Kristof: Liberal Bible-Thumping (On Book Sins of Scripture)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/15/opinion/15kristof.html?hp

Even aside from his arguments that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and that St. Paul was a self-hating gay, the new book by a former Episcopal bishop of Newark is explosive.

John Shelby Spong, the former bishop, tosses a hand grenade into the cultural wars with "The Sins of Scripture," which examines why the Bible - for all its message of love and charity - has often been used through history to oppose democracy and women's rights, to justify slavery and even mass murder.

It's a provocative question, and Bishop Spong approaches it with gusto. His mission, he says, is "to force the Christian Church to face its own terrifying history that so often has been justified by quotations from 'the Scriptures.' "

This book is long overdue, because one of the biggest mistakes liberals have made has been to forfeit battles in which faith plays a crucial role. Religion has always been a central current of American life, and it is becoming more important in politics because of the new Great Awakening unfolding across the United States.

[cprise]

1. American liberals abdicate on matters of faith...

...because they've lost the language needed to evangelize faith in humanity.

It is the most humanistic of Christian sects that are also among the most silent these days. If they want to be part of a 'Great Awakening', then they need to reintroduce themselves to Enlightenment principles and learn to assert them in a more articulate fashion.

St. Paul was a self-hating human being who could not see the inherent goodness and redemptive abilities in people. How is that for dispensing with identity politics?

[Bellamia]

2. Have read the book..........

have read everything Bishop Spong has written, and if he weren't retired and his church was around the corner, I'd be there twice on Sunday and Wednesday night for Prayer Meeting.!!! As it is, I remain an un-churched Episcopalian, a Liberal and Progressive of the worst kind.:>)LOL

[Lindacooks]

3. He's absolutely right.

Fundies like to think that the Bible is pure and chaste, but it's really full of pretty dirty stories, violence, and, as Bishop Spong says, endorses slavery and oppresses women.

[orpupilofnature57]

4. Absolutely, Fundies understand Christianity ,like they do politics, simple

Expedience.

[atommom]

5. I hope this book gets a lot of exposure.

Pointing out that Christians use the Bible to justify atrocities is a no-no these days, but I think it's time America was reminded of that. We simply can't keep handling RW Christianity with kid gloves, when their agenda is so cruel.

[struggle4progress]

6. kick