Taking Mateo's suggestion on what MaryLu said in another thread and as I have been replaying this song over and over the past few days, I thought I'd post the lyrics and ask a couple of questions. Song sung by Joan Osborne:

If God had a name, what would it be and would you call it to His face if you were faced with Him and all His glory?

What would you ask if you had just one question?

(BRIDGE:) Yeah, yeah, God is great yeah, yeah, God is good Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...

(CHORUS:) What if God was one of us? Just a slob like one of us? Just a stranger on the bus trying to make his way home?

If God had a face, what would it look like and would you want to see if seeing meant that you would have to believe in things like heaven, and in Jesus and the saints and all the prophets.

(BRIDGE/CHORUS) Trying to make his way home Back up to heaven all alone Nobody calling on the phone Except for the Pope maybe in Rome

(BREAK)

(BRIDGE/CHORUS) Just trying to make his way home Like a holy rolling stone Back up to heaven all alone Just trying to make his way home Nobody calling on the phone Except for the Pope maybe in Rome...

------------

So, what would you think if Jesus were here and preaching again today? With all the material things we've come to rely on and depend on, it would be hard....We get so accustomed to things...our behaviors...routines. My soul is so willing but the flesh is so very weak. I hear stories of people claiming to be the Messiah or all of the apparitions, etc. and sometimes I think "boy, what a nut job". *shrug* Human nature, I guess. But how do we know? How do we know if we are entertaining angels or in the presence of God? Imagine having to explain yourself to God when He shows you how you turned from the homeless man in disgust...not knowing he was actually an angel sent from God. Those are things I think about. Or, I at least try to.

And if you could ask Him, face to face, one question.....what would it be? Perhaps that is too personal. You need not answer if you don't want to. One thing I'd really like to know is.....which DID come first? The chicken or the egg? It's a mystery. :)

Good luck on your journey and God bless~

-- Jackiea (sorry@dontlikespam.com), June 02, 2002

Answers

to the top, please

-- .... (...@.........), June 02, 2002.

JackieaI said I would stay away and Im trying! But seeing as I consider myself something of a pop/rock guru I couldn’t resist this thread. The following may provide some food for thought it is from a pop meets theology site and was written in 1996, http://www.screamstone.com/article.php?sid=8, God Bless Courtenay

Too many Christians have a knee-jerk reaction to things that don't come directly from the bible or their church. Everything is suspect, and there's a subtle string of deceit threaded through the whole world. Everyone and everything is the enemy.

But God is knocking on hearts of all sinners and perhaps some of them are questioning the truth of the gospel. Even famous sinners have spiritual questions. Unfortunately, many Christians respond to questions as if they were attacks and turn away the questioning lost with the defensive attitude. That Knee-jerk reaction is simply the WRONG ANSWER.

Verse Of The Week: “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags” Isaiah 64.6 Quote Of The Week: “Many people regard spirituality and worldliness as a list of do’s and don’ts. Unintentionally, by making holiness a matter of rule- keeping, they debase the holiness God requires.” Paul Little- "How To Give Away Your Faith"

Knee-Jerk Reaction This is kind of a sequel to the unpublished edition for last week about reactionary attitudes that Christians sometimes have. It’s back again to the whole mountain/molehill discussion. I had a discussion with a friend about Joan Osbourne’s song, “One Of Us.” Actually, I have been asked by at least 4 people about my thoughts on this song. The bottom line is that it’s a song with VERY spiritual implications by a non-Christian. The basic arguments from Christians who are opposed to the song are: 1) It doesn’t mention Jesus by name (Why should it, Osbourne isn’t a Christian). 2) It infers that Jesus was a slob (Aside from contradicting point #1, didn’t he become a Human Being to relate to us slobs (sinners/humans)? Didn’t the religious establishment see him as a drunken, gluttonous rebel? A Slob? 3) Jesus knew exactly where he was going, not a stranger on a bus who was lost. (The song doesn’t say he was lost... just that He was trying to make his way home. And if HE wasn’t a stranger in this world, nobody ever was.) 4. It opens the door to New Age Philosophies saying anyone could be God. (It doesn’t say that. Actually, it opens the door to the Gospel saying God could have actually been someone.)

