into the kingdom of God before
you."[38]

_Divorce_

Jesus sanctioned divorce. His followers are so annoyed at this fact that
they frequently quote the verse on the subject with the offensive clause
omitted. The text reads: "It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away
his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you,
That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of
fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry
her that is divorced committeth adultery."[39] Again in Matthew xix, 9,
he makes the same exception. It is evident, therefore, that Jesus
permitted divorce for one cause. If the wife was unfaithful the husband
could divorce her, but otherwise no matter how unhappy the couple might
be, they must remain married.

The admirable leniency of Jesus toward sex offenders, and his permission
to divorce, must seem like mistakes to churchmen who consider
extramarital sex relations the unforgivable sin. And everyone must see
the danger of having our judges adopt as a principle of justice the
dismissal of offenders on the ground that the prosecutors have also
sinned.

A Christian girl of today would not be encouraged by the most zealous
religious parents to marry a man exactly like Jesus.

_Faulty Judgment_

Jesus selected Judas to be the treasurer of the apostles' joint funds,
but later admitted his error, saying: "Have I not chosen you twelve, and
one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for
it was he that should betray him, being one of the twelve."[40]

Jesus erroneously supposed that "salvation is of the Jews."[41] "Go not
into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter
ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."[42] A
nationalistic and partial spirit is expressed in these sentences, a
spirit that has been followed to the extent that Jesus would not be
permitted to enter America if he applied for a visa.

_Unconvincing_

Jesus failed in his mission to save the world. He made the supreme
sacrifice in vain. His method of proving his divinity did not convince
his hearers: "But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet
they believed not on him."[43] "For neither did his brethren believe in
him."[44] After he had healed many, cast out unclean spirits and
appointed his twelve apostles to do likewise, his friends "went out to
lay hold on him: for they said, He is bes