The following guest sermon was submitted by ULC Minister Barry Herman, Jr. All members of the ULC community are invited to contribute their own sermons for consideration/publication. To submit a sermon, please email it to sermons@ulc.org.
Unless you've just crawled out of a deep hole that lacked an internet connection, you’ve probably heard of "cancel culture." Depending on who you ask, though, you might get different definitions.
Some say "cancelling" is a concerted effort to ruin a person's career, to de-platform them, and to essentially ostracize them from polite society. Others argue that cancelling is just a modern, social media-fueled version of holding people accountable for their actions.
No matter how you want to define it, one thing is abundantly clear in my view:
If Jesus were alive today, he’d be cancelled.
That’s right, God’s only son, who died for our sins, would be cancelled by Twitter. Here’s why.
Down Goes Jesus
Jesus sought to do good in his day by touching the hearts and minds of his contemporaries, from the lowest beggar to the highest politician. He led by example, showing compassion and humility before all, even washing the feet of the disciples. He acted thoughtfully, chose his words carefully, and was respectful to all, especially those he disagreed with.
Contrast that with the cultural and political discourse of today. Whereas Jesus’ style of communication might be likened to a warm hug from a friend, current discourse can be likened to a punch to the face, complete with iron knuckles.
The point is this. Jesus acted thoughtfully, he didn’t grab (metaphorical) megaphones and screech his message into the void. That thoughtfulness would be condemned today as impotent inaction, an insufficient contribution in the culture war.
Think of what would happen if He did indeed descend from the heavens to live among us. The Twitter mob would tear him to shreds.
It’s not hard to imagine some blue check Twitter personality tweeting, “Jesus is back. Before you bow down, remember that this is the same guy that refused to speak up on the subjugation of women,” or, “Remember Jesus’ famous quote condemning slavery? Yeah, me neither.”
That's not to mention Jesus’ traditional beliefs regarding marriage, divorce, and abortion. I don’t even want to imagine what they’d say about Jesus’ “outdated” values.
Let’s Change Together
Jesus believed in leading by example. He didn’t virtue signal; He didn’t share empty platitudes. He showed the world the ultimate kindness and empathy, and it’s been changing the world for the better for 2,000 years.
But recently, our discourse has soured. Cable news went from information, to infotainment, to outright fear-mongering. The internet went from a tool to share knowledge and expand one's horizons to a tool to spread hatred and dogpile on the latest easy target.
And the rest of us are left wondering what happened to those high ideals.
If Jesus were alive today, he’d be torn apart by a culture that seeks to be outraged and looks for the worst in people.
Perhaps we can work together to change that. As Jesus tried to teach us, change comes from within.
47 comments
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Nicholas J Page
Why would anyone cancel Jesus.Pure jealousy the woke brigade snowflakes etc should be locked up in a decent psychiatric hospital and leave normal people alone do this don't do that stop trying to run other people's lives. You all suck
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Robert James Ruhnke
Hah! On the one hand you hate cancel culture, but on the other hand it should only be used on the “woke.” Typical “normal” conservative hypocrisy. Cancel tactics were instituted after 9/11 by W. Bush era politics. An now that it’s being turned on it’s creators now it’s bad. lol Christ probably did return, but he was bombed to hell by American foreign policy. Or his followers didn’t like the fact he didn’t recognize them or their evil. All well. 🤷🏻♂️
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Krystina S.
Mr. Page, I would agree with Mr. Ruhnke. McCarthyism... that was quite the Cancel Culture.
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Daniel Gray
yet again you try and spin it and fail. NOWHERE is there any proof of your claims except on all sites that cater to the left wing. And we know how accurate they have been lately (yep that was sarcasm)
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Robert James Ruhnke
Mr. Grey, right wing “proof” comes from people who believe that a talking snake lured a woman into be the scapegoat for all evil. Pffft.
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Rev Mark D
You know, you just suggested something to me...those evangelical snake handlers, I always wondered what was the point. Maybe it is to show that they are not subject to the forces of evil anymore, they handle the evil (snake) without being defeated by it. What do you think?
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Daniel Gray
poor little know nothing. Guess the best you can do is whine like you are doing now?
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Robert James Ruhnke
Lol ah, that lovely Christian gaslighting and projection when they have nothing better or true to say. Lovely
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Daniel Gray
The only one here that is gaslighting is clearly you. Thanks for showing why what you say is suspect.