There is a knee-jerk reaction for many Christians against anything of a spiritual nature that doesn’t originate from the church. I personally believe that God is knocking on hearts of all sinners and perhaps some of them are questioning the truth of the gospel. Even famous sinners have spiritual questions. Unfortunately, many Christians respond to questions as if they were attacks and turn away the questioning lost with the defensive attitude. We need to realize that the only difference between them and us is that we know we are lost and trust God to lead the way. We are sinners, too; just like they are (I know I am...). We need to begin to see the World as God sees it. Lost, not misleading. Blind, not deceiving.

Satan is our enemy, not the lost. It is our job to try to steal the lost from the enemy, not condemn the lost as the enemy himself. We don’t battle against flesh and blood. The lost are flesh and blood. Holiness and spirituality are not actions; they are gifts given to us by God. When we begin to count on our own spirituality and holiness and condemn those without it, we are in worse shape than the lost (See also: Quote of the Week).

When the world questions our faith, we should answer in Love, not defense. Avoid reactionary statements and use questions to further the discussion. If God didn’t send Jesus into the world to condemn it, but to save it, why do so many Christians feel like God has sent them into the world to condemn it? My personal philosophy is glass houses. And Jesus’ house is made of Gold... He still never threw stones.

-- Kiwi (csisherwood@hotmail.com), June 02, 2002.

Jackiea: Plese visit this site and give me your commentaries:

http://www.trademasterz.com/interview/

Enrique

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), June 02, 2002.

Kiwi- I like the part of those who are defensive and thinking they are here to condemn the world. These to me are the holier the thou group. I consider them rash.

What comes to mind also is the part of the NT i which a man is crying for aceptance by God knowing he is a sinner - while another sits there thanking God he is not like the other.

More input for you please.

-- Jean Bouchard (jeanb@cwk.imag.net), June 02, 2002.

Jean writes:

"I like the part of those who are defensive and thinking they are here to condemn the world. These to me are the holier the thou group. I consider them rash."

"Holier than thou group," "thinking they are here to condemn the world"? Jean, why do you support people who use vigilante crucifixion and believe that sexual abuse is an sin against the spirit, one that God will never forgive. Jean, you yourself are the "holier than thou" individual that is here thinking he can condemn the world. Your attitude is against the message of the Gospels--I hope that you'll read Jesus' parables. Why don't you stop condemning others and turn away from your own "holier than thou" ways?

Waiting for an answer...

Mateo

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), June 02, 2002.

Thanks for the answers, thus far, everyone. :)

Enrique~errrrrrrr the site didn't work. Whatcha want me to see? Try again, would you? Thanks!

God bless~

-- Jackiea (sorry@dontlikespam.com), June 02, 2002.

How would Jesus act if he were to show up as "one of us"?

Well, I can only expect that he would behave as he did 2000 years ago. He would identify and condemn vice. He would identify and encourage virtue.

He might focus on fighting pride (love of self), while focusing on its antidote: true, selfless love of God and neighbor.

I've got a couple ideas of things he wouldn't do:

1) He wouldn't expound on theology based on economic class divisions. Materially poor people don't have a corner on virtue, nor do they have a corner on vice. We are all sinners, no matter what our bank account looks like. He would remind us that we must all use our material and spiritual gifts to the fullest.

2) He wouldn't justify evil means to achieve God's will.

My $0.02,

Mateo

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), June 02, 2002.

Mateo - I am sure I am not one who judges in this world. When I see though stiff necked correct unsoiled application of a religion thrust upoon others I react.

It is obvious you ave joined the likes of Fred and Euguene so sad for such a young man. I have yet to hear them offer othere then the " do nots " of their religins to ths who have come here for understandng and solace. Their religion has calcified plain and simple. Beware for your own spiritual health.

As MaryLu has pointed and others Christ could be anyone sitting next to you. He is a man for all seasons not just sunshine and roses which are part of this world.

Judgmental no - aware yes very much so.

-- Jean Bouchard (jeanb@cwk.imag.net), June 02, 2002.

Hi Jean:

I don't understand where you are coming from -- ?

Don't you believe the Apostle's Creed?

When Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life," what did He mean? He also said, anyone who tries to 'enter in' through any other means is a 'thief.'

How would you describe Jesus words, "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It would be better that you enter heaven maimed than eternal damnation." That's a loose paraphrase, but you get the jist. And there are many many other passages, too numerous to mention here that are very 'intolerant' by today's standards.

Lastly, why did Jesus die on a cross -- I mean, how does His death on the cross benefit us? What did He accomplish for us?

