The Church, Jesus, and Identity Theft

Description: Jesus with his lawyer faces the Church and its lawyer. Jesus' lawyer says to the Church's lawyer, "My client claims your client claims to be my client."

THE CHURCH, JESUS, AND IDENTITY THEFT

I talk about the reality that we are one with no division except in our thoughts.

But I also talk about our diversity in unity.

Metaphysically, I am one with you. But physically I am distinct.

It’s dangerous to over-identify on the material plane.

For example, Paul says your body is not your own. In marriage we may share our bodies. But even though this goes both ways for men and women, this is used almost exclusively in favor of men. I’ve heard sermons and talked with men where this concept is used to demand a woman give her body to her husband sexually whenever he wishes, even if she doesn’t want to, because her body is actually his body and he has authority over it, not her. “That’s not your body, it’s mine!”

That’s over-identification. It robs the woman of her autonomy, identity, will, and power. It’s a convenient theological maneuver for the man to retain power.

I’ve seen this same logic used between the Church and Jesus. It comes from the concept of the Church being the body of Christ. 

We can explore the biblical concept that the Church is supposed to be the best expression of Christ on earth. (How’s that working for you!?) Instead, it’s twisted to endorse anything the Church does as the actual actions of Christ. Instead of the Church embodying Christ, the Church now claims to BE Christ no matter how evil its actions. “That’s not us doing it, it’s Christ himself!”

So I drew Jesus suing the Church for identity theft.