“He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.”- John 8:7 Liz received the 2nd season of the West Wing as a birthday present. It’s a wonderful show about the president and his stalwart group of staffers who help run the country (mainly in the communications office, it’d be boring anywhere else). One particular episode, entitled the midterms has President Bartlet confronting a religious right “talking head” Jenna Jacobs (Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Phyllis Schlafly, Dr. Laura type): BARTLET: Good. I like your show. I like how you call homosexuality an abomination. JENNA JACOBS: I don’t say homosexuality is an abomination, Mr. President. The Bible does. BARTLET: Yes, it does. Leviticus. JENNA JACOBS: 18:22. BARTLET: Chapter and verse. I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I had you here. I’m interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. (small chuckles from the guests) She’s a Georgetown sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, and always clears the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be? While thinking about that, can I ask another? My Chief of Staff, LeoO McGarry, insists on working on the Sabbath, Exodus 35:2, clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself or is it okay to call the police? Here’s one that’s really important, ’cause we’ve got a lot of sports fans in this town. Touching the skin of a dead pig makes us unclean, Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point? Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother, John, for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads? Think about those questions, would you?” The original quote came from an open letter to Dr. Laura. As with all arguments, usually the more knowledgeable person wins. The reason why this discussion was won by Bartlett was because he: The fictitious Bartlett went to Notre Dame to become a priest, met his wife, and instead chose to have children and become an economist. These are the types of leaders we need in this world (don’t know how many of them there are). We need women and men who are well-learned, and are unafraid to confront hypocrites on the same field and same turf. Like a football coach at Lakewood once told me, “You can’t win a game if you don’t show up.” (The quote gets the point across.) Thus, my friends who are angry with the religious right or the hypocrisy of those who “speak” for God, stop getting angry and start studying the good book. Learning about the life of Jesus Christ, and the true tenets of Christian faith is important to understanding literature, western civilization, and why Christianity has spread so far (it’s not because it was an exclusive religion). Get a student bible which can help explain themes, characters, and will help explain the translation from I don’t care what religion, faith, or particular stance you take on monotheistic religion; a good reading of a student bible will do you well in the future. Links from the right Christians (not the Christian Right), seriously read this if you are a thinking Christian: Obviously, if you have read this website, faith has been a constant theme, but I hope this helps.
Soujourners- social justice and spiritual renewal, the right way
God’s Politics : Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It- Written by Jim Wallis, the editor fo the Sojourners magazine
God & Sex by Nicholas Kristof (NY Times columnist)