Tioga Herald

“Now why’d you choose such a backward time … And such a strange land?”

In the 1970s, the rock musical, Jesus Christ Superstar was introduced. I purchased the original vinyl album. I have seen the on-stage productions of this rock musical.

At the time JCS was released, we had two students from Cortland State College, student teachers at our high school, boarding with us. I had purchased the album. I found these two guys interesting to speak with about the music of JCS. Many discussions ensued, in addition to discussions about history because the two of them were history history education majors.

Lyrics in JCS were a good description. But I recall the few which asked questions. For example, “Now why’d you choose such a backward time … And such a strange land?” As a junior in high school, it was difficult to answer those questions.

As my life has progressed and I have maintained my faith in God, I believe I have, with wisdom, developed a HYPOTHETICAL answer to those questions. Hypothetical means there is no certainty, but there is plenty of evidence to determine a hypothesis. So we seek wisdom about it.

My wisdom of age, created by humble learning over time, has provided me with a possible answer. Today, we have people who lie, slander, and libel other good people, based on a love of money and materialism. Love of money is evil. Money is NOT evil. Profits are NOT evil, except when done solely for the love of money. I have read about this and learned about this over time.

Guidelines for a civilized society work in creating a civilized society. It is not a perfect solution, but it helps overcome the evils of the selfishness and greed of egomaniacs with a love and worship of money.

The Roman Empire is known as being one of the most brutal and vicious group of people to control a portion of the world which has ever existed. Am I certain about this? No. But I have humbly learned, over time, about this and gained wisdom. There is plenty of evidence and facts to support what I say. Some folks may feel biased against what I say, so go ahead and shoot me down. What will you accomplish in an attempt to find the truth?

The Roman Empire was in control of Israel during the 1st Century. As a Christian all my life, I am aware of most of the teachings of Jesus Christ and consider Him to be the “word” of God made flesh. I consider that Christ came here to be the “light of the world.” Those are MY beliefs and I am not FORCING you, as vicious people do, to believe what I believe.

I feel I have to say all of this because the egomaniacs of the world just work to shoot holes, as if I want control. It’s those people who shoot holes in hypothetical theories, based on their own egotistical bias, who are likely the perverts who wish to control others.

But this brings me to answering that question in the JCS rock musical: “Now why’d you choose such a backward time
And such a strange land?” It was due to the opposition our Deity had to how a group of people are treated badly by those who seek power over others in corrupt and evil ways with a love AND WORSHIP of money.

In my belief, based on what I have learned over time, including Thomas Jefferson’s (remember him? one of the USA’s FOUNDING FATHERS?) documentation about the Gospels. This is a Deity who imparts the message that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely (not words from God, but words from human beings who recognize a Deity more powerful than humans; a Deity which imparts a love for His/Her children. (Strange words to say, right? His/Her? God has not always been proven to be a “Father,” but a “Parent”).

Again. I do not expect one to feel controlled by my beliefs. But I also do not have an inkling of desire to follow the beliefs of bashers of other human beings as they resist coexistence.

The word of God became flesh. That is my belief system. The reason was to choose a place and time when one group of people were being controlled by perverted lovers of self and money, while the crowd went along and had the word of God executed. Perverted ones to convince the crowds were lawyers and religious leaders, all with a love of money. Money first. A Deity would choose that time and place to impart the message, as people suffered and were convinced by lovers of money to find a scapegoat.

But is it not possible that scapegoat was determined in order for a Deity to impart the message about loving one another (coexistence)? Is it not possible the message was also about human beings learning to reject those who are hypocrites and lovers of money?

Jesus Christ himself is quoted as hurling accusations at hypocrites of those days; Jesus Christ himself, with actions, not words, overturned tables of the money changers, lovers and worshipers of money. Yet, why is it we relinquish control to give it back to power mongers with a love of money and then blame our government? Even Jesus said, “render unto Caesar his due.” In other words, pay your taxes and look at something else besides scapegoats and a government as the reasons for our problems, out of fear of a “mafioso” in centralized businesses created by supply-side Reaganomics, destroying small business competition in the process.

Adam Smith wrote books about the creation of capitalism. Wealth of Nations and Theories of Moral Sentiments. Adam Smith also intently studied the words of Christ. Yet, the “sheep” in this world go along with the lovers of money who attain the power which corrupts and absolute power which corrupts absolutely. They do not even have knowledge of what Adam Smith wrote which was presented as an economic system with balance and a “moral sentiment” for a process in which humans predominate over money, as presented by Jesus Christ, and not the other way around (money over humans).

