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| Jesus Birthplace |
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL: This is my final stop on this my fourth trip
around the world and what a better place to be than Jerusalem, the fantasyland
for the faithful of the three major western religions and their various
offshoots. At the Jaffa Gate Tour Information office, I am told I can choose
between a Christian or Jewish tour of the Old City. I ask, “What about a secular tour?” The response
is a puzzled look. I decide to go it alone, at least for the Old City. From the
Tower of David I have a 360 degree view of the Old City, from where I see where
Jesus’ last supper was held, where he was crucified, where he was buried, where
he preached the sermon on the mount, and where he ascended into heaven. I see
also where Abraham went to sacrifice Isaac and, to my surprise, where Adam was
buried (hint: the same place Jesus was crucified). Less than an hour’s drive
into Bethlehem I see the caves where the shepherds lived, where Jesus was born,
and where the Virgin Mary shed some milk while breastfeeding the Christ Child
on their return from Egypt. On my way to Jericho, I see where the Good
Samaritan helped the injured traveler and in Jericho the tree that Zacchaeus
climbed to catch a view of Jesus. When and wherever I have the opportunity, I
ask, “Who decided that this is where such
and such happened and when was this decision made?” The responses I get are
all over the board: “Why are you asking
that? It’s in the Bible.” “Are you an agnostic?” “It’s tradition.”
Sometimes the answers are more thoughtful; “Empress
Helena, mother of King Constantine, in 325 CE determined where Jesus was crucified.” “The Crusaders decided where
Mary’s milk was spilt.” But sometimes the responses can also be surprisingly
candid: “The tree is only 1,000 years
old, so Zacchaeus could never have sat in it,” or “The archeological record shows that Jericho wasn’t occupied during Biblical
times, so maybe the story of Jericho in the Bible isn’t even true.”
