What is more important to Christianity, what Jesus said or what the Christian establishment of 2008 says.?

Question

What is more important to the US of America, the US Constitution or what the American establishment of 2008 says.

A valid answer is one that makes a choice, not one that says "both".

Why? Because it is unlikely that both would have an identical value, one has to be more important than the other.

The US constitution is to America as what Jesus said is to Christianity.

Answer 1

while i would say that is a faulty analogy, what Jesus said is more important

Answer 2

Its always more important what jesus said.

Answer 3

Lets see. The Institutions are Christianity and the USA

The indispensable ingredients or souls (as it were) are, what Jesus said in the first case and the US constitution in the second case.

For your analogy to be correct, in my mind, it would have to be, that if in either case, the main ingredient or soul was missing the institution would not be what is meant to be. And in either case, the absence of the soul would produce a corrupted or perverse version of the corresponding institution.

The analogy makes sense to me and it is logically correct.

Therefore, I say the soul or indispensable ingredient is more important than the 2008 establishment in both cases.

Furthermore, the institutions will change over time, However the different versions of the institutions seen over time will have to be evaluated by how those versions are or are not faithfull to its soul.

Answer 4

I never got to hear Jesus speak directly, not did I get a chance to speak with our founding fathers about their intent when writing the Constitution. All I can do is infer what I think was meant, and try to live life today through that prism, in both regards.  

Answer 5

People may be surprised to hear this but, not once did Jesus tell his followers to hate, reject and despise those who disagreed with them.

Answer 6

Though I can see your point... I have to disagree with some of the generalizations that are made as a result of some peoples answers... not all people that walk the Christian walk hate people that disagree with them... I think if that were the case we would have many more crusade like stances...

As one that doesn't follow establishment norms as far as my faith and where I worship is concerned... I feel that it is my duty to interpret things the best that I can with the knowledge I have... that is what makes our society great... we have the resources to learn languages to interpret for ourselves.. we have the resources to learn about cultural backgrounds to understand where our leaders (whether it is Jesus Christ or Thomas Jefferson) where coming from..

I think all people whether they are "religious" or not or for the establishment or not, all have grains of bigotry and intolerance in them... I know many will disagree with this and if you (in general do) than I implore you to look inside of yourself and see whether or not I am correct in this belief...

ADD: sadly... I have to admit that what Raymond C says is true... There are quite a few "Christians" out there that are very legalistic and judgmental...

Answer 7

What's in the Bible.

Answer 8

comparing the constitution to the bible is failing to see the difference of both...Christians by far today are not unlike the pharisees and religous leaders of Jesus's time...rules and codes...that make some special in the eyes of others, this practice was, and still is, an abomination to the word of God. And while the constitution governs rules and ideas that make living in this great country a reality...Jesus spoke of an eternal happiness well apart from this world.Todays religous leaders would be closer to God by giving away their treasures...staying out of politics...and becoming as children...or they may never know the peace of an eternity wrapped in God's Love.

Answer 9

Of all the convoluted logic I have seen in this forum, yours is some of the worst. Your question sets up one proposition, but your second statement sets up an entirely different proposition.

First: There is a clear constitutional separation of church and state in America. The U.S. is not a theocracy.

Second: The constitution guarantees that America will be a republic subject to the rule of civil and criminal law.

Third: What Jesus said 2000 years ago drives the final nail in your coffin. Jesus said, "Render that which is Caesar's unto Caesar, and that which is God's unto God." Even then, Jesus appreciated the value of the separation of church and state.

Fourth: The laws of this country govern all its citizens, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, etc.  and are therefore more important to its total citizenry than the tenants and dogma of Christianity, which is important only to Christians.

  

Answer 10

Should be what Jesus said.

However most Christians follow worldly leaders and not the book. That's how Buch won the elections. Christiansdecided to follow their leaders' decisions rather than think for themselves.

Answer 11

Christian means one who follow Christ.

Christianity is just an ity

if the answer is Jesus right away. its a Christian.

if hesistate and say Jesus, half a Christian.

any other way is an ity.

Answer 12

Good question. I think what Jesus said should be more important, but sadly people tend to lose sight of the importance of Jesus' words and actions and focus on judging each other. If we all truly lived as Jesus did and loved one another as ourselves, the world would truly be a better place.

Similarly, Americans do lose track of what our founding fathers laid out in the Constitution and are more apt to listen to what political parties or pundits say.  

Answer 13

I like how they deny that the original bible says that life starts at first breath. People were more barbaric back then.

Answer 14

interesting analogy.

I have often said that the ideas in the bible -love tolerance equality- are great but the way that they are often implemented in our world today preach intolerance and division.  

I have also gotten pretty upset at how our constitution has been distorted for people's agendas and our civil liberties have been taken away during this administration.  

Answer 15

I'm sorry.  I don't speak for all of Christianity.