Brian writes:
If the stories about Jesus in the Gosples were true, then He appeared to love to be the centre of attention. He certainly didn’t go out of His way to keep out of the limelight.
There are pros and cons to this assumption, Brian.
1) If the most important commandment is to Love God with
all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths is applicable, it would appear that God craves our attention. This, however, would make no logical sense
if God is by definition complete, needing nothing. Why would God command us to love Him?
Looking further, we come upon John 3:16. So we see that God loves us. (nevermind the cruel O.T. God for now)....except to remember that He was a jealous God!
Then, we have the Bride and the Bridegroom. Symbolically, the Church is the Bride and Jesus is the Bridegroom.
If, as follows the logic that God loves everyone be they atheist or abbot, alcoholic or charasmaniac, Jesus seeks a Bride, perhaps it WOULD then follow that Jesus is trying to woo us!
As far as being the center of attention, would not the source of all creation be the center of everything? (Attention included)