Blacknad wrote:
"At the centre of Christianity was Jesus, who by scriptural accounts stayed firmly away from politics and, in fact, anyone with influence."
You mean other than that ugly little scene he made in the temple: "Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those engaged in selling and buying there"?
Strikes me those who were running the government, and the temple, might have reasonably disagreed with you on this point.
And not to create a distraction here but also, in Matthew 21, I found this lovely passage: "Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me."
Try that tomorrow and the constabulary will be less than amused. They call that a violation of one of the Ten Commandements." ;-)
Please don't argue with the above. My point is merely that what is written can be interpreted (spun) anyway one wishes.
