The print media recently reported of construction of a structure to install ‘world’s tallest statue of Jesus Christ’ at Kapalabetta, 80 km from Bengaluru, and that this has been mercifully stayed by the Karnataka High Court on a Public Interest Litigation, which stated that the land was allotted illegally for installation of the statue, and that it was an attempt to grab government land to fulfill selfish ends of two politicians and their chumchas in the garb of self-styled guardians of Christian community. The typical game typical politicians dabble in.  

 Does Christ, of all people need a statue installed for himself, the world’s tallest or otherwise? That too with wrong intentions!

What Christ needs is His so-called followers-the Christians themselves to stand tall by adopting what He preached and taught 2000 years ago. These teachings, which have turned into inconveniences have in fact been disposed to trashcan of modern Christianity. They have become stumbling blocks to the powers-that-be who run the ‘show’.

He doesn’t call upon his followers to build huge edifices like statues or churches, around and inside which respectively, deeds shameful for anybody, (leave alone Christians) to indulge in take place. The physical structure called modern Church is witness to love for the mullah, sleaze, love of flesh and so many other abominations that are unexpected of the so-called Christians and, in some cases, even the clergy. The latter through their diabolic misdeeds has Christ’s comparison of teachers of law and Pharisees of His time to whitewashed tombs (Mathew 23:27), and viper’s brood (Mathew 12:34) true even today! 

He doesn’t expect his followers to commercialize the faith that He represents in true wholesomeness. In the same vein, he doesn’t expect church premises to resemble market places on occasions viz; feasts, harvest festivals and auctions. Why have Him pick up the whip of cords He discarded years ago in the temple of Jerusalem (John 2:15)?

He also doesn’t require of the ‘faithful’ to take to the streets in procession on occasions like Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Christmas and feasts of saints, inconveniencing the public by congesting public thoroughfares. These occasions are to be observed in the hearts of the faithful (if they are in possession of that organ that is) on a one-to-one basis with the Supreme Power, and not on the streets. True faith ought to operate in a strictly private tryst between God and man, instead of on the streets.

That is exactly what Deniece Williams had in mind while penning;

‘I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses,

And the voice I hear falling on my ear,

The son of God discloses’

 He has only taught His followers to ‘turn the other cheek’ (Mathew 5;39). This has been conveniently forgotten. Banished from practical Christianity.

He hasn’t appointed anyone His hatchet men to settle scores on some God-forsaken historical premise, and to indulge in physical tiffs on the streets, and receive lathe blows from law enforcers in the process. This goaded on, and exhorted by priests and bishops, and cheered by cheer girls that women of such ‘outfits’ have turned into! A heart-stopping adrenaline-charged T-20 cricket match would only play second fiddle to such Church-instigated spectacles enfolding on the roads these days! This doesn’t stop with the roads, but extents to cemeteries where the dead are denied incident-free burial by charged-up ‘Christians’.

   Some ‘factions’ of certain Christian denomination have made this a habit. Much to the disgrace of entire Christianity. He also hasn’t entrusted anyone to take manmade differences within the Church, which has taken root from the ‘I’m the greatest syndrome’ so predominant among the clergy to courts of law. He only has advised people with differences dragged to courts of law to settle them first before dropping offerings at His temple (Mathew5:24).

He doesn’t ask His followers to observe ‘fasting’, which in its various modern forms contributes absolutely nothing to the betterment of those who fast. Fasting these days is only a ritual that operates at the cerebral level. The heart and the soul aren’t involved in the sham. If indeed fasting was to achieve its purported end of making better human beings out of men and women, those who fast wouldn’t simultaneously take to the streets to indulge in physical tiffs on differences within the Church. And be dragged into the police jeep, and have churches closed down. And resume ‘worship’ if at all, with policemen and district collectors keeping watch instead of angels! 

He doesn’t ask people of other faith to be converted to Christianity. Modern-day Christians are the ones who need to be converted to better Christians. The query He posed; ‘why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own’ (Mathew7:3) still holds good. Christians have no business to dabble in the perversion of conversion. They have no moral right to do so.     

Essentially Christ asks Christians to do just two basic and fundamental things ;(1) to love the Lord God with all their Heart, soul, mind and strength, and (2) to love their neighbor as themselves (Mark 12:28-31). There is no commandment greater than these. He asks none other. The two aforesaid directives are mutually complimentary. One cannot do one without doing the other. They aren’t standalone teachings.

He doesn’t expect anybody to construct statues in his form, tall, short, thin or thick. As building statues doesn’t make so-called Christians better from their current disposition. Statues don’t earn respect for Christianity and Christians, especially when constructed or installed by self-serving politicians.