1/
@NeilShenvi is getting attacked for this, but he's right. What do Neil's attackers think Jesus meant by "my kingdom is not of this world." What's this all about? I'll tell you
@NeilShenvi is getting attacked for this, but he's right. What do Neil's attackers think Jesus meant by "my kingdom is not of this world." What's this all about? I'll tell you
2/
What's going on here is the "deconstruction" of Jesus. They reinterpret what he did through their own thinking (The formal term for this is eisegesis)
They recontextualize Jesus and read him as if he were motivated by what motivates them.
Let's look at some examples:
What's going on here is the "deconstruction" of Jesus. They reinterpret what he did through their own thinking (The formal term for this is eisegesis)
They recontextualize Jesus and read him as if he were motivated by what motivates them.
Let's look at some examples:
3/
This guy takes Jesus saying "harder for a rich man to go to heaven then for a camel to go through the eye of a needle." Rather then interpreting this metaphor carefully, he takes it literally and tries to tell us rich people can't go to heaven...
This guy takes Jesus saying "harder for a rich man to go to heaven then for a camel to go through the eye of a needle." Rather then interpreting this metaphor carefully, he takes it literally and tries to tell us rich people can't go to heaven...
4/Any careful read of that passage will tell you Jeaus was using hyperbole to make a point.
Anthony then says jesus engaged in an "anti capitalist riot" when he threw mkney lenders from the temple. Again this is deconstruction and motivated reasoning...
Anthony then says jesus engaged in an "anti capitalist riot" when he threw mkney lenders from the temple. Again this is deconstruction and motivated reasoning...
5/
He is talking about when Jesus said "My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den of theives." Jesus was not speaking against capitalism (private property and free markets) he was against people using the temple for their own financial gain.....
He is talking about when Jesus said "My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den of theives." Jesus was not speaking against capitalism (private property and free markets) he was against people using the temple for their own financial gain.....
6/ When it is supposed to be used for spiritual reasons.
Anthony also says the "riot" was why they killed Jesus. The Bible doesn't say that. Besides, Rome did NOT mess around. If they were going to kill him for that, they wouldn't have waited. He'd have been dead before sundown.
Anthony also says the "riot" was why they killed Jesus. The Bible doesn't say that. Besides, Rome did NOT mess around. If they were going to kill him for that, they wouldn't have waited. He'd have been dead before sundown.
7/
Next, this guy who says Jesus was trying to dismantle the Roman system.
Jesus explicitly says that his kingdom is in another place, and if he was trying to build a kingdom on earth his followers would have fought to prevent his arrest and didn't
Look:
Next, this guy who says Jesus was trying to dismantle the Roman system.
Jesus explicitly says that his kingdom is in another place, and if he was trying to build a kingdom on earth his followers would have fought to prevent his arrest and didn't
Look:
8/
This guy says Neil's ideas support slavery because Neil thinks the Gospel is not primarily about dimantling earthly systemic power. He thinks we can't agree with Moses without agreeing with Foucault.
Again..."my kingdom is not of this world"
This guy says Neil's ideas support slavery because Neil thinks the Gospel is not primarily about dimantling earthly systemic power. He thinks we can't agree with Moses without agreeing with Foucault.
Again..."my kingdom is not of this world"
9/ This woman thinks since Jesus was against the status quo of ancient Rome, we must be against the status quo of 21st century North America.
As though the Pax Romana enforced by imperial decree and American Constitutional Democracy are equivalent....
As though the Pax Romana enforced by imperial decree and American Constitutional Democracy are equivalent....
10/
Jesus wasn't just against a generic "status quo" and it isn't even clear that he was all that concerned with deconstructing the Pax Romana. He wanted to preach the Kingdom of God. Which, again, is not of this world.
But there is a bigger point here:
Jesus wasn't just against a generic "status quo" and it isn't even clear that he was all that concerned with deconstructing the Pax Romana. He wanted to preach the Kingdom of God. Which, again, is not of this world.
But there is a bigger point here:
11/ Those attacking @NeilShenvi accuse him of being on the side of slaveholders.
However since all these attacker fancy themselves critical theorists I'd like to point out a good critical theorist would talk about whose trying to legitinize their claims to power and who benefits:
However since all these attacker fancy themselves critical theorists I'd like to point out a good critical theorist would talk about whose trying to legitinize their claims to power and who benefits:
12/
Slaveholders used Jesus to legitimize political program, and thus their claim to power for their own benefit.
A good critical theorist would ask: when neils attackers claim jesus did their politcal work, and advocated their political ideology, who gets power and who benefits?
Slaveholders used Jesus to legitimize political program, and thus their claim to power for their own benefit.
A good critical theorist would ask: when neils attackers claim jesus did their politcal work, and advocated their political ideology, who gets power and who benefits?
13/
If Critical Theory wasn't total garbage I'd use it to argue Neils attackers are using Jesus the same way slaveholders did: to legitimize their political program and justify a claim to power in the form of political office, pastoral positions, and professorships in seminaries
If Critical Theory wasn't total garbage I'd use it to argue Neils attackers are using Jesus the same way slaveholders did: to legitimize their political program and justify a claim to power in the form of political office, pastoral positions, and professorships in seminaries
14/
See how it works? They deconstruct the meaning of scripture, obliterate the context of what Jesus did, then read their political ideology into the text. Then they use it the justify themselves, while accusing everyone else of have hidden political motives.
It's disgusting.
See how it works? They deconstruct the meaning of scripture, obliterate the context of what Jesus did, then read their political ideology into the text. Then they use it the justify themselves, while accusing everyone else of have hidden political motives.
It's disgusting.
15/
If we did to them what they do tk us: read hidden motives into what they do, take things out of context, accuse them of agreeing with slaveholders, they would freak out.
And yet this emotional and spiritual abuse is what they do to everyone else.
Unacceptable
If we did to them what they do tk us: read hidden motives into what they do, take things out of context, accuse them of agreeing with slaveholders, they would freak out.
And yet this emotional and spiritual abuse is what they do to everyone else.
Unacceptable
16/ The Christians among us should be talking to @NeilShenvi and seeing what they can do about this underhanded and cynical nonsense.
Also, @NewDiscourses has tremendous resources on all of this. Start going through the new discourses woke encyclopedia it will help tremendously
Also, @NewDiscourses has tremendous resources on all of this. Start going through the new discourses woke encyclopedia it will help tremendously
17/
You need to know your stuff, and ypu need to push back. That's thenonky way this ends.
Go get em'@NeilShenvi
You need to know your stuff, and ypu need to push back. That's thenonky way this ends.
Go get em'@NeilShenvi
18/
One last point....
In response to this thread, @FBruceWilliams did EXACTLY what I said they do: accusation of racism and attacking motives. Have a look (photo in case deleted or blocked)
One last point....
In response to this thread, @FBruceWilliams did EXACTLY what I said they do: accusation of racism and attacking motives. Have a look (photo in case deleted or blocked)
19/
Numbers 3 and 4 were deleted.
I can see them, here they are. And if you know how twitter support works let me know so I can get those restored.
Numbers 3 and 4 were deleted.
I can see them, here they are. And if you know how twitter support works let me know so I can get those restored.