Jesus made some VERY uncompromising statements. If you don't believe those statements, that's fine, but if your problem with Mateo is on account of these types of statements, then you really have a problem with Jesus, not Mateo.

I mean NO disrespect, I'm just trying to figure out where you are coming from. You MUST believe the right thing about the right person!

God Bless,

Gail

-- Gail (Rothfarms@socket.net), June 02, 2002.

Jean, it's time for you to shuffle off to Buffalo again.

How ridiculous for you to create a category in which to pigeon-hole Fred and Eugene, now adding Mateo! Are you so ignorant that you don't realize that another ten forum regulars and semi-regulars can be added to your "bleep" list?

How have you not figured out that you are no longer a Catholic? How have you failed to realize that you are a "persona non grata" here -- except on that tiny minority of occasions when you actually say something genuinely Catholic?

Being nearly 60, don't you think that it's time for you to grow up?

-- + (+@+.+), June 02, 2002.

JFG is that you who has just posted? Just curious!

-- kiwi (csisherwood@hotmail.com), June 02, 2002.

I see,
When you wish to put-down anyone in our forum, you do it by associating him with ''Fred and Gene''-- Especially ''sad'' since Mateo is so young? Jean could be projecting his own calcification; all HE sees is the bad, never anything good.

When I mention to him our faith in Christ, Jean disassociates himself from that Christ we all knew from our mother's knee. Our Lord of the Sacred Heart. Our Lord of the Holy Tabernacle, and the Eucharist. These are too ''calcifying'' for Jean to relate to. Jean believes Christ could be ''anyone sitting next to you.'' But definitely not the One Gene has come to believe in; the Holy One sacrificed for the salvation of sinners.

Jean would rather rub shoulders with a Christ who looks like himself. Worldly-wise and NOT burning with love for Fred, and Gene and Mateo. Only interested in the ones who don't worry about their souls. If you can't throw out the catechism and the priests and the tabernacle, Jean and his own Jesus won't like you very much, because you're ''calcified''.

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), June 02, 2002.

I just wanted to say something (my 2 cents). I love the music in that song. Unfortunately the clammer and noise we call lyrics are a burning sign of ignorance. What a waste of good music.

When it first came out I would listen to it just because I like the beat, but the more I paid attention to the words the more I wanted to turn it off. Our Lord God did become one of us when He sent us His Son (he understood what it was to be a "slob". Though he was not a slob himself, he surrounded himself with the like!) The Son's name is Jesus. But even if I was a Jew - this was answered in the Bible, when Moses asks God "what if they ask for your name?". God replied, "I AM". In other words, God IS God (The one and only God). And when Jesus said, that which you do to the least of my brother (the stranger on the bus), that you do unto me!

If Joan Osborne knew the ignorance she was exuding to not only the Catholic Faith, but to other non-Catholic (non-Christian for that matter) religions, she might have attempted to put some worth while lyrics to the awesome beat.

Oh well:(

In Christ.

-- Jake Huether (Jake.huether@lamrc.com), June 04, 2002.

I love that song, not just for its tune, but particularly for its lyrics. It asks questions that should make us think about our relationship with God. It seems to me that many of the contributors to this discussion seem to think that the song somehow preaches a solution (or maybe that it asks a question they are uncomfortable asking themselves?).

What if God was one of us? Well, God WAS one of us. That is the tremendous gift of Jesus. Maybe instead of riding an ass, he would have ridden a bus, should he have appeared this century. I find nowhere in this song any attempt to preach (except for "God is great/good"). Instead, it is a series of questions about both the nature of God, and the nature of us. If you don't like the song, that's OK. If you protest against the song, I suggest you try to answer the questions it asks for yourself, and then try to answer the questions as you think Jesus might have answered them.

-Mark

-- Mark (msss@attbi.com), March 28, 2003.

Hi All.

What would I ask Jesus if I saw him face to face here on earth?

I tend to believe that every question I've ever had would cease to exist because paradise with Jesus would be more than I could ever imagine, except for one question:

"Jesus will you accept me into your Kingdom in Heaven?"

rod

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), March 29, 2003.

Hi All.

Isn't the most important question not about what we would ask Jesus, but what Jesus will ask us and how we will answer him?

We will be asked why should we be let in to His Kingdom in Heaven?

What have we to believe that we will be in Heaven with God?

rod

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), March 29, 2003.