--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, new.morning <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: [Barry wrote:] > > Christ taught in the common language, using anal- > > ogies and metaphors that were comprehensible to > > the common man. As opposed to the language and > > the teachings used by the prevailing religions of > > his time. He developed a following. > > Which prevailing religions were those and what languge and > teachings do they attempt to foster on to the public?
This is laughably wrong, BTW, on both counts. The "prevailing religions of the time" didn't use incomprehensible language. But even more starkly wrong, Jesus is recorded as having said explicitly that his parables and metaphors had hidden meanings that only those "in the know" could understand: "And he said, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear.' And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve [disciples] asked him about the parables. And he said to them, 'To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven'" (Mark 4:9-12; similarly in Matthew 11:9-15). Sounds like quite the elitist, doesn't he? He repeats "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" something like a dozen times in connection with one or another of his parables, indicating they have multiple levels of meaning beyond the surface understanding of the words. Jesus is *known* for his "geekspeak." It is *the* predominant characteristic of his teaching. Not only did he speak in enigmatic, koan-like parables to the masses, he engaged in highly sophisticated wordplay with the Jewish religious authorities that left them baffled and confused. He "developed a following" *despite* the fact that his teaching was couched in highfalutin language, far from easily accessible to the "common man." His geekspeak challenged them, puzzled them, intrigued them, drew them in. It was, indeed, a highly effective sales technique.
