Irresistible Revolution.....

I am reading this book aptly named, Irresitible Revolution, by a guy named Shane Claiborne. Shane is originally from East Tennessee and grew up in the burbs and in a church outside of Knoxville down there - a past many of us can relate to. However, Shane took a drastically different direction with his life after High School. He has lived with lepers in Calcutta with Mother Teresa before her passing, lived in the verdant suburbs of south Chicago, organized protests from Wall Street to D.C. on an array of different topics and now he lives as a homeless person in a community called the simple way in Philadelphia. He has dredlocks, makes his own clothes, and farms his own food (yes in downtown Philadelphia!). He is what I would call a modern day John the Baptist type figure. His book is a book that essentially poses the question, "What if Jesus really meant what he said in the bible?" What if Jesus meant what he said when he told the rich young ruler in Matthew that he must sell everything he owns in order to inherit the Kingdom of God. Or, what about when Jesus said in order to follow me you must deny yourself and take up your cross? Or, the fact that Jesus, the Son of God incarnate, more than once assumed the role of a servant in order to make the point that this is how one should lead. What would our foreign policy look like if we took turned the other cheek? Or our healthcare system if we really want to provide for the poor? In light of scripture, what would Jesus say about the 'American Dream?' I think that the main point that Shane makes is not anything groundbreaking because the Gospel has been around for a long time. But I do think that he serves as a neccesary force to urge us to rethink how we do religion. What would Jesus say if he saw himself on a commercialized t-shirt that said "Jesus is my homeboy." Would it be better to buy a new stainglass window for 120,000 or give that to the poor and needy (an actual story from the book). What would Jesus have done? What about that new car? Can anyone really justify the need for an 80,000 dollar car except as for a status symbol? A very thought provoking book, that I encourage everyone to read.......I'm only halfway through, more when I finish.