Domination.

Jesus was killed by the domination system of his time.

Because he dared to challenge the powers of the world by proclaiming the Kingdom of God.

This was a threat to the powers of this world because the Kingdom of God was ruled by God not by men.

But God does not rule by force.

He said to the powers; "Do your worst."

And they did.

They crucified and killed Jesus.

And they thought that they had won.

But God is faithful.

He resurrected Jesus to Heaven.

The trouble is that since Constantine the Church has been associated with the State.

And as such it has become part of the domination system.

And so it serves the purposes of that system.

That is why the Church reinforces the Status Quo.

That is why the Church preaches punishment for sins and judgement and heaven and hell.

This is the carrot and stick approach of the domination system.

The system is ruled by the rich and powerful.

Its purpose is to subjugate the masses.

The Church served this purpose.

And that is why, even when the churches were full, it was still "a jungle out there'.

The leaders of the Christian Churches were seduced by power and privilege.

They ruled by fear and threat.

And they did not know God. 

Jesus said of them: "'you did not enter youselves, and you hindered those who were entering.'"  Luke 11:52 (NRSV)

God: "The shepherds also have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, to their own gain, one and all."  Isaiah 56:11 (NRSV)

So they called Jesus Beelzebub* and they crucified him.

(* The devil.)

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

Photo Credit: The Sun.