"Have Jesus' teachings have been less than universally helpful to mankind" would be a great discussion for me in a pub--with enough grog I might pretend that I knew the answer to that.
The second part "How do we I measure whether a particular philosophy is helpful or harmful?"with a list of universal morals-- I can tackle with a single beer .But can I go at this from a personal perspective and change the question slightly--and apply the measure to Jesus' teachings only?
Jesus helped me because:
He made it clear that I could understand him without some better educated person telling me what he was saying. Matt.23:8-10 That was the best thing. Because I was told in every Christian church that I couldn't.
He taught me that "good" women didn't need to stay barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. In fact he talked to them as equals of men.
He showed me that I could be cut off from the "regular church" and not be "wrong".
He gave me the tools to find and hold a clean conscience.
He taught me that I could fail and still come back.
He taught me how to love and how to forgive others. and my husband.and myself
He showed me that he trusted people that he healed or helped would build their own relationship with god--he didn't harague them with anything more than--"go and sin no more"
He showed me that revenge was always wrong.
He taught that loving other people was like loving the good/god/father.
He helped all kinds of people--including a soldier of the occupying army, and tax collectors, lepers, and other outcasts. and taught us that anyone who needed help--these were our neighbors.
He taught me that there are fates worse than death--like not living an authentic life.
He taught me that I might be kicked out of church for trying to follow him and that was okay.
He warned that there would be false prophets and told me how to sort it out.
And in the event I was called to produce evidence of my faith in him, it would be that I loved as he had loved.
Not doctrine. He said "do what I teach". that was the rock foundation.
Nothing he taught harmed me. I have wondered if he struggled in his religion like I did in mine. Was he a little crazy? maybe he was.
Was he original? I don't care.He was the holy man that was locally available when I needed one.
But he stuck to his principles to the bitter end. None of the heaven/hell stuff that folks wrangle about--and don't agree on--bothers me. He was plain in his teaching that had to do with earth. I figure that's all I have to account for.
What happens when I die is really beyond my control.
EDIT:I really don't worry that Jesus is going to rake me over the coals for not taking stuff in the epistles,Acts and Revelation to heart. It is hard enough to figure out what to believe in the gospels.
Thank you, Jesus!
Your friend, Maeve
P.S. It took 2 s.