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Robert James Ruhnke
Nope. The crucible of history has shown that to be a weakly false statement. The only reason why my words are suspect to you is because of willfully indoctrinated ignorance. Remember, it’s Christian’s who’ve been conquering and forcing others to their views the last couple millennia. Not pagans. Lol
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Richard Darwin Richards
Bush was a Christian???? LOL!!!!!!
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Rev Mark D
Why would anybody cancel Jesus? If you mean nobody in the right mind would cancel Jesus, I agree.
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
Rev. Herman; even though I outrank you in the ULC hierarchy (I’m a Bishop, while you’re only a mere minister) I get the impression you might be able to understand what I’m now posting.
Since the GOP began to realize that their mythological Jesus, provided the most hope for those attracted to socialized communism (unemployment for such fundamentalists was in the 55% range) the GOP began to use “The Christian Lord only helps those who are white, who can help themselves” and that “one only must love thy neighbor as long as one’s neighbor is a member of one’s tribe” — the GOP (MAGA’ers) KKK-types and those who would require everyone who was not a minority group member — to own an AK-15 with a silencer.
Because the Christian God was Jewish, before he gave birth to his son who became the Earth’s first Christian, the Jews renounced this Jesus — even though he was fictitious— and the Romans, who still worshiped Jupiter, resented both the Jews and now the Christians.
The choice of today’s GOP MAGA’s is to either respect theJesus myth, for whatever it did to justify capitalism, and/or, convert so as to worship a demagogue such as DJT, and protect what’s left of predatory vulturistic monopolistic capitalism.
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Lionheart
If he really did exist the only way we have of trying to determine his real character are comments written by people who never met him. We all do that today when we read history books about people that we have never met. People read Fox News, and CNN, and will only believe what they want to believe is written. Even with people that are still alive like Biden, and Trump, people will only believe the narrative they want to believe no matter what is put in front of them. We even do it on here in this blog. We all have characteristics of personality, crafted only by what we all have written on here, but is it really who we truly are? How many of us have been blocked by social media having been judged only by our writings?
Bottom line: I'm sure Jesus would be banned by some social media, and not others. I wonder if God would? 🤪
🦁♥️
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robert
It would be worse than just getting “ canceled “ they would crucify him all over again but not not let him die but keep him alive to do over and o er again! This axel culture crap is the biggest load I have ever heard in my 56 years! I don’t do social media except YouTube, and frankly if they was to ban me , well my life is not even over if so
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Rev Mark D
Jesus was about as popular with the "authorities," i.e., Caesar, as he would be today, which is to say, "Not."
Still, he counseled "Render to Caesar that which is Caesar's." Meaning he was fine with Roman law, whatever you might offer as his actual motivation. So he knew he would be crucified, or the populars could manipulate the authorities into doing so. Much as today. In fact, exactly as today. So today, we might call it "Cancel Culture," or we might call it the authority of the local corrupt church, or whatever else would be the equivalent of the cultural function of the local church or non-church, both being as worldly as they actually are.
So he'd be cancelled by the Cancel Culture, or murdered by the religious church powers that exist now, whether secular or religious, they certainly wouldn't be Christian (since few "Christian" churches actually are). Either way he'd be screwed.
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James Bullard
"Cancel culture" is nothing more than shaming and ostricizing of bahavior unacceptable to the community. Churches have used that as its primary method of controlling their mambers throughout history. Ironically those same churches now see it as a bad thing because it is being turned against their efforts to control the masses.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Jesus and the Bible are constantly being misquoted resulting if fake messages. Here's how the Bible's messages and Jesus' quotes have been altered. If there are any Christians I would like to hear from you about the Bible's misquotes. (And there are so many of them.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfheSAcCsrE&t=1614s&ab_channel=BartD.Ehrman
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Minister Carlos Ricardo Walls
If Jesus were alive today I hope all would recognize him,not deny him.Praise God.
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Carlos Gomes
The question that should be ask is how are we Following the command that God has given us
The Great Commission. Matthew
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations , baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit
Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God
Psalms 143:10 NIV) Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
God bless us all and let’s obey what the spirit of god is telling us to
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Lionheart
Please help me understand why you are quoting from a book of claims written by people who never met the person they are writing about when they mention Jesus? How do we know, what they claim Jesus said, actually happened?
