If one were Ravi Shastri commenting on politics, this would be the time to break out the cliche about strange bedfellows.
Having read the tea leaves and having noted the
en masse defection of Christian/Muslim votes towards the UDF in last year's state elections in Kerala, our commie brethren are out to recapture the, ahem, flock. What better way to reverse the trend than
to seek to appropriate Jesus for themselves? Especially when you have a
by-election to a largely Christian constituency looming, with a large payoff if you win? The ends, they say, always justify the means, for our red-hued ones. A lip-smacking prospect of an already wafer thin majority for the UDF reduced to the point of irrelevance is worth the little bit of discomfort, wouldn't you say?
Is there any justification to the "Christ was a revolutionary" talk that the commies have begun, much to the chagrin of the Church?
Let's leave the question of the historicity of
Yeshua of Nazareth aside for the moment, and assume for the purposes of argument, that the Bible is a reasonable indicator of the philosophy and politics of the man in question, as believers are likely to do.
A few famous verses would seem to indicate that the "revolutionary" that the CPI-M wants to conjure out of thin air was anything but.
And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him. (Mark 12:17)
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ... (Romans 13:1-7)
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:13-17)
Hardly someone who wanted to upturn the basis of feudal society. The Biblical Jesus showed a remarkable concern for the poor and downtrodden, but sought to ameliorate their lot through enlightening those with power and wealth, not deposing them.
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48)
Extrapolating to today's context, it's more reasonable to assume that the Biblical Jesus would counsel the rich to bear their fair share of taxes, do their bit for their less fortunate brethren, and so on. Much like what the likes of Gates, Buffet, and Obama are trying, to little avail, to do. A Social Democrat, perhaps. A revolutionary Communist, not at all.
Wait. Obama, alleged closet Muslim, the closest to a True Christian? Excuse me while I go buy a new irony meter.
Update: If what this site says is true, Fidel Castro is due to be back in the loving embrace of the Church soon. Now what was that that Seneca said?
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.
