My problem with Jesus

Actually, did I mislead you with this title?
It's not my problem with Jesus, but actually someone else's, someone whose comments on a brother's blog drew these words from me. That's why the format of this post will be three quotes, each followed by my response.
It seems a lot of people have "a problem with Jesus," and so I decided to post this for the benefit of anyone who might be open to some solutions to this "problem."
Here't goes…

"My problem with Jesus is that I am not sure if it is fair or possible to let him off the hook for the majority of the history his followers have in the world."

Sorry, but this makes no sense to me at all.
The followers of Jesus have done nothing injurious to anyone in all of history, that they did not repent of and make restitution for. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” This is the human condition even of the disciple, who sometimes falls, but never fatally. It's unthinkable to a disciple of Jesus that he should willingly injure anyone.
Well then, who are all these other people in the history of Western church and state, those who preached crusades against the infidels, who butchered harmless and defenseless people, who socially and mentally imprisoned millions in false teachings, exploited the people, and destroyed so many souls through deception and manipulation? They are those of whom the Lord says, “Depart from Me. I never knew you!” (cf. Matthew 7:21-23)

"No matter how good a teaching sounds if it constantly gets acted out criminally mustn’t there be something inherant in it that makes that the likely outcome? Actually I hope I’m wrong on this, but it's what we are wrestling with at the moment."

There's nothing in the gospel of Jesus that can be acted out criminally, nothing in any of His teachings that, if followed to its logical conclusion, leads to sin and death. It's exactly and emphatically the opposite.
What, then, is the problem you see in the historical unfolding of Christianity?
It is the overt subsitution of worldly and satanic principles for the pure gospel of Jesus, in the church, and in the state. This is not inherent in Jesus' teachings or in His once and for all self-sacrifice for us on the Cross. Things like it are inherent in all kinds of false philosophies like Islam and Papalism, Marxism and Capitalism, which is why all of these lead to sin and death.

What you are mistakenly thinking are crimes of the Christian Church are not that at all. They are, instead, crimes against the Church from within her. In Orthodox Christianity, this is called "the dark double" of the Church. Jesus knew it would happen, and He tells us this in His Word. When the world isn't persecuting and killing His disciples, the church is, but not the true Church, made up of the disciples of Jesus.
We are not equipped to judge between the true Church and the false in its members or in any discriminatory way. We just sense it when we're in the presence of the anti-Christ in the church, even as we sense it when we're in the presence of Christ.
Jesus says, "My sheep know My voice."
That's all we can count on, but that’s enough for us.

"I want to continue to be a follower but feel that means in some way taking responsibility for what we have done and finding a path of repentance."

Then continue being a follower, of Jesus, though not of the church.
Only Jesus can and does call us.
The church, on the other hand, when it presumes to call, to commission and to instruct on its own authority, in its own name, is again falling into the ways of the world system.
Church can and does at all times manifest the visible Body of Christ on earth, but not necessarily in all places.
Again, the spirit within us bears witness when the Church is cooperating in faithful accord with God, and when it isn't.
Our problem is often that we are afraid to act or speak against a churchly structure or device, when we know there's something wrong there, some hidden poison.
We often just go along with it, so everything can be "church as usual."
This is very, very wrong, and the source of much confusion and destruction of souls.
This is what is afflicting the Church right now, and we have to decide to stand against it, for ourselves, and for the followers of Jesus, at all times.

You are not in any way personally responsible for the crimes perpetrated by “Christian” institutions, except for those you commit yourself.

Your apology for Christ should not be, “I’m so sorry for what we have done wrong all through history,” but rather, “Christ is who He says He is, the Resurrection and the Life, the eternal Word and Son of God, the Savior, the Lamb without blemish sacrificed for you from before the foundation of the world.”

In these last times, you should not cower under the weight of a false accusation thrown against you, but instead “stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.” (Luke 21:28 Jerusalem Bible)