Thepfulhoukho Kuotsu T
he calendar year 2018, as we know, has been quite a revelation and a telling one so far. The unfolding of multiple events and the fiasco revolving around the state general election have been a great reminder of how we are still very much part of the fallible world. Well, before we forget to remember the unforgettable season of star-filled Christmas nights few months ago, let us remind ourselves of the advent of historic Passover feast, the crucifixion and resurrection thereafter.
In a span of few yet frenetic days, we have seen, heard, encountered and experienced the kind of politics where the new-born triplet “the State, Society and Church” meet face-to-face on this side of the roaring sea. As we settle down near the seashore, now is a good time to analyse, reflect and reposition our restless human pursuit.
In this short essay, I would like to draw the attention of the readers to consider the historical Jesus, whose societal context was located in and around the hotbed of Galilee. The objective is to explore the unfamiliar terrains of faith which is to be seen in the context of the society and politics. For obvious reason, the question arises; what is the relevance of this historical Jesus in our times today? Of course, there is no doubt about the salvation He freely offers. To begin with, the claim that we believe in this historical Jesus has become a very convenient task for us - the so called “Christians.” However, most of us, including myself, struggle to replicate the character of Christ in our everyday engagement with the affairs of the lightening-quick world.
It is evident that Jesus would be born from the legacy-rich lineage of King David. Thus the usual assumption of the people of Israel about Jesus certainly was that Jesus would soon become a strong political figure and set the people free from the bondage of the mighty Roman Empire. However, cutting the long story short, the birth of Jesus from a lowly carpenter’s family, his association with the poor and downtrodden, the widows and the excommunicated, the sinners and prostitute alike, his unparalleled statesmanship in bridging the age-old rivalry between the Samaritan and the Jews have all exceeded the normal. His stern criticism against the established religious norms, exposing the hypocrisy of the teachers of (Mosaic) law and the Pharisees, the exponential miracles and the claim that He is the son of God exasperated the high priests and the teachers of law all the more. Perhaps, the increasing influence of Jesus on the people became the reason for their insecurity and so was their position under threat. The outcome is simple. They began to ploy his murder and the rest is, as they say, history. He was finally betrayed, condemned, tortured and crucified.
N.T Wright, a renowned theologian and a brilliant writer, in his seminal book, “How God Became King?” emphasizes the sort of Politics Jesus had in mind wherein the majority of the Jews (especially the teachers of law and chief priests) fail to understand. This is partly because of their limited and short-sighted understanding of politics which is seen in terms of an empire or an established rule. On the contrary, Jesus would speak vehemently against Caesar and the established system. Given the cultural context, the prevailing tradition had taught them to think that Kings are to be served. Jesus instead began to serve them, identified himself with the lowest in the society and demonstrated His disciples how a servant leader should look like. Quite contrary to “money, power and position,” which was the order of the day, he emptied himself of material possession, including comfy flat, SUV cars, and fat bank account.
As the story unfolds, there is one pictorial scene in the Scripture which we cannot afford to miss. If you would notice, the dying man on the cross had wished to say the final bidding words. Imagine a real life situation where you have got a few seconds left to spend with the love of your life on earth! As per the record of the four Gospels, the underlining phrase goes, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Who is “them” referred to here? Isn’t it pointing to you and me? Perhaps, we may need to set up an investigation committee or refer it to the CBI. Well, for our present purpose, the takeaway point is to see the relevance of this phrase in our society today.
Now, let us bring in the context of Nagaland. Let us try to imagine if Jesus were to be born here. Likewise, let us try to imagine the response from Jesus after seeing the current scenario; the society, churches, political parties, and the public around the recently concluded election. Surely, money as starter, then power and position as the main course, followed by colourful side dishes such as proxy voting, cash-throw, bull-like fighting, threats, abuses and bitterness.
As far as my observation goes, the psyche of the Nagas today are in no way different to that of the teachers of law and the Pharisee and those that occupy the position of honour. It is an irony for us to claim that we are a Christian state because the reality is quite the opposite. Jesus, in His mercy and grace, must have already known the Naga society of the 21st century and so his pronouncement was not only to address to those groups and individuals involved in instigating his murder but also for a society like ours which is in total mess.
The way how we look at our politics is a poor reflection of a society in the making. The level of indulgence in the electoral process is unthinkable, coupled with the conspicuous consumption which is almost reaching the pinnacle. More so, our ethnic clans, villages and our tribal ties are still heavily fortified. The old habit of the churches in accumulating wealth does not help either. To make matter worse, the people in power have all the time in the world to manipulate. At this juncture, there is a need to relocate our politics. The politics of Jesus, according to me, therefore, remains not just a mere reference point but, to a foreseeable extent, the only “way” to approach our politics and our society. So what is this politics of Jesus that we talk about?
As mentioned earlier, the politics of Jesus is the antithesis of what is envisaged by the power mongering lots. Jesus, as we have seen through the Scripture, sides with the powerless and the oppressed, speaks truth to power, deliberately seeks peace, delivers justice and empties Himself to serve and to empower the voiceless. Perhaps, this is why, we, the proud Nagas, need to learn what genuine politics is all about. The choice, of course, is ours to decide. In Shakespearean words, to be engaged actively in the Word and replicate it and therefore, not to be blinded by the power-money-driven politics is the question. The onus is on us.
The writer is a doctoral candidate at Centre for Philosophy, JNU New Delhi.
