What would Jesus do?

A comment received earlier today is a very interesting one to ponder. Someone wonders if Jesus were around today, how would he use a blog? The commenter specified that he was not asking IF Jesus would use blogs, but HOW he would use them.

That's really gotten me thinking - especially since I've just started this blog myself. Many religious groups are using all kinds of modern media to spread their message (and hopefully, when they do so, it's Jesus' message, not their own.) It's obviously an important tool in today's world, but like anything else, it can easily be mis-used.

We human beings are really good at mis-using things. There's a book I have called Come, Follow Me: The Commandments of Jesus. It's written by Anthony J. Gittins and published by Liguori Publications. In it, Gittins quotes from mid-ninteenth century author, A. H. Clough, who parodied the Ten Commandments according to what was modern at that time:

No graven images may be
worshipped, except currency.

Thou shalt not kill, but needst not strive
officiously to keep alive.

Thou shalt not steal, an empty feat,
when it's so lucrative to cheat.

Do not commit adultery,
advantage rarely comes of it.

Thou shalt not covet, but tradition
approves all forms of competition.

A colleague of mine has suggested that if Jesus were alive today, he would use a blog to point out abuses in society and in government, much as Jesus did toward those who were "in charge" back in those days.

It certainly makes you think. It's mind-bloggling!