Jonathots Daily Blog
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It became very obvious to me that I needed a new word–a different term to express the faith I hold dear and the devotion I feel as a disciple of Jesus.
The signature title, “Christian,” had lost its impetus, credibility and definition. Too many people had attached themselves to it like leeches, sucking the blood of Christ out of the experience and leaving behind all the powerful notions of brotherhood and human excellence.
There was a time when “Christian” was a magnificent proclamation, producing clarity in the minds of those who heard it. When the American pioneers were making their way West across the mountains in their Conestoga wagons, the phrase, “good Christian folk” was an oasis of hope and a promise of tenderness.
Matter of fact, when informed that people were “good Christian folk” you knew four things:
- These were people who would give you a chance and not judge you.
- If you were hungry they would feed you. Thirsty, they would give you drink, and if you didn’t have a place to sleep, they would provide a bed.
- They would always turn the other cheek instead of getting pissed off and allowing their emotions to overrule their devotion.
- They were determined to work hard without bitching.
Somewhere along the line, each of these principles has been abandoned, a generation at a time, until the term “Christian” has transformed itself into a safe word, to be interpreted as either “a patriotic American” or an individual who goes to church.
- For instance, we have exchanged the lack of judgment of others for a moral majority.
- We’ve made feeding the hungry and helping the homeless a “bleeding-heart liberal” sentiment.
- “Turning the other cheek” has been rejected in favor of standing up for yourself, whether you’re right or wrong.
And hard work has been displaced by seeking ways to gain finance by keeping money away from those trying to ascend
We need a new word.
So one day I just decided to invent one. I didn’t do it to be revolutionary. Nor was I trying to be merely clever. I wasn’t attempting to attack the religious convictions of others.
I just could no longer call myself a generic Christian, and allow you to quietly fill in the blanks based upon your observations or prejudices.
The word I came up with was “Jesonian.” It is taking into consideration the sentiments, the heart, the mission and the ministry of Jesus instead of trying to balance the entire Bible as a unit for mutual appreciation.
It was my way of saying that what Jesus did is more powerful than the Book of Deuteronomy.
It was my way of proclaiming that I was not a Jew nor a Muslim, but rather, an individual who follows Jesus because he respects the pursuit of information without embarrassment, and gives freedom to others, even when he was denied it by their bigotries.
I would love to go back to a time when the phrase “good Christian folk” was not only significant, but also let everybody know the true extent of your passion.
But until that becomes true again, I am Jesonian. And Jesonian means to be a follower of Jesus, while honoring knowledge and giving place to the liberty of others.
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