Jesus, the f-word & Church Picnics.

Someone recently responded to me concerning my post about the use of the f-word. Would Jesus use the f-word? That is a great question. My first reaction is who cares? There are people starving to death in our neigborhoods. The are children being abused all over the world. I imagine the only folks who would care are those who are defined by the law. The more I think about whether or not Jesus would use the f-word, the more I think it is something the church needs to consider, but not for the reasons one may suspect. I imagine the only place Jesus would use the f-word, if he were to do so at all, would be at church. I doubt he’d use it in the company of strangers just to fit in or be cool. I suspect that he would most likely use it to radicalize whatever law one has for not using it; particularly if not using it got in your way of touching those who don’t conform to your standards.

Of course I can only speculate what Jesus would do by reading about his character, nature and demeanor that is revealed in scripture. As a devout Jewish rabbi, I know that he broke numerous "laws"-- particularly those laws heaved on others by the devoutly religious voice that prevented folks from having authentic encounter with God.

The devoutly religious folks were more concerned that Jesus was healing on the Sabbath, thereby breaking the law, than they were human suffering. Jesus didn’t need to heal on the Sabbath, yet he intentionally broke the law to demonstrate a point. As the Face of God he formed the habit of including at the table and eating with those the devout religious folks excluded for not obeying the law to their standards. As the Face of God, he willingly broke the law prescribed by the dominant religious voice in order to establish intimacy with those who were labeled "sinners" by the dominant group. So if using the f-word would awaken the religious community to relaese those they hold in bondage through their understanding of the law and to help restore human wholeness, then I wouldn't be surprised.

If Jesus were to use the f-word , based on his life, he would only do so if NOT using it was a law (and therefore a stumbling block) in your religion that allowed you to label what was clean and unclean and thereby exclude and define who are the outsiders and who was pure and impure. In other words, if one was more concerned about following the law than loving one’s neighbor.

The reality is, I seriously doubt that Jesus would use the f-word, not because he was perfect, but more because of his state of consciousness. However, Jesus was great at shocking the devout religious folks in his society, so IF he did drop the f-bomb it would be very shocking and I imagine it would NOT be in front those who are pushed to the margins on account of their gender, sexuality, family heritage, ethnicity or disease.

If he were to drop the f-bomb it most likely be at the church picnic to the devout folks who least expect God to behave only like God could. The same God who comes in the womb of a poor, vulnerable peasant; the same God who rides on the back of an ass; the God who endures suffering at the cross; the God who parties at weddings; the God who befriends prostitutes; the God who draws in the sand and reminds those who have never missed the mark in God's sight to throw the first rock; the God who compels all to come to the table--that God just might shock those who
have mastered the law and thereby missed the heart of the God by excluding others from the community of God.