Osler's Razor

We have now done the trial of Jesus thirteen times, in nine states (Texas, Colorado, Virginia, Tennessee, California, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Minnesota) and I have never won.  Not once, not even when I had the ace assistance of IPLawGuy (pictured above).

As most of you know, we try the sentencing phase of the trial of Jesus under state law, and then break the audience into juries which then deliberate to a verdict.  The verdict has only come out two ways:  a hung jury, or for a sentence other than death.

My lack of success has a few obvious causes.  First, my opponents are quite skilled.  Second, there is a jury selection problem when the members of the jury pool literally worship the defendant.  Still, as a tertiary cause, there is something else that has come up in discussions that I find troubling.

In short, people just don't seem to accept that Jesus was very dangerous.  I do my best to convince them otherwise; I argue that his teaching would undermine our capitalist economy, that he is a pacifist who would undo our military, and that he wants to break up families.  At some level, people just don't buy it, though.

I don't think that's good.  I read the gospels, deeply and often, and each time I am struck by the revolution Jesus urges on our society and our individual plans and identities.  He unsettles nearly everyone who comes to him.

Why are we no longer unsettled by Jesus?