Profiles In Badassery: Jesus Christ

You don't normally associate badass status with a guy like Jesus. He was a man of peace. There is only one time that He really went off on people, and that is when He cleared the temple of money-changers. It is also hard to associate Him with Purdue because, well, He lived about 1,900 years before Purdue was founded. Here on Christmas Eve, however, I can't think of any better person to honor with a brief Profile in Badassery.

Even if you don't believe in His divine characteristics, you have to admit that no person has altered the course of history as much as Jesus. Our calendar is based on His birth. The spreading of His message came about during the Roman Empire. The growth of this empire provided a conduit for His message to go from a small area of the Middle East to around the world. For someone who was the son of an anonymous carpenter in a dusty corner of the Roman Empire, His influence even today cannot be denied.

Yes, wars and many crimes have been committed in His name, but so have thousands of charities, missions, and other philanthropic works. His message is so inherently simple that it is almost a disservice to try and interpret it further: He offers salvation for the world through his sacrifice. It is humble. It is honorable. He put others before Himself, which is a characteristic that is sorely lacking today. Here was someone who was God in human form. He could do whatever He wanted. He could have made the world tremble before Him. Instead, he chose to serve and sacrifice Himself for everyone.

That is what I find as Jesus' most badass characteristic. His message and sacrifice is meant for everyone. There is not a soul out of over billion people on this planet that is excluded. He preached love instead of hatred, service instead of self-exultation, and humility instead of self-righteousness.

This is not meant to be a proselytizing message. It is meant to point out the good things of the season and the reason why it is Christmas. We are taught to love everyone (yes, even Notre Dame and IU fans). Nothing can be more badass than that.

Merry Christmas to everyone from the staff of Hammer & Rails. In the spirit of Jesus (and Bill & Ted) Be Excellent to each other.