Jefferson, perhaps in a fit of pique after the lambasting he received at the hands of religionists during the election of 1800, took his copy of the New Testament and cut out everything except the words of Jesus. These he published as a book entitled, The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth. He extracted the "diamonds from the dunghill." His idea was to focus on what the man said rather than the "myths surrounding his life. Reading the dazzling miracles of Matthew and Luke one can find the actual teachings to be rather mundane. Christianity has been hijacked by the religionists who would have us achieve "eternal salvation from this world than with any desire to practice the teachings of Jesus while we are here."
Jefferson's Bible reveals Jesus's teachings in a short list; a list that we would all be wise to follow and practice:
Be Just
Treat others as you would be treated
Work for peaceful resolutions, even if it means returning violence with compassion
Material things have no value
Do not judge
Do not bear grudges
Be modest and unpretentious
Be generous for generosity's sake, not because you expect to be repaid.
"Stop talking about righteousness and be righteous." George, are you paying attention?
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