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Jesusism
Jesusism is a neologism referring to a personal philosophy committed to observing the teachings of Jesus, but not at the expense of empirical or rational reasoning.
From the perspective of the Jesusists, Christianity is an artifice designed to exploit the masses through indoctrination into a framework of logical fallacies. Example given, the argument for Scriptural authority: the Scriptures are the word of God because the Scripture itself says so ("All Scripture is God breathed" 2Tim.3:16), yet this was allegedly said by Paul even before Paul's own epistle was considered Scripture. The philosopher and political activist Franklin Seaver Billings defined "Jesusism" as the "rational philosophy" which "can be attributed directly to the teachings of Jesus the Nazarene."[1] The Cambridgian philosopher and scientist John Lindsay Falvey notes that "the gospel story so differs from Church doctrine that it could be well be of a different religion - Jesusism."[2]
An important etymological distinction between Jesusism and Christianity is that Christianity derives its name from Jesus Christ (the annointed), whereas Jesusism acknowledges the profound contributions of Jesus (the man and/or myth) to pursuits such peace and voluntary altruism, but does not demand his elevation to "supernatural" status for his teachings to have meaning.
Jesusism is iconoclastic in nature, but does not necessarily encourage atheism or agnosticism. Instead, it values rational thinking as a source of truth, while allowing for faith-based conclusions as long as they are not prioritized. For example, the theory of creationism intended to disregard scientific proof of evolution, not just as the origin of species, but as an undeniable biological phenomenon. Jesusism acknowledges that evolution explains the origin of species. However some Jesusists posit on faith that an intelligence or personality on a greater level of complexity (e.g. "God") may have played an indirect causal role in abiogenesis. On this point, Jesusism may be similar to Deism, however a belief in a God is not a requisite for Jesusism.
Extending pursuit of rational thought to the political arena, followers of the philosophy seek to recognize demagogues who spread fear of hell and other "supernatural" constructs to advance their ambitions. In formation of a Jesusist political philosophy, Franklin Seaver Billings argues that "taking the gospels as our only possible authority, it cannot be denied that Jesusism and anarchism are almost identical."[3]
Early usage of the term, "Jesusism," applied to philosophy is found in The Naked Truth of Jesusism from Oriental Manuscripts, written by theologian Lyman Fairbanks George in 1914:'
"It is to restore Jesus's sayings to their original purity.
It is to eradicate from the Gospels the interpolations of the Middle Ages.
It is to relate the misconceptions revealed by recent archaeological research.
It is to present Jesus from an economic viewpoint.
It is to break through the spell spectral of Cosmic Credulity.
It is to toll the knell of schism through Jesusism."
Further Reading
- References the term "Jesusism." (.PDF) Template:Verify credibility
- Article by Thomas Moore from Tikkun, a leftist-progressive Jewish magazine that describes Jesusist philosophy. (.PDF)
- Article from the BBC on Christian Atheism.
