Dear Editor,

I write in response to a letter published in the Jamaica Observer on December 26 titled ‘Fundamentalists have no business with gay rights’.

Somebody commented via social media that, “Christianity started moving away from the teachings of Jesus the moment he died.”

I feel that fairly accurately describes it, unfortunately. Institutional Christianity/Christians, that is, those most resistant to Christ’s fundamental teachings of non-violence, compassion, and non-wealth, seemingly insist upon creating their God’s nature in their own fallible and too-often angry, vengeful image; for example, proclaiming at publicised protests that God hates such-and-such group of people.

Often being the most vocal, they make very bad examples of Christ’s fundamental message, especially to the young and impressionable. This is why I openly critique those in public life who claim to be Christian yet behave nothing like Christ or his basic teachings.

Many institutional Christians may find inconvenient, if not plainly annoying, trying to reconcile the conspicuous inconsistency in the fundamental nature of the New Testament’s Jesus with the wrathful, vengeful, and even jealous nature of the Old Testament’s Creator.

Ironically, some of the best humanitarians were/are atheists or agnostics who’d make better examples of many of Christ’s teachings than too many institutional Christians, that is, those most resistant to Christ’s fundamental teachings of non-violence, compassion, and non-wealth and, conversely, some of the worst human beings are the most devout preachers/practitioners of institutional Christian theology.

I, a believer in Christ’s miracles, like to picture Jesus enjoying a healthy belly-shaking laugh with his disciples, now and then. Imagine the divine with a good sense of humour!

Frank Sterle Jr

Canada