Today, we have in place, the SEC which allows the biggest stockholders to have more votes in a corporate stockholder meeting than the common folk who own the stock. It is like these people are money changers during the 1st Century when Jesus Christ walked the earth. They don’t give one damn about the common folk and cheat and lie to get their way. Same thing with those money changers of the 1st Century by not only selling in the temple, but also selling SHODDY and LOUSY animals for sacrifice on the altar.

For many of us, we have experienced the lousy way that those with the most stock have treated us. It was one of the many wars that the shoddy and corrupt people with the most stock, Republicans, pulled the rug out from beneath me and many others. They skimmed money off a cash cow of a company, so as to allow vicious other Republicans (primarily) to come in and buy out the company. The only ones to benefit were the shoddy fat pigs at the top, skimming the money off the corporation. Meanwhile, the rest of us stockholders were not even allowed in secret stockholder meetings held in Houston, Texas (for a Florida corporation) and many of us common folk then lost our stock holdings in the process.

How many times do I have to explain this to common folk, hoping to get support, rather than stupidity hurled at me, as well as hatred from common folk? How many times? And do we really need the return of Jesus Christ when we have the knowledge right here in front of us, given to us in the 1st Century? How many times do we have to pray for “Christ’s return.” A loving Deity may treat us kindly, but that Deity must wonder, “Gosh, I gave them the information when the word became flesh. Why do they not see it?” But I can’t speak for God, as so many TV evangelists and perverted proselytizers try to do – constantly.

My mother even had a problem with proselytizers in her life. But at least there were more people like my mother who understood. My generation and younger generations are apparently full of a bunch of stupid jerks who are not humble enough to learn by seeking knowledge and wisdom, but rely on the hearsay of Fox and other groups who push an end all for everything – a certainty that they have all the answers.

This is a lengthy message. I really don’t care if you don’t like it because it is. Those in the World War II generation and before would read essays of great length. They were able to demonstrate humility and learning for the sake of human beings over money.

JC, JC: “Now why’d you choose such a backward time … And such a strange land?” Because it took that type of environment to get many people to learn. W hat is the problem with those who don’t wish to learn today? Instead, they wish for an Armageddon to start all things over, when the proof is in a Deity who DID teach human beings and there is no excuse for not understanding it. Stop pushing us towards chaos with power and control from lovers and worshipers of money in the form of greedy, self-centered, egomaniac centrally-controlled dictatorial corporations run by an oligarchy. Because you are pushing us towards disaster by supporting such egomaniacs with power. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The foundations for these problems are not the government created by my ancestors and Founding Fathers. The problem is the oligarchy which attempts to take control of our government and take it out of the hands of the people. WE THE PEOPLE. And there are many of us who have wisdom and knowledge based on the TRUE DEITY and the TRUE Jesus Christ. Supply-side Reaganomics ultimately tosses away those of us who are followers of the true word of God made flesh because the ones who worship money are fearful of the loss of their power – a corrupt one which leads to absolute power which corrupts absolutely. And they become like the vicious Roman Empire of the past. Like the vicious rulers who come out of the hills of Russia.

“Now why’d you choose such a backward time… And such a strange land?” Is it for me to know and you to find out? Because the answer is there before us, just by studying and learning about the word of God made flesh. To learn that this happened and for a purpose.

I pity those who do not understand what I am saying. But that is okay. Because I won’t control you with my belief. I just try to teach. I am not a perfect teacher, but I sure to work towards wisdom, not certainty or purity.

I do this because my grandmother was always saying, “judge not lest you be judged.” But she always encouraged me to be a teacher. Praise the LORD for my grandmother and many others who have encouraged me in my life and offered me opportunities, not always handouts. The ones who provided a temporary safety net which may have been in the form of some handouts, but the word “temporary” is important to note here. Then I would encounter the “jubilee year.” Don’t know what “jubilee year” is? Then humble thyself and learn what it is. Would be good for those money lovers to consider when discussing student loan debt.

On and on I go. But I now understand what was meant in the questions found in lyrics of JC Superstar. “Now why’d you choose such a backward time … And such a strange land?” 🙏 🖖