Python Jesus

Read a great article in Word and World by Hans Wiersma, associate professor of religion at Augsburg College, Minneapolis on the Life of Brian. The article affirmed something that is absolutely right: The Life of Brian is a great ironical presentation of the humanity of Jesus and the life of first century Judea. Through the character of Brian we see the occupation of Rome, the conflicts of rival Jewish factions, etc. And at the heart of it all is the followers who so desperately need something to believe in that they will just make things up!


After reading the article I had to re-watch the debate between John Cleese and Michael Palin (Monty Python members) and Malcolm Muggeridge (agnostic most of his life until converting to Christianity and wrote popular books on religion) and Rev. Mervyn Stockwood (former Bishop of Southwick). What a painful watch for me. It was painful mostly because of the behavior and arguments made by the so called "Christian" side of the debate. Circular logic and repetition were their tools. Every time John or Michael engaged in a conversational remark, Malcolm or Mervyn would either patronize them or raise their voices as if that would put them in their place.


What I would have loved to have heard was an actual conversation about the dialectical reality of Jesus; divine verses human. It is obvious from the movie that the Pythons did their homework and tried to show a different, but funny, side to the conversation of Jesus. (Blessed are the cheesemakers!)


But, alas, even in our time we cannot have these conversations because the same logic is used by those who are so fearsome of losing their religion: circular logic and yelling. 


I have no real point. Just remembering, laughing, and being sad about the level of social discourse. What have the Romans ever done for us?