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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

21st Century Parable: The Good Mohammedan

by verse:

25 On one occasion a celebrity pastor with six books and a televised worship service stood up to test Jesus. "O my personal Lord and Savior," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"


26 "What is written in the Law?" Jesus replied. "How do you read it?"


27 The celebrity pastor answered, "The Law? Why aren't you talking about salvation by grace through faith? But fine -- 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and strength and mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Those are in the Law."


28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."


29 But he wanted to justify himself to his Justifier, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor? You don't mean Democrats, do you? Liberals? Socialists?"


30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Joliet to Jacksonville, when he was attacked by robbers."


"Were they Black Lives Matter protesters?" the man asked.


"Pay attention," Jesus said. "So, they stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.


31 A progressive minister from a liberal church happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side, frightened for his life.


32 So, too, a fundamentalist minister, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side, disgusted by the man's condition.


33 But a Muslim gentleman, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.


34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, and then called 911. When the ambulance was delayed, the Muslim put the man in his own car, brought him to an ER, and asked to admit him. Since this was a state that had refused Medicaid expansion funds, the ER demanded up-front financial coverage of the man, and the Muslim paid the expense with one of his major credit cards, saying,


35 'Look after him, and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'


36 Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"


37 The celebrity pastor replied, "You're joking, right?"


"No," Jesus told him.


"That story's not even believable," the pastor said. "A Muslim?"


38 "Simply state which one was his neighbor," Jesus said.


"Never would have happened!" the pastor said in anger. "You made it all up! Besides, all this 'good works' stuff sounds suspiciously Roman Catholic to me, you know? I'm out of here! Plus I'm blocking you on Facebook and un-following all your groups, you phony."


39 And with great love and sadness, Jesus watched him leave.


40 Later, as the man continued on his way, furious over what had been spoken, he was set upon by robbers ...