I meant to say, a disservice to those who genuinely espouse values of compassion and humanity.

Thank you Rhian for summarizing the article so well. I was getting ready to attempt to do something similar until I read what you had said much more pithily and precisely than I might have.
The only thing I would add is that though we think we know a lot about Jesus we rely on texts often written decades after his death. We know more about the morals, ethics, and values of the people who actualy composed those documents purporting to be biographies of Jesus.

Jesus, as God, knows his laws are good for the despiccable and corrupt. But, since he is God, and not like us, he is going to change the world in his own way (not like we would do) through the Holy Spirit, who enters each born-in-the-Spirit-of-God candidate who chooses to undergo this process, and who has faith that God is who he says he is.

Who is God? Unimaginable. Creator of heaven and earth, and of man, of molecules and galaxies, of motes of dust, sunsets, and seas... -- who can compare to him?

This is the one who in his unimaginability, stoops to help mankind, despite our despiccableness, our corruption, our liking for sin.

The two rules (human nature rebels against the word "rules") that sum up all the rest are the reason he is called the prince of peace -- Love your God with all your heart...and Love your neighbor as yourself.
If we followed the two, there would be no death (because no sin) and no war. If we willingly obeyed, which we cannot do without his help, given our contrary natures, the world as we know it would not exist.

And so he stoops, out of love for all of mankind.

This is the entity that created the birth of worlds seen through the Hubble telescope. This is the One who created the fundaments of physics that scientists can barely explain. This is the One who sent the great flood, because mankind thought and did only evil continuously. Jesus as God is the one who sent Joseph the dream of the stalks that bowed down to the one stalk, who raised him up from being a slave, to ruling over Egypt. And, he is the one who will cause every human knee to bow on his return.

There is no one like him, and no one who can offer mankind what he can.
This is the good news that he brings to men and women everywhere.

THIS AUTHOR IS TOTALLY WRONG !... ? or.. maybe he has some good thoughts.

I love this kind of article. You are never quite sure till reading the whole thing what the writer is on about. Is he serious ? Tongue in cheek ? Just trying to make us think ?

Well.. probably the last mostly.

We surely should think about our relationship with God in Christ.. about who was the real Jesus..

"Who then is THIS..that he calms the storm ?" said the disciples.

The only point I wish to make at this stage is that while it is true that Jesus was a friend of Tax Collectors and Sinners, his love for them was redemptive. He did not continue to associate with ongoing corrupt Tax Collectors or 'ongoing adulterous women'

Zachaeus "Lord, those I have exploited I will return to them fourfold"

The woman caught inadultery "Go you way and sin no more"

To Nichodemus "You must be born again"

To know Him was to love Him, and be awestruck.

He showed love to the sinner then, as he does now, with a view to salvation and renewal.

"I came not to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many".

Halelujah.

P.S. Hawaiilawyer....thanx for the uplifting thoughts.

"My reading of this article wasn't that jesus was immoral (title not withstanding) but more a judgment of the hypocrisy of today's fundamentalist christian sect, as exemplified by the talkback italics."

That was definitely the focus. Christians just don't like to see Jesus badmouthed in title or in passing.

"This of couse, is generalizing in the extreme and is a disservice to their compassion and humanity."

It is refreshing to find a comment by an apparently fair minded non-Christian (I think you are not the only one in this thread.) In these forums I often start to feel that all atheists have some type of pathological hatred for Christians. Clearly such people are just overrepresented in some threads due to being attracted to opportunities to Christian bash.

"It's just a shame that they don't seem to be the influential christians, who shield themselves from the riff raff to whom jesus extended open arms."

Agreed. These days I think they can get caught up shielding themselves from incessant onslaught from Christian bashers and time left they share the faith with believers.

"BTW can anyone point out where jesus approved of the church as an institution? I thought his whole rap was about god and the individual sharing a personal relationship, without need for intermediaries."

In answer to the first question my immediate response would be the Bible. After careful consideration my response would be the Bible. Words that crop up in defining an institution such as an organisation formed for a purpose, behavioural pattern of importance for a community, and united I associate with the Bible. The idea of a personal relationship is central to the faith but no person is an island.

This just shows how stupid intellectuals are. Jesus is morality. He is the way and the light. It only through Him that we know morality. Look at the muslims are they moral teaching their kids to be human bombs. Look at the bloodthirsty Buddhists. The Jews are they moral? No their religion has nothing to do with Jesus. Jesus is morality. And you people are immoral. You are like animals you will all be going to Hell.