A Colombian man performs as Jesus Christ during holy week celebrations in Medellin, Colombia, on Good Friday.
-Reuters
Michael Reckord, Contributor
AS WE drank coconut water in Cross Roads the other afternoon, Artie and I noticed a long line of patrons outside Carib cinema.
"Have you seen The Passion of the Christ yet?" I asked.
Artie shook his head, indicating no, then swallowed his mouthful of coconut water. "And I don't intend to go, dads."
"I'm surprised," I said. "It's the most popular movie in town, and I know you take Sasha to the cinema every week. Doesn't she want to see it?"
"Yes, but I told her she'd have to go alone."
The determination in Artie's voice indicated strong feeling and with shock, I realised that, though I'd known him for years, I didn't know Artie's religious views. We mainly talk current events, for he wants to be a reporter.
"You don't want to see Jesus dying on the cross for your sins?" I asked.
Artie handed his coconut to the vendor for splitting in half, deliberately delaying his answer. My curiosity was piqued. The subject clearly troubled my young friend.
"I've had serious problems with the whole crucifixion story for a long time, dads," he said, "and they became more serious this morning."
"Why?"
Artie took his tape recorder from his pouch and motioned toward the nearby bus shed. "Let's go sit down. I want you to hear an interview I taped this morning."
I paid the vendor and we took our sliced-open coconuts to the bus shed and sat. "What's this all about, Artie?" I asked. "You've gone all solemn on me."
JESUS' MISSION
"Did you see Rev. Devon Dick's article in The Gleaner on Tuesday?" Artie asked. "It was titled The significance of Jesus' death'."
I shook my head. "I missed that one."
"Well, Rev. Dick asks a question about the purpose of Jesus enduring all the suffering that eventually led to his death but, strangely, he doesn't go on to address it. It's a matter that's been bothering me for years so I tried to get in touch with Rev. Dick. I couldn't, but I did get to interview another minister on the question."
"That's the one you recorded?" I asked.
Artie nodded and turned on the tape recorder.
Artie: Jesus was a very powerful man, right, Reverend?
Rev: Yes, he was, for he was also God.
Artie: He was both man and God? That's sounds like a logical impossibility, like saying black can be white.
Rev: Jesus was God made flesh.
Artie: But God is Spirit. Spirit is the opposite of matter, by definition.
Rev: Ahm --
Artie: Let's move on. Jesus had the power of God, which is infinite, right?
Rev: Well, yes.
Artie: Which is why he could turn water into wine, and feed thousands with five loaves and three fishes, make the blind see and the crippled walk?
Rev: Yes.
Artie: And raise Lazarus and others from the dead?
Rev: Yes.
Artie: And resurrect himself after three days in the grave?
Rev: You know your Bible well, Artie.
Artie: So why did he have to suffer?
Rev: Pardon?
Artie: If he was so powerful, why did he allow himself to be hurt so much? I hear The Passion of the Christ shows him being beaten and tortured for two hours straight.
Rev: He suffered even longer than that.
Artie: Why? Why not turn off the pain. Yogis can do it. People under hypnosis can do it. If they can, Jesus surely could.
Rev: Jesus came to die for our sins, Artie.
Artie: My point is he could have died without suffering, Reverend. But you raise another point. If he died for our sins, why is anybody still in danger of going to hell?
Rev: Surely you don't expect murderers, adulterers and thieves to go to heaven?
Artie: Why not, if Jesus died for their sins, too? And here's another thing: Jesus didn't really die for our sins if he resurrected himself?
Rev: What do you mean? Dying refers to your heart stopping and your brain functions ceasing.
Artie: Permanently. If they stop for a time and start again we don't call that dying.
Rev: Actually, Jesus was resurrected in a special body.
Artie: Spiritual, or physical, as it was before?
Rev: Spiritual, so it could go straight to heaven.
Artie: Well, that means there wasn't really a resurrection. Don't you teach that only the body dies, that all our souls are immortal? You're suggesting that Jesus wasn't special.
Rev: Ahm... Listen, you ask too many questions. You must have faith.
Artie: I see. Thank you, Reverend.
Artie turned off the tape recorder. "An unproductive interview, dads. I didn't bother to tell him that as a reporter, my job is to ask questions."
"And your questions are intriguing, Artie," I said, "but ultimately unanswerable. Here's an easier one: why are all these schoolchildren having sex on buses?"
