Truth and Love are the same person – Jesus Christ. You can’t focus on one aspect of Christ and deny another at the same time. You’ll end up in trouble.

Truth is a person – Jesus Christ. He said “I am the Way, the Life and the Truth.” So it is not my notion of truth – it is not something I have come up with on my own. I humbly submit to the Truth.

You wrote: “Since your answer is Jesus and Christianity, than I cannot respond, for this suggests a colonial spirit of religious superiority…”

Since you don’t see Jesus Christ as the Truth, then I cannot respond, for this suggests a relativistic spirit of religious syncretism.

You wrote: “How do you reconcile that this “Truth” has led to horrible crusades, exploitation of the Native Americans during the conquest of the Americas, and brutal crimes throughout the Inquisition?”

Simply – we are all sinners. Sin makes people do stupid things. Individuals throughout time have done things in the name of “truth” (with a small “t”), which was often and most times in opposition to the Truth, that I’m sure saddened our Lord. They had a malformed view of ‘love of God’. But that in no way detracts from the Truths (with a big “T”) the Church proposes for our belief. The Church does not recognize forced Baptisms (infant baptism is not ‘forced’, btw – it’s requested by the parents who speak for the child), for example. I’d argue you have a difficulty recognizing the difference between Church teaching and the improper use of authority on the part of individuals and groups.

You wrote: “And lastly, no, I would not die for religious beliefs, but I will challenge anyone who tries to impose them on me or others without logical recourse.”

Christ said there is no greater love than to lay one’s life down for a friend. Is not Jesus Christ your friend, and if forced with the choice to deny Him and live, or refuse to deny Him and be killed, you would choose the former? Really?

You wrote: “Often, imposition leads to violence, oppression, and exclusion — not what Jesus demanded!”

Show me where the Church teaches we are to impose our faith on others. Documented.

You wrote: “I forgot to add that Jesus was never a Christian or a theologian. He was not concerned with dogmas as much as he was with how religious and political power merged to oppress the already oppressed!”

Right – Jesus was a Jew. And the son of God, the second Person of the Trinity. But he was a teacher. And he founded a Church to preserve His teachings as handed down by the apostles. He commanded us to love God and love our neighbor. That sounds like a dogma to me. He came to fulfill the commandments, not abolish them. The Ten Commandments seem rather dogmatic to me.

Dogma and doctrine are important. Without it, we would not recognize that Jesus is God. We would not recognize that Jesus is the Truth.

Is the world groaning due to lack of love? Undoubtedly yes. Heart-breakingly yes. But the world is also groaning due to lack of hope – authentic hope, not a touchy-feely woe-is-us-oppressed we-wish-people-were-nice kinda hope. Hope exists even in the midst of oppression. Hope exists in the bog and mire of a sinful life – and that hope is Jesus Christ. We show our love of God – which MUST come first – by how we love our neighbor. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta is a perfect modern-day example of this. She was not concerned with overturning an unjust caste system. She had compassion for the poor and indigent – which is why her missions are throughout the world, even here in the US. She was a religious, not a social worker. Jesus was first in her life, and through the grace and love of Christ, she was able to then love the unlovable.

Jesus wasn’t concerned with the political power – He came to save us from sin – our personal sin. Sin is the true oppressor.

Thanks for your response. Yes, there is no doubt that all religions contribute to some violence at some level all across the world. I do mention in the article that “Around the world, Muslims, Jews, and Christians battle over whose religion and scriptures are superior.”

Also, I challenge your notion of Truth. What is “Truth?” How do you know it exists, if it does in the first place? And, what do you make of different “Truth” claims by different people at different times and contexts? Which one is the “Truth” among “Truths”? Since your answer is Jesus and Christianity, than I cannot respond, for this suggests a colonial spirit of religious superiority which is what I criticize in the article as the cause of much suffering, oppression, and death. How do you reconcile that this “Truth” has led to horrible crusades, exploitation of the Native Americans during the conquest of the Americas, and brutal crimes throughout the Inquisition? The “Truth” has also been used to justify an unjust war in Iraq, which the late Pope John Paul II condemned. The “Truth” seems to be what fits one’s needs at a particular time and place.

And lastly, no, I would not die for religious beliefs, but I will challenge anyone who tries to impose them on me or others without logical recourse. Often, imposition leads to violence, oppression, and exclusion — not what Jesus demanded! Less talk about dogmas and beliefs and more about helping our neighbors will show the true power of Jesus.

Best,

Cesar

I don’t intend to put words into Cesar’s mouth, but my interpretation is that Cesar argues for a redirection of focus. What if all the energy put into arguing over theology were instead put into feeding the poor, or fighting violence? Yes, the poor and suffering will always be among us, as Jesus Himself told us, but if there is a finite amount of energy and focus in the world, one might assume that focusing that energy on helping others rather than squabbling amongst ourselves would at the very least reduce the human suffering in the world.

“While individuals are fighting over correct interpretation or belief, children are dying of hunger, illnesses, and violence.”

Children will die of hunger, illness and violence regardless. To imply otherwise seems disingenuous to me. Are you implying that those problems will magically disappear if only we would stop talking about beliefs? Or are you implying that all beliefs are equal, so there’s no reason to argue and fight in the first place?

In my humble opinion, the only thing worth arguing, disagreeing and fighting for (in the arena of ideas, and not physically) than Truth. And the fullness of the Truth resides in the Catholic Church, founded by Christ. What else is there worth arguing over, really, than the question asked by Pontius: “What is truth?”

Let me ask you a question: Would you be willing to die for your faith? Would you be willing to be a martyr for Christ?