The Rebel Jesus

 

My friend Mithras sent along for Christmas cheer the song “The Rebel Jesus,” which he really likes. Nice tune; but I dislike it intensely. Jesus is Lord, the rightful ruler of the universe. So against whom is he rebelling? The premise of the song must be that the Devil is the rightful ruler, and God is some troublemaker.

Perhaps the thesis is that Jesus was just a mortal man, and was a rebel against the government of his day? Then not true, even given the atheist premise. “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.” Political revolt was an obvious option, expected of the Messiah and endorsed by the Zealots. Jesus rejected it.

Next problem: the narrator says he worships in nature. Nature is fallen, and it is our duty to redeem it. I do not worship cancer, or Covid, or cockroaches, or instinct, or the survival of the fittest. Nature worship is an alibi for spiritual laziness and self-indulgence. The Devil is the Lord of nature: Lord of the Flies. 

“But if anyone of us should interfere

In the business of why there are poor

They get the same as the rebel Jesus.”

This is an attempt to avoid our responsibility to help the poor: instead of helping, blame the system. It is not possible to “eliminate poverty.” As Jesus says, “The poor will be always with you.” That is a Marxist con. The rich love it, because it lets them keep their money and blame someone else. “After all, I voted socialist.” Costs nothing.