“I think [Obama]‘s deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology,” [James] Dobson said.
“... He is dragging biblical understanding through the gutter.”
isn’t that what anyone does? it seems a valid question to ask… “even if we all were christians, which interpretation of christianity would be the “prevalent” (can’t really call it correct) one?”
it’s a simple question, and one that, historically, would have gotten a person branded as a witch and burned to death. a recurring theme in Christopher Hitchens’ recent book god is not great is how religion historically has been highly resistant to questions of any kind. i think this is simply an extension of that, slightly modernized.
there is no rhyme or reason for selecting one set of verses from the bible as valid while discounting others. it seems to be very much an individual set of criteria, extensed by authority figures to be utilized by their congregations.
who is James Dobson to say that another person’s interpretation of the bible is incorrect? what makes him any more qualified to make statements about validity than anyone else? it’s all any religious authorities have done throughout history. simply claim provenance or divine authority, and disregard any line of questioning which could pose a threat as “confused”.
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"The day the world ends, no one will be there, just as no one was there when it began. This is a scandal. Such a scandal for the human race that it is indeed capable collectively, out of spite, of hastening the end of the world by all means just so it can enjoy the show."
-Jean Beaudrillard