Meg Gorzycki

Caesar Ate My Jesus Meg Gorzycki

What the hell happened on the way to making the world a better place? We boomers were told our success would be unlimited. We had democracy and capitalism, and God was on our side. We took our religious teachings seriously, and set out to end bigotry, violence, and destitution. Inevitably, we collided with American Caesars, whose power and wealth was sufficient to dominate national and international affairs. Political and religious Caesars appropriated Jesus and used him to justify war, sexism, racism, dictatorships, and poverty. What were the faithful to do? Lots of boomers I know tossed the spiritual baby out with the religious institution's bathwater, and became cynical about civic engagement. It is not time to abandon hope in our goodness, however, and it is not time to surrender our conscience to Caesar. Our experiences as boomers teach us that it is possible to bring the love of God to bear in our lives, despite Caesar's constant pressure to cherish power, wealth, celebrity, and things more than we cherish people. This book is for folks who are ready to get off Caesar's treadmill and dig deeply into their hearts and minds to see what remains of the Kingdom of God within. ""Concise but intellectually challenging, Caesar Ate My Jesus explores the blurry lines of religion and politics, and of power and justice. Its eloquent prose reveals an exceptional breadth of historical, theological, and philosophical insights into the existential contradictions of the American boomers, convinced that they had a God-given mission to dominate the world, as they were losing their soul doing just so. A must-read, especially now, when more than ever, we need to speak truth to power."" --Sophie Clavier, San Francisco State University ""In a passionate exploration of 'what the hell happened' to the idealistic vision of America's place in the world once shared by our Baby Boomer generation, Meg Gorzycki offers an unsparing analysis of the hypocrisy of divorcing political conduct from ethical values. This deeply personal, in-depth study, like James W. Douglass's JFK and the Unspeakable, provides an enlightening path out of the abyss for believers and nonbelievers alike by reconnecting history with spiritual values."" --Joseph McBride, author of Into the Nightmare: My Search for the Killers of President John F. Kennedy and Offiicer J. D. Tippit ""A sobering account of an American Boomer's coming to realize that the 'America the Beautiful' of her youth has slowly but inexorably become myth. [This book] should be required reading for all serious students of American social, cultural, and political thought and practice."" --Don McLeod, St. Joseph's College, University of Alberta Meg Gorzycki was raised in Minneapolis and schooled in the Benedictine and Jesuit traditions. She holds a BA in Religious Studies, an MA in History, and a Doctorate in Education. She has been a teacher, administrator, and faculty consultant, and has worked in Russia and Saudi Arabia. Her theological outlook blends Gnostic Christianity with Judaism, Buddhism, and Native American wisdom.