Also, how do we know what the spirit of God is, that you reference, if there is no demonstrable evidence of your God, or any God? In other words, if we can’t prove a god is real, how can we know what it’s spirit is like?
🦁❤️
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Timothy Newell
If Jesus were alive today, praise the Lord! Let us followers and believers of our Lord and Savior get caught up in the rapture...Pfft! Now who really gets cancelled?
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Rev Nolan
Mankind is a species of tremendous hatred. Of course, Jesus would be canceled, but all messengers of The Almighty Algorithm and Ultimate Designer would be victims of human nature. I think therefore that the existence of mankind, being what they are, ought to be canceled, but to do so would be an act of terrorism if attempted and failed or a tremendous mercy to all other living creatures on Earth if attempted and successful.
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Daniel Gray
What do you mean would try to cancel him? They are already trying to do so. How many times have you seen people claiming he does not exist, or was an alien, or questioning his sexuality or trying to claim he was married...all to fit their narrow jaded view of things. This claptrap from the cancel culture does not surprise me in the slightest.
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Robert James Ruhnke
Christians have been the ultimate cancel culture agents. Anyone who has not been Christian or who has spoken negatively of Christianity the last few hundred years has has been canceled permanently. At sword point usually. Christians haven’t been true victims since Rome was feeding them to lions. Murdering each other over who has the “truest” faith in Jesus is truly just insane infighting.
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Daniel Gray
sorry but no, that would be the pagans. Try again and this time at least make sure you show some historical knowledge.
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Robert James Ruhnke
It’s both technically. Shows how much you know about history. Though the last time pagans had any real power, it was during the Roman Empire. Whilst the Scandinavians were hostile to Christians missionaries it’s because the missionaries were an invading force. Scandinavians had a short time on the world stage as a power house. Unlike the many Christian influenced empires that arose after Charlemagne decreed that Christians was the state religion. So you’re going to deny that Catholics and Protestants were murdering each other over interpretation of faith? That’s a denial of history. And are you going to ignore the crusades? The mass violent conversion of Spanish Jews? Which also gave rise to the idea “purity of blood” which in turn influenced white supremacy as a generational blight that goes on today. Not to mention how natives to the Americas had their faiths and cultures stripped from them and forbidden to practice their spiritual principles. How it wasn’t until the 70’s they their faiths were deemed illegal. I doubt you do. Instead you remain blissfully and willfully ignorant of the woes the that Christians have wrought not just on those outside the fairy, but on each other as well.
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Daniel Gray
Nice of you trying to spin it but the fact remains that nothing you have posted has been able to refute what I have said. right now all you are doing is posting a bunch of hot air trying to give the impression that you know what you are talking about, the sad thing is that you dont.
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Rev Frankie PG
The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ was of love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, healing, preaching, tolerance and more. If Jesus were a person of today then yes, I believe that Jesus would be cancelled just like they've cancelled God out of many public statements (ie- not saying Under God in the USA's Pledge of Allegiance). Jesus' limit though is where I'd like to see if there would be as much love for Nixon as much as Trump, or Hillary as much as Queen Elizabeth? It is written that Jesus destroyed many places due to the unholy acts that took place, didn't hold back from criticism and repeatedly looked out for the "underdog." Is a person that is admired today, a person that is canceled tomorrow, or is a person that is canceled today, a person that is admired tomorrow? Many of yesterday admired the preachings of Martin Luther King Jr. but today many of those same people criticize the great MLK. That is the great thing about having your own mind, you make the call.
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Rev Mark D
Cancel Culture is as un-"Christian" as I've seen. It's like they decided that two wrongs make a right.
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JT of the plains
So many of these business are private. They are not the public square. The claims of violation of free speech are invalid. Just like someone entering a private home and screaming and ranting and raving, business have a right to limit what happens on their platforms and in their businesses.
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Todd Bettis
If he came down, few people on either end of the Western political spectrum would recognize him.
He would be shamed and shunned by the far-right, as he would not support toting guns, would preach peace over war, and he would hang out with gays, transgender and the other people ostracized in our society (ever read the Gospels?).
Also, he would not be "cancelled" unless he was telling outright lies.
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Tabitha
We could hope
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Mark Christopher High
Yes, in fact, if our Creator returned, many would, “…curse God and die.” The doctrines of “Jesus” were completely inverted. And a Roman demi-God created. Our demise is of our own making, our probation is nearly over. “The meek shall inherit the earth.”
