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Roy Moore and Republicans, taking the Bible literally but not seriously
So President Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and fellow Republicans think Roy Moore, the GOP Senate nominee from Alabama, should quit his Senate run only “if these allegations are true.”
If true? Four women, on the record in The Post, say Moore, when he was in his 30s, tried to date them as teens, and one of the women says he had sexual contact with her when she was 14 and he was 32. Perhaps Republicans expect video and DNA evidence from 1979 magically to emerge, or a confession by Moore? (He denies the allegations.) More likely they are just dodging so they can stick with Moore and keep the seat Republican — even if it means having an alleged pedophile join their caucus.
By comparison, there was more integrity in the defense of Moore offered by Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler, who told the Washington Examiner that, even if true, “there’s just nothing immoral or illegal here.” Indeed there’s biblical precedent for Moore’s alleged behavior.
“Take Joseph and Mary,” Zeigler said. “Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became parents of Jesus.”
Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat!
Let us take seriously Zeigler’s justification, which is consistent with Moore’s view that “God’s laws are always superior to man’s laws,” and the Bible stands above the Constitution and other piddling laws of man.
if we are to accept the Bible literally as the legal standard (and not, say, age-of-consent laws), we will also have to accept as legal certain other activities in 21st-century America, including:
Sacrificing as a burnt offering your young son (Genesis 22:2) or your daughter, if she comes out of the doors of your house to meet you (Judges 11:30-1, 34-5).
Having rebellious children stoned to death by all the men of the city (Deuteronomy 21:18-21).
Purchasing slaves (Leviticus 25:44-46), selling your daughter as a slave (Exodus 21:7-8) and making sure they submit to their masters, even cruel ones (1 Peter 2:18).
Executing pagan priests on their own altars and burning their bones (2 Kings 23:20-25).
Cutting off the hand of a woman if she grabs the penis of a man who is fighting with her husband (Deuteronomy 25:11-12).
Committing incest (Genesis 19:31-36) and cannibalism (2 Kings 6:28-29).
And having the military do all sorts of things to the enemy that would violate the Geneva accords:
Kill all boys and women but spare the girls who have not known man intimately for yourself (Numbers 31:17-18).
Destroy all that they have, killing man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel and donkey (1 Samuel 15:3).
We can all be guilty of picking and choosing justifications for our actions but for me, it is the sheer and utter hypocrisy of some who call themselves "Christian" that I find mind-boggling. Please note the some, I do not find that most Christians act in the ways of these freakin' hypocrites who are defending Roy Moore. Is it because he says the Bible rules over the Constitution or because he is a politician with an R behind his name?
Milbank then provides us with a list of Biblical "laws" seldom followed by modern American Christians.
It's unchristian to defend someone against false accusations?
Do you believe that we should also still be burning witches?
Just curious.
It's unchristian to defend someone against false accusations?
Do you believe that we should also still be burning witches?
Just curious.
We can all be guilty of picking and choosing justifications for our actions but for me, it is the sheer and utter hypocrisy of some who call themselves "Christian" that I find mind-boggling. Please note the some, I do not find that most Christians act in the ways of these freakin' hypocrites who are defending Roy Moore. Is it because he says the Bible rules over the Constitution or because he is a politician with an R behind his name?
Milbank then provides us with a list of Biblical "laws" seldom followed by modern American Christians.
They are defending him against multiple accusations. Some he has said may be true. They have no idea if true or untrue.
If you can find an actual witch, by all means, feel free to burn them.
They are defending him against multiple accusations. Some he has said may be true. They have no idea if true or untrue.
If you can find an actual witch, by all means, feel free to burn them.
I would say it is extremely "unchristian" to attempt justification for sexual harassment of a minor by referring to biblical passages about Joseph and Mary's age differences - which we don't really know anyway. At this point in time, we don't know if they are "false accusations."
In Salem, the witches were executed by hanging, not burning. Why would I believe in killing witches? I am not a Christian. Your avatar is a wizard, a title that some view as little more than the male version of "witch". Modern witches prefer being labled as Wiccans.
Moore has said that non of the inappropriate sexual advances were true. He did say he dated a 17 yr old - but that's legal after all.
The people who were of legal age that said they dated him said they were 16 , 17 and 18 at the time they dated him. The one that was 14 at the time said she dated him too, and she is a life long republican, who had voted for trump. So there is no political motivation there.
Because someone votes for Trump does not mean they like Moore or that they want him elected for political reasons.
We do know that her timing is suspect now -- revealing the so-called "incident" when he's ahead in the polls on his ticket.
It's unchristian to defend someone against false accusations?
Do you believe that we should also still be burning witches?
Just curious.
I wonder how you'd feel if it was your daughter that accused him of assaulting her? Besides, the fact that girls used to get married off at 13 during Jesus' time doesn't mean it's OK today. Many of us are better than Jesus today, we don't believe in religiously sanctioned child rape, slavery or invisible sky men.
