What would he do??

What Would Jesus Do? This slogan has really become popular over the years. It has been put on bumper stickers, bracelets and even coffee mugs, but I wonder how many people actually take this message to heart. For the past few months, I have spent some serious time trying to imagine how Jesus would feel and react to our world if he was alive today. Would he judge people on the color of their skin? Would he be against the idea of two people who love each other getting married, just because they were the same sex? Would he condone waging war on other people and killing innocent women and children, just because they follow a different religion? Would he approve of the way we treat each other? I honestly think that the answer to all these questions would be NO. Jesus was an advocate of Peace, Loving thy neighbor and compassion for your enemy. At least that's the message I got out of the Bible.

Now I know what some of you are thinking, "What does a Buddhist know about Jesus?". Well for those of you that know me personally, you would know that I was born and raised Catholic. I received all of the sacraments and attended 12 years of Catholic school. I have read the bible (cover to cover) more then a few times and even though I have turned away from that religion, Jesus still holds a very special place in my heart. I truly love Jesus and believe that he was one of the greatest men ever to walk the Earth and his message will always be a part of my life. But that is the extent of it. I do not believe that he was anymore divine then anyone else. I don't believe he walked on water, raised the dead or turned water into wine, but honestly I think his message and how he lived his life is far more important then any miracles that he may or may not have performed. But reading the new testament and sitting through 12 years of religion classes has given me a pretty good idea of not only what Jesus thought, but how he also lived his life. He was a Peace loving man who looked upon all people as his brothers and sisters. He wanted nothing more then to feed the hungry, clothed the naked and shelter the homeless. And I am very confident that if he was walking the Earth now, he would be working tirelessly to end these problems all over the world and would expect his followers to do the same.

So in closing, I would hope that any Christian or anyone else who believes in Jesus would start living as Jesus did and not just be a Christian in name only. The next time you see a homeless person on the streets, give them some food or money to buy a meal. The next time you have an old coat or some clothes that you don't want, give them to charity. And the next time you see some one whom you deem to be different from you, understand that we are all brothers and sisters walking this planet together, and we all deserve each others love and respect. There have been many blessed men and women who have lived their lives as examples for us to follow, but the choice is ours whether we emulate them or ignore their message. Blessings and Love to you all.