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Richard Lee Cornell
I need not your media to send my message to all of earth. I'm the Son of God and all who are on earth shall hear my voice in the tongue they speak. So that it is said, so it shall be.
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Diane Minna LaFave
Cancelling Christ is exactly what is going on. BUT, not just Christianity but all Faiths. This is why I was disappointed when "they" told the churches to close due to the Covid and the Pastors , etc., did. I have been to China on a Christian Mission , which gave me enough experience to know a communist tactic when I see it. Unfortunately, I don't trust our Government anymore . Better days ahead . GOD wins !!
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Rev Mark D
The sooner for you to meet him I guess. Not exactly the wisdom he would teach.
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Rev Mark D
"I have been to China on a Christian Mission "
And you can't imagine why anybody would want to cancel you for doing so? I'm sure they consider your invasion as the equivalent of an imperialist tactic. Why wouldn't they? And what is it about you that fails to appreciate that possibility?
Your own comment carries the seeds of your error and arrogance.
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Daniel Gray
nope the crucible of your opinion proves what you say. Too bad for you fact and history are a completely different subject then our opinion. Say stupid things, get shown how stupid you really are.
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Daniel Gray
Nope history in the US Library of Congress and the National Museum clearly show that you are wrong. Now lets see you refute them
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Elga Konietzny
,you say, IF Jesus would be alive today would he be cancelled? yes he would but Jesus IS alive today ,, he lives in US ,, WE carry on his mission,, it is us the ones that are awaken to wake the sleepers,, we cannot continue working in the old ways, you know it,, i know it we need to bring the TRUTH to the people,, do you know the truth ? do you really know what IS the truth? Satan and Demons walking the streets, i see them, do not turn away from evil but look strait into the eyes of darkness,, become aware that God works through you,,, be the instrument for his will, unconditional Love is the highest frequency,,become this and find compassion that is the way we fight as Light workers,, Legions of Angels are with us,,, we are here to bring heaven to earth,, let the old behind and move to the light into a new earth assist the ones that come for guidance and help, the ones that seek understanding and healing of the soul and spirit,, do we not see that this is the time of tribulation? Divine Justice is served ,, the doors of heavens are open,, the light is bursting out thru all the universe the beast is in its last throes,, the trillion years of war is ending,, not all beings chose the Light and this is alright as we have free will and we have no right to judge,only God,,, so i stay in the middle as i see both sides,,, God fills my heart and feeds my Soul and my life's experiences are my gifts i bring back to him in return and God becomes that much more,,, my wisdom comes from GOD not books,,,and so it is
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Jeffrey Stoecker
Well... Jesus didn't live to a ripe old age -- physically, at least. He WAS cancelled -- put down in the harshest manner available to the powers of the time. That delete key was pushed down with particular force.
"Cancel Culture" is human culture. What's the counter-argument? That people have the inalienable right to push their content into other people's eye and ear holes? That's just silly. This is an extension of what has always gone on. What our culture lacks -- and has for a long time now -- is agreed-upon paths to restoration / redemption of a transgressor.
In tribal days, a person that had pissed everybody off could make up for it by bringing in a ton of meat and putting on a good feast, or enhancing the band's status with an act of bravery against an enemy. When we got religion, the church could remove a blot... for a price and visible acts of contrition. In frontier days, somebody that had EFFed-up royally could go West, change their name and reinvent themselves. That's gone. Yes, there are non-apology apologies and rehab stints for celebrities, but commoners are outa-there with no discernible path back and no place to go to start over. THAT is what sucks most.
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Richard Darwin Richards
Jesus was pretty easy going and non offensive. I believe that he would have been ok. That said , there is nothing below how low the woke mob will go...
People in this world today. Are so self-absorbed. They don't care who they are what they are or where they're from. They only care about one thing what can I get out of someone whether it's right or wrong. It's a cancel culture where people think of their self only. They don't care about their fellow man. They use racism and racial profiling to do whatever they can to make it seem that they being discriminated against or abused. When you have this much cancel culture in America or in the world today the world just needs to be blown up and start fresh and go back to the true roots and religious beliefs of God and faith in all of mankind.
You think this is only true today? Try 90 years ago in Europe.
That's what Putin says. I swear nobody understands the man, he's like the kid nobody ever picks to be on their team, and he's had enough!
yes