed that "not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21-23, and similarly Mark 3:35, Luke 6:46, James 1:22, 1 John 2:17, Romans 2:13). Today's world is a far different world from Jesus' world of 2,000 years ago. Who is doing the will of the Father in today's world? Who are today's Christian heretics? This book was written to raise these questions and the awareness levels of who is doing the will of the Father in today's world; to open minds and hearts; and to promote a better understanding of what Jesus' teachings mean for followers of Jesus in today's world.
