I might have looked like this. . .or maybe not

Secular Jesus

B.C. (Before Church/Christianity)

Born in Palestine of teenage parents (legends aside)

About 18 “dark” years when, IF he actually had been The Son of God, would have healed everyone and brought peace to the world (wouldn’t you think?)

Became a wandering Jewish heretic storyteller

Never wrote a word (and may have been illiterate)

Never a Christian

Executed by the Romans (like everyone else the Romans felt threatened by)

Course syllabus of Secular Jesus:

-Listen to poor and powerless people, they are the real teachers (“Especially honored are the poor. . .”)

-Clergy, religious teachers and theologians don’t speak for Secular Jesus

-Stories (parables) illustrate how to be a good human being

-If there is something “divine,” that divinity is present and active here on earth, not in an imagined heaven

-It’s about Ethics, not Faith (be a good person, what you believe doesn’t much matter)

-Secular Jesus has no “holy book” (all “sacred scriptures” are true … or all of them are false; books are good but can distract from ethical living)

-Truth cannot be contained in one book, one person, one religion, one state. . .

Secular Jesus cannot be owned by any faith

Even secular people can “follow” Secular Jesus (i.e. his ethical teachings, radically heretical life and teachings)