The problem with conservatives is that when you go around acting like everything was better in the past, you end up having to agree with every horrible practice that humanity has ever engaged in while ironically dreading the future. Objectively, the past is where we came FROM and not, by any means, where we should be heading. Those who look to the bible to find wisdom for contemporary life are usually just looking for an excuse not to evolve and they find it.
My daughter would have known to come to me with her tale immediately. I would have dealt with it right then and there. And, please don't bring Jesus into this. He's a myth. He didn't exist. You're free to believe in Him, but your religious views aren't a part of this discussion and I'm not going to debate what He said as if it should have some sort of weight in this debate. Take that subject up with your pastor.
You're the one making references to the Bible -- don't put that crap on me.
This is about a woman who came out of the woodwork and told a tale 40 years after it supposedly happened -- at just the moment when her target would be the most politically damaged by it.
BINGO!
As my kid did, in part because I am a good parent. We need to get the basics right, and that does not include waiting 40 years to put in a complain, unless you are in a coma.
They are defending him against multiple accusations. Some he has said may be true. They have no idea if true or untrue.
If you can find an actual witch, by all means, feel free to burn them.
Milbank then provides us with a list of Biblical "laws" seldom followed by modern American Christians.
You love examples from the OLD TESTAMENT, don't you?
One of your outdated examples: "Having rebellious children stoned to death by all the men of the city (Deuteronomy 21:18-21)."
What did Jesus tell you about that, Somerville? Jesus said, "Let he who has no sin cast the first stone" (John 8:7).
That effectively abolished stoning. And if you dig further in the New Testament you'll find that the only two entities who pass out capital punishment are God (Acts 5, Book of Revelation), and government (Romans 13).
You even brought up slavery again. Jesus tried to help you with that but it apparently hasn't taken. Jesus said, "love your neighbor as you love yourself." What part of that condones enslaving one's fellow man?
Please update your outdated theology.
You love examples from the OLD TESTAMENT, don't you?
One of your outdated examples: "Having rebellious children stoned to death by all the men of the city (Deuteronomy 21:18-21)."
What did Jesus tell you about that, Somerville? Jesus said, "Let he who has no sin cast the first stone" (John 8:7).
That effectively abolished stoning. And if you dig further in the New Testament you'll find that the only two entities who pass out capital punishment are God (Acts 5, Book of Revelation), and government (Romans 13).
You even brought up slavery again. Jesus tried to help you with that but it apparently hasn't taken. Jesus said, "love your neighbor as you love yourself." What part of that condones enslaving one's fellow man?
Please update your outdated theology.
We can all be guilty of picking and choosing justifications for our actions but for me, it is the sheer and utter hypocrisy of some who call themselves "Christian" that I find mind-boggling. Please note the some, I do not find that most Christians act in the ways of these freakin' hypocrites who are defending Roy Moore. Is it because he says the Bible rules over the Constitution or because he is a politician with an R behind his name?
Milbank then provides us with a list of Biblical "laws" seldom followed by modern American Christians.
My daughter would have known to come to me with her tale immediately. I would have dealt with it right then and there. And, please don't bring Jesus into this. He's a myth. He didn't exist. You're free to believe in Him, but your religious views aren't a part of this discussion and I'm not going to debate what He said as if it should have some sort of weight in this debate. Take that subject up with your pastor.
You're the one making references to the Bible -- don't put that crap on me.
This is about a woman who came out of the woodwork and told a tale 40 years after it supposedly happened -- at just the moment when her target would be the most politically damaged by it.
First of all, this thread talks about Jesus, I didn’t mention it arbitrarily. Secondly, the question is not just about any particular girl but whether our society feels like romantic relationships between men in their thirties and fourteen year olds is moral. Some are using the bible to say it's OK now as it was then.
As for the timing, who cares except that it may be too late for legal action. Furthermore, there are things that are painful enough that they take decades to admit. For instance, my 71 year old mother only recently got to the point where she could talk about how she was repeatedly raped, as a child, by her older sister's husband. Even my father, who died 27 years ago, didn't know. So, the time lapse is not evidence of anything sinister, or perhaps it is, but not on the part of the victim.
The primary source of silent suffering among victims of sexual assault is the shame that victims feel. They are far too often considered complicit in their own victimization. That too is sanctioned in the bible. Clearly, whether you believe in the bible, that aspect of human nature remains intact when you come out to call imply she's a liar.
then, there are all those New Testament 'parables' that folks trying to twist into something that you have to reach into a lot of symbolism to deny the plain meaning of the words. "I come not for peace but with a sword', and 'Bring me my enemies before me, those that would nto have me rule of over them and slay them'. The 'meaning' of that is taken from everyplace, but the words surrounding the phrases themselves. .. you know.. the context.
You've demonstrated you don't have a clue about those parables.
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