I am ready for a real discussion on why Jesus was killed. Beyond the simplistic “to save us from our sins,” that is. For quite some time now, I’ve thought the fact that “American Christians” aren’t considered problematic to the powers that be (financial, governmental, religious) is more an indictment than a blessing.
For me, the paragraph from Claiborne below speaks to it better than anything else so far.
“And that’s when things get messy. When people begin moving beyond charity and toward justice and solidarity with the poor and oppressed, as Jesus did, they get in trouble. Once we are actually friends with the folks in struggle, we start to ask why people are poor, which is never as popular as giving to charity. One of my friends has a shirt marked with the words of late Catholic bishop Dom Helder Camara: ‘When I fed the hungry, they called me a saint. When I asked why people are hungry, they called me a communist.’ Charity wins awards and applause but joining the poor gets you killed… People are not crucified for helping poor people. People are crucified for joining them.” – Shane Claiborne
Minutes to Memories 
Just read that yesterday in his book. Excellent book so far. I started reading it this week and I read a little while I was waiting to go in and watch the Hogs get beat yesterday.
This book has rocked my world. I was already starting to think differently, but this has put that into overdrive. It is so easy just to ask why. Very difficult to put yourself into action. The last two Wednesday nights our “young” men’s class has gone into one of the neighborhoods in Bono and fixed everybody supper. We hand out food and then we eat with them. It has been a great experience for us. We have got to know a few of them pretty well, but most are still reluctant to sit down and let us get to know them. We hope to do this every week. We hope that we will be able to do it in every neighborhood in Bono. This is such a small step in asking why, but it is the only way we will be able be a part of their lives.
Yeah, that book is something else. I love it. And it sounds like you’ve got a good group that is on the right track.
Don’t forget to pick up his next book “Jesus For President” if for nothing else but its interior design! You’ll love it especially!