That name can mean many things to many people. (Which is probably why some might have already fled in terror!) Many of those things are not very good, to say the least. This name usually conjures all sorts of images and experiences that can cause some pretty serious heartburn, like memories of encounters with mean, judgy, and crazy people who profess to be all about that name. Trust me, I know. Oh... I know. Even the popular podcaster and comedian Joe Rogan has PTSD from his Catholic school days:
“I hated it. I was in fear...They threatened me: ‘You're going to have to sit on a nail in the closet and stay here all night. I hope you brought your blanket!’ They were really mean. When you’re a little six-year old kid, that’s f*cked up. I was a little kid who was dealing with my parents splitting up, and there didn’t seem to be any order in the world. And I was very nervous. So when I first got there, I was happy I got to go to Catholic school. But then as I experienced it…There was this weirdness to it that didn’t seem loving, or it didn’t seem what I thought of when I thought of Christ and what I thought of religion…”
Yet, despite having these experiences, how can we not be at least a little curious about the real Jesus? The historical evidence seems to point to him being a straight up baller. He easily has had more influence shaping our modern culture than Walt Disney, Einstein, and all of the US Presidents combined. (Sorry Ye for not making the list.) And, more importantly, despite living over two thousand years ago, this figure keeps influencing some of the greatest hearts and is believed in by many of the most brilliant minds among us. He’s even got vicious atheists like Richard Dawkins singing his praises. “The point was that Jesus was a great moral teacher,” Dawkins said in an interview. “I have described myself as a cultural Christian.”
And more than any other historical figure, he’s capable of positively affecting our life and happiness here-and-now, as well as (and more importantly) in the future with the possibility of the eternal.
So if we shelve these horrid encounters for just a moment (and save them for our therapy sessions) we can ask the million dollar questions about him: Who was he, really? Can we actually believe the “evidence” about him? And, most relevant: Why should I give a crap?
This real person seems to have made some pretty outrageous claims about himself; and also about you. And these claims are serious business. If true, they would impact your happiness, well-being, and sense of adventure even more than winning the lottery. Who wouldn’t be at least a little bit curious about them? Best of all, we can actually learn more about this otherworldly-yet-real figure that, unlike Tupac or Elvis, might actually still be alive…
