I am a fan of Jesus and HIS way of thinking, but I reject the Christian way of thinking.  Here is why.

When I was a child, I lived in South Lake Tahoe, California.  My family and I went to church regularly.  Once a month, the church had a potluck dinner in the basement of the church.  In the month of December, that potluck dinner usually includes a “special guest” who came for the children.

I remember the day clearly, one year, when I was about six.  As we got ready to go to church for the potluck, we were putting things in our car, a tan Ford station wagon, and my dad put a box in the back.  I asked him what that was for, and he said that he had to run an errand later on and that was something he was delivering. 

The rest of the day went as normal.  We kids played until the food was ready, and then we sat down and ate.  After dinner, my dad said he had to run his errand and left.  Shortly thereafter, our “special guest” arrived.  Of course, it was Santa Claus.  We kids were all excited and lined up to sit on his lap and tell Santa what we wanted.

When it was my turn, I gleefully sat on Santa’s lap and started to tell him what I wanted for Christmas.  My mother and our pastor were standing behind Santa as I told him what I wanted. 

While talking to Santa, I noticed that he had bushy eyebrows like my dad.  And Santa had crooked teeth like my dad.  I looked deeper and suddenly realized that this was not Santa Claus, it was my dad, and I said that out loud to everyone.  Santa/dad laughed and stuck a candy cane in my mouth and pushed me away.

I don’t remember much of the rest of the day, but I remember what happened later that month.  I was told to clean my room or to dry the dishes, and I was reminded that if I didn’t do what I was told, Santa wouldn’t give me any presents.

This reminds me of the ditty we heard: Santa Claus is coming to town, making a list and checking it twice.  He is going to find out who is naughty or nice. And if we are not good little boys and girls, we will not get any presents.

So when my parents told me to clean my room or do anything else, or Santa wouldn’t give me any presents, I would respond with, “Santa Claus is not real.”

My parents usually responded with some sort of other threat, like spanking me if I didn’t do what I was told.

This experience led me to start to question my parents, for in my heart (not my head, for I was too young to think this deeply), I had come to realize my parents, my family, and my community had all conspired to lie to me. 

Of course, I was too young to actually think this.  This was too blasphemous to consider that my parents, family, and community would all conspire to lie to me, BUT THEY HAD. 

Sometime later, probably several years later, I was handed a Bible and told that Jesus Christ was coming to town, making a list and looking to see who was naughty or nice.  So if you are not a good little boy or girl, you will not get to go to Heaven.

That was the same myth, the same lie, but dressed up in different words, words that confused even adults. 

It was when I was in my early thirties that I started to look at “spiritual” material.  I had rejected all religion from my childhood on, but I still felt there was something there for me. 

I eventually read the Bible, the New Testament first, and saw the lies that are propagated via Christianity.   And, I figured out why religions, particularly Christianity, tell these lies.  It is to the advantage of the ruling classes to keep the masses confused and afraid.  Complex ideologies, philosophies, and theologies all confuse people and distract them from the simple truth that is right in front of them. 

Reading the Gospels, I can see that Jesus saw the sickness that is called the God of Abraham, which is why he offered a new and healthier idea for God, a democratic idea of God.  Jesus’ God, which he called his Father, is an idea that includes all of humanity, for we are all Gods, one with one another and with God.  (Gospel of John)

With an idea of God that does not offer hierarchy and favorites, there is no justification for harming or abusing others, for they are part of you. 

Jesus’ idea of God is much healthier, much holier, but it does not support the preference that kings and rulers value so highly.  Hence, the need to not just kill Jesus, but they had to discredit Jesus, which is why they created the largest movement in human history.  That movement called Jesus the Christ, in the early days it was Christ Jesus, but later they turned that around and called him Jesus Christ. 

They also talked about those who would oppose Jesus and his way.  They called that movement the way of the Antichrist.  But today, we turn that around and now call it the way of Christ-anti, Christianity. 

As Jesus said, nothing is hidden that will not later be revealed. 

The last thing the Antichrist/Christianity wants is for people to think and act like Jesus.  That is why when Gandhi was asked what he thought of Christianity, he replied, “I like your Christ, but I don’t care for your Christianity, for they are so unlike their Christ.”

Jesus inspired me.  I don’t “follow” him, for not everything he said or did was smart and healthy.  And I, like Jesus, want to confront those who promote unhealthy ideas and ideologies, which is why I confront Christianity.