Let us think critically. Let us imagine Jesus, Jesus Christ as a real man, just a mere mortal. A normal human being. What did he preach and promote?
Love
I mean a super simple thing is this notion of love. Unconditional love. I actually find this to be one of the most interesting and fascinating innovations; because typically, and also historically, love was conditional:
If you do this for me or obey me in this way, I will love you.
If you do not do it this way, I will NOT love you.
I witness a lot of conditionals for love
To me, the notion of conditional love is terrible. Maybe the best way to think about love in the context of your child is essentially your kid is a mini you; don’t you want to treat your kid the way you wish you were treated when you were a kid?
For example, I think culturally I witness this with the Vietnamese language, seeing Vietnamese grandmother’s talk to the grandchildren:
If you do this or eat this or listen to me, I will love you.
Similarly speaking, I witness this with American parenting:
If you don’t eat this or do this, I will be sad.
I think superficially, we think we are teaching our children empathy, but in actuality, it is another conditional for love. It is almost like some sort of weird emotional blackmail; because you’re not doing as I want you to do, I will be sad, and therefore your bad behavior of not obeying me is causing me pain sadness and sorrow.
How I am grateful for my mom
I think the greatest thing of all time that my mom did for me was to love me unconditionally, and to sacrifice everything for me my sister our family etc.
To me the logic was super obvious; the purpose of my mom, parents was to sacrifice everything in order for you to become great. And therefore as a consequence, you didn’t want to squander your potential.
How modern day America is funny?
America is funny and weird because on one hand, we are essentially all protestant Christians; in terms of how we think etc. Also which is weird is that we also focused too much on individualism, the cult of the individual, that I don’t want to sacrifice anything for anybody else unless it directly benefits me or maybe even indirectly benefits me.
**
Lessons Jesus has taught me:
- On Love
- You Are the Salt of the Earth
- You Are the Light of the World
- Forgive Others (70×7 times)
- “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.”
Learn more: Jefferson Bible
Eric Kim, known for his philosophical approach, especially in the context of photography, offers a range of quotes and insights that touch upon various aspects of life and creativity. While I didn’t find specific quotes by Eric Kim directly about Jesus, I did find reflections on related themes such as love, life, innovation, and personal philosophy.
- On proactive creativity, Kim states, “It is better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission,” emphasizing the importance of taking initiative without waiting for external approval oai_citation:1,Eric Kim philosophy quotes – ERIC KIM.
- Speaking on life and innovation, he encourages, “Keep moving, and you won’t stagnate. Never stop innovating, never stop making new stuff,” highlighting the value of continuous movement and innovation in life oai_citation:2,Eric Kim philosophy quotes – ERIC KIM.
- Regarding personal philosophy, Kim’s focus is on simplicity, embracing uncertainty, and finding personal meaning through art, drawing inspiration from Stoicism oai_citation:3,Eric Kim philosophy quotes – ERIC KIM.
- On critique and virtue, Kim shares thoughts like, “Just Leave Others Alone. You Can Only Critique that Which You Truly Understand and Love,” and “Virtue is a Privilege,” which reflect a thoughtful approach to interaction and moral excellence oai_citation:4,Eric Kim philosophy quotes – ERIC KIM.
Additionally, in his writings on Jesus, Kim reflects on Jesus as a philosopher and mentions some life lessons he has learned from Jesus, such as the importance of love, forgiveness, and seeking truth oai_citation:5,Why don’t we ever think of Jesus as a philosopher? – ERIC KIM oai_citation:6,Life Lessons Jesus Has Taught Me – ERIC KIM.
In a detailed exploration of the concept of love, Kim expresses that love is everything, holding human society together and is more than just an emotion; it’s a virtue shown through actions. He emphasizes love as an action, something that must be actively shown and practiced in daily life. Kim also touches upon the idea of love as service, suggesting that love involves not hurting others, not being greedy, and not seeking revenge. He stresses the importance of loving oneself, viewing each day as a new opportunity, and loving the work we do, seeing it as a way to positively impact others and the world oai_citation:7,On Love – ERIC KIM oai_citation:8,On Love – ERIC KIM oai_citation:9,On Love – ERIC KIM oai_citation:10,On Love – ERIC KIM oai_citation:11,On Love – ERIC KIM oai_citation:12,On Love – ERIC KIM oai_citation:13,On Love – ERIC KIM oai_citation:14,On Love – ERIC KIM oai_citation:15,On Love – ERIC KIM oai_citation:16,On Love – ERIC KIM oai_citation:17,On Love – ERIC KIM.
These insights from Eric Kim offer a glimpse into his philosophical perspective, blending personal, practical, and existential themes.