The Political Teachings of Jesus

Todd Lindberg is a political analyst and research fellow at the Hover Institution, Stanford University and editor of the prestigious Policy Review. In his new book, Lindberg wants to examine whether it is possible to separate the political teachings of Jesus from his religious teachings. He is upset with the fact that everyone in the USAmerican political scene is quoting Jesus, left, right and centre to support their political views. Lingberg's thesis is simple: It is possible to separate the political and religious views of Jesus. The basis of the political teachings of Jesus is the Golden Rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." He called this the `Jesusian' teachings as opposed to his religious or Christian teachings. The Jesusian teachings are about living with one another. A Jesusian society will be one in which there is freedom (within limits) and all men are equal (with limits). This freedom and equality are governed by the Golden Rule. According to Lingberg, the foundations of many of the varieties of democracy we are living in are the results of the Jesusian teaching. He examined the political teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, the Four Gospels and in Jesus' parables. This is an interesting approach to Jesus' teaching. However, I wonder whether it is possible delineate so clearly the political teachings of Jesus from his religious teachings. Lingberg struggled in defining the Kingdom of heaven and the need for a king. He also has problems fitting the miracles that Jesus performed into his Jesusian teachings. However, it does bring out the important point that Jesus' teachings is not so much for the hereafter as how we are to live with one another in the here and now. There is an ongoing Quest for a historical Jesus. I hope this is not the start of a Quest for a Political Jesus.

In this exceptional book, Lindberg clearly articulates our Judeo-Christian cultural/political heritage; what it means, where it came from, and more importantly, it illustrates where and why this heritage is so very different from others. A more thorough debunking of the PC myth of cultural/political equivalence I cannot imagine.

Before I write this review, I want to say that I am not christian...I am not religious....I do not believe in god, divinity, heaven, life after death...doing good on earth and getting rewarded in heaven. My car is plastered with anti-religious stickers. I found this book a truly amazing examination of the teachings of Jesus as recorded in the Bible. This book examines what Jesus says minus all the divinity stuff. Just focusing on and examining what guide lines he gave for living on earth ...and motivated only by rewards that could be gotten here on earth. The basis of the message is "Treat others as you would have them treat you." But this book examines what he was saying in the Beatitudes (totally new understanding for me..I have never heard this is Sunday School), how far do you have to go in turning the other cheek, etc. I highly recommend this book, especially for non-christian, non-religious people like me.

Some people consider the teachings of Jesus as too goody goody for the real world. They're dead wrong. As Tod Lindberg shows, Jesus' teachings are practical and underlie our democracy. We wouldn't have the country we have today if it were based on any other foundation. Even tho some of the founders, such as Jefferson, were athiests, they were profoundly influenced by the Golden Rule that Jesus taught -- treat others the way we want to be treated. Incidently, as Alli Sina shows in his book, "Understanding Muhhammad," Muslim countries are far different from ours mainly because they are based on the violent and vengeful teachings of Mohhamad.