The Mistakes of Jesus | Page 3

rejected the entire gospel of John as less reliable than the synoptic
gospels; and the sixteenth chapter of Mark as an addition after the
original papyrus had broken off. Modernists, being confronted, in spite
of these deletions, with inconsistencies in the gospels of Matthew,
Mark and Luke, have assumed the further privilege of rejecting any
verses which appear at variance with their beliefs. Liberals of this class
contend that the supernatural side of Jesus may be disregarded and yet
that Jesus will remain Our Lord. They reject certain evangelistic
passages that conflict with modern thought, but accept other statements
by the same authors as authoritative.
As the Christian churches have not accepted any abbreviation of the
Bible as a substitute for the King James Version, it seems proper for the
critic to have recourse to that translation as the most authentic
description of the life and teachings of Jesus. He is justified, moreover,
in considering every word in the supposedly inspired gospels as equally
reliable. His only concern should be to interpret each verse as nearly as
possible as the original writers intended their words to be understood,
allowing for Eastern hyperbole and the custom of the times.
Retain the Good
In preparing a critical analysis of the character of Jesus, it is freely
admitted that many of the thoughts attributed to the son of Mary are
superlatively fine. They will live forever whether the personality of
Jesus be rejected as a divinity or not. That these beautiful preachments
are ignored here is not due to any desire to belittle admirable
sentiments or to disparage right living. The loving side of Jesus has
been emphasized again and again and will be borne in mind by the
reader when other less admirable traits are criticized. The intent of this
criticism is not to destroy idealism but to assist the spirit of true
progress.
Christianity Must Go

The significance of this investigation lies in the changes that would
have to be made in religious thought if it should be found that Jesus
was not perfect. If Jesus was in error concerning conditions of his own
time and exhibited no knowledge of our modern problems, his
authority will be lessened. Searchers after the true way of life will not
continue to worship a person whose conception of the physical and
spiritual world was erroneous. If Jesus made mistakes, he is neither the
Son of God nor an infallible man.
So long as people feel compelled to worship what has been proved
imperfect, or to evade important doctrines of their creeds for fear of
losing faith in old traditions, their minds will not be receptive to
changes in social conditions that require abandonment of established
customs. Christians are imbued with a psychology derived from a
completed revelation. The firmer their belief in Jesus, the greater their
resistance to new ideas. Catholics are more reluctant to join progressive
movements than Modernists and Modernists than Evolutionists.
Religious people are apt to be afraid of the new world; they doubt the
possibility of eliminating war, poverty and injustice--customs as deeply
rooted in the social world as belief in Jesus is in the religious world. If
the chief reactionary bulwark of the past is abandoned, there will be
greater possibility of accepting new revelations.
What would happen if Christians should discover that their leader was
not an incomparable guide? Absolutely nothing at first. Those
accustomed to lead a moral life would continue to do so. Members of
Christian churches are the very people who most wish to do what is
right. They will not lose their character because Jesus has lost his
fictitious divinity. On the contrary, they will search for the most
elevating principles to substitute for the personality that has been found
deficient. It is difficult for people to be superior to their gods. These
same church-going individuals, when freed from the fetters of
antiquated supernaturalism, will gradually learn to serve mankind with
the same devotion they now render to a misunderstood God. They will
no longer be limited by the defects of their paragon in their efforts to
make the most of life. They will seek to solve modern problems in a
rational way instead of deciding such matters as birth control, divorce,

war and prohibition by reference to the scriptures, as they do now. For
the first time they will make their decisions according to the best
knowledge obtainable today.
Jesus was in advance of his time. He declared that such revengeful
theories as an eye for an eye must be supplanted by forgiveness. But as
the world has evolved, Jesus has stood still. His teachings, superior as
they were to those of the ancient Israelites, are now found to be inferior
to the best ethics culled from the wisdom of the ages, brought down to