50 – Was Jesus born in a Manger ?

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The Christmas narrative of a baby born in a manger is a familiar one. The Roman Empire, a police state in its own right, had ordered that a census be conducted. Joseph and his pregnant wife Mary travelled to the little town of Bethlehem so that they could be counted. There being no room for the couple at any of the inns, they stayed in a stable, where Mary gave birth to the baby boy, Jesus. (Of course there was no accommodation – always crowds at Christmas time … joke)

Unfortunately, Jesus was born into a police state not unlike the growing menace here and now. And when he grew up, Jesus did not shy away from speaking truth to power. Indeed, his teachings undermined the political and religious establishment of his day. He was eventually crucified as a warning to others not to challenge the powers-that-be.

Yet what if, instead of being born into the Roman police state, Jesus had been born and raised in our current police state? Rather than traveling to Bethlehem for a census, Jesus’ parents would have been mailed a 28-page Survey, a mandatory government questionnaire documenting their habits, household inhabitants, work schedule, etc.

Instead of being born in a manger, Jesus might have been born at home. Rather than wise men and shepherds bringing gifts, the baby’s parents might have needed to try to ward off visits from state social workers intent on prosecuting them for the home birth. A number of people have had children removed after social services objected to a child being birthed in an unassisted home delivery. Maybe the child/children are being collected for the pedo market ?

Had Jesus’ parents been undocumented immigrants, they and the newborn baby might have been shuffled to a profit-driven, private prison owned by Serco for illegals where they would have been turned into cheap, forced labourers for corporations

From the time he was old enough to attend school, Jesus would have been drilled in lessons of compliance and obedience to government authorities, while learning little about his own rights. Had he dared to step out of line while in school, he might have found himself tasered or beaten by a school resource officer, or at the very least suspended under a school zero tolerance policy that punishes minor infractions as harshly as more serious offenses.

Had Jesus disappeared for a few hours let alone days as a 12-year-old, his parents would have been handcuffed, arrested and jailed for parental negligence.

From the moment Jesus made contact with an “extremist” such as John the Baptist, he would have been flagged for surveillance because of his association with a prominent activist, peaceful or otherwise. Since 9/11, the Police State has actively carried out surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations on a broad range of activist groups.

Jesus’ anti-government views would certainly have resulted in him being labelled a domestic extremist. Law enforcement agencies are being trained to recognize signs of anti-government extremism during interactions with potential extremists who share a “belief in the approaching collapse of government and the economy.”

While traveling from community to community, Jesus might have been reported to government officials as “suspicious” under the “See Something – Say Something” programs.

Rather than being permitted to live as an itinerant preacher, Jesus might have found himself threatened with arrest for daring to live off the grid or sleeping outside.

Had Jesus gone into a modern Church and preached on Mark 10, 1-12 especially 11+12, half the congregation would have walked out.

Viewed by the government as a dissident and potential threat to its power, Jesus might have had government spies planted among his followers to monitor his activities, report on his movements, and entrap him into breaking the law. Such Judases today—called informants—often receive hefty pay checks from the government for their treachery.

During the last supper, he told his disciples to arm themselves for self defence – Luke 22.36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword (gun), let him sell his garment, and buy one. This is in very different context to the oft quoted Matt 26.52 “Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword (gun) shall perish with the )gun) sword.” Jesus told Peter in the garden of Gethsemane to not interfere with the Plan of Salvation via the crucifixion. It also applies to people who live by the sword ie criminals and Governments who depend on the sword (gun – taser – knife) for their criminal activities.

Had Jesus used the internet to spread his radical message of peace and love, he might have found his blog posts infiltrated by government spies attempting to undermine his integrity discredit him or plant incriminating information online about him. At the very least, he would have had his website hacked and his email monitored.

Had Jesus attempted to feed large crowds of people, he would have been threatened with arrest for violating various ordinances prohibiting the distribution of food without a permit.

Had Jesus spoken publicly about his 40 days in the desert and his conversations with the devil, he might have been labelled mentally ill and detained in a psych ward with no access to family or friends.

Without a doubt, had Jesus attempted to overturn tables in a Jewish temple and rage against the materialism of religious institutions, and the criminal usury banking system, he would have been charged with a hate crime..

Rather than having armed guards capture Jesus in a public place, government officials would have ordered that a SWAT team carry out a raid on Jesus and his followers, complete with flash-bang grenades and military equipment. Dozens of such team raids are carried out every year, houses are seized by Local Councils and auctioned for peanuts.

Had anyone reported Jesus to the police as being potentially dangerous, he might have found himself confronted—and killed—by police officers for whom any perceived act of non-compliance (a twitch, a question, a frown) can result in them shooting first and asking questions later. “it has been reported” seems to be sufficient these days.

Charged with treason and labelled a domestic terrorist, Jesus might have been sentenced to a life-term in a private prison where he would have been forced to provide slave labour in a Serco owned prison.

Either way, whether Jesus had been born in our modern age or his own, he still would have died at the hands of a police state.

Remember, what happened on that starry night in Bethlehem is only part of the story. That baby in the manger grew up to be a man who did not turn away from evil but instead spoke out against it,

and we must do no less.

Eph 5.11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them.

and a warning to Pastors

Ezek 33.6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.

Larry Hannigan

50 – Was Jesus born in a Manger ?

Had Jesus’ parents been undocumented immigrants, they and the newborn baby might have been shuffled to a profit-driven, private prison owned by Serco for illegals where they would have been turned into cheap, forced labourers for corporations

Had Jesus disappeared for a few hours let alone days as a 12-year-old, his parents would have been handcuffed, arrested and jailed for parental negligence.

While traveling from community to community, Jesus might have been reported to government officials as “suspicious” under the “See Something – Say Something” programs.

Rather than being permitted to live as an itinerant preacher, Jesus might have found himself threatened with arrest for daring to live off the grid or sleeping outside.

Had Jesus gone into a modern Church and preached on Mark 10, 1-12 especially 11+12, half the congregation would have walked out.

Had Jesus attempted to feed large crowds of people, he would have been threatened with arrest for violating various ordinances prohibiting the distribution of food without a permit.

Had Jesus spoken publicly about his 40 days in the desert and his conversations with the devil, he might have been labelled mentally ill and detained in a psych ward with no access to family or friends.

Without a doubt, had Jesus attempted to overturn tables in a Jewish temple and rage against the materialism of religious institutions, and the criminal usury banking system, he would have been charged with a hate crime..

Charged with treason and labelled a domestic terrorist, Jesus might have been sentenced to a life-term in a private prison where he would have been forced to provide slave labour in a Serco owned prison.

Either way, whether Jesus had been born in our modern age or his own, he still would have died at the hands of a police state.

Remember, what happened on that starry night in Bethlehem is only part of the story. That baby in the manger grew up to be a man who did not turn away from evil but instead spoke out against it,

and we must do no less.

Eph 5.11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them.

and a warning to Pastors

Ezek 33.6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.