This fictional retelling of the story of Jesus is yet another attempt to define Mere Christianity, which is much more bare bones than that of C.S. Lewis. The Gospel of Jesus and Mary describes how the life and thought of Jesus and his devoted wife, Mary Magdalene, very gradually led to the creation of a much happier, more peaceful, more creative and productive society on the planet of the brave, honorable, and energetic "namian" people, who in many respects are fascinating human mirror images ("nam" is "man" spelled backwards). Jesus and Mary had no divisive dogmas and no theology. They taught only what they could solidly demonstrate, the equality of all people. With the polished people skills of Dale Carnegie, they taught and lived this ideal of equality, and its consequences, profound respect for others, altruistic love of others, tireless search for mutual benefits, and "principled negotiation" of differences. Rather than crucify Jesus, the namian people inducted him into their eternal hall of fame. Rather than divide people into hostile religious camps, based on unprovable dogmas, their Jesus and his followers were the great uniters, the founders of a truly ecumenical ethical movement, not the Christian religion. The book provides a detailed comparison between our Jesus and theirs and leaves one thinking that "if only our Jesus had been more like their Jesus..." |
