How come the Fundies never quote this verse?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

From the Epistle of James, Fifth Chapter:

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.[a] 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

Couldn't be clearer: God Hates the Koch Brothers!

[liberal N proud]

1. The Christian right uses the bible like a buffet

They only take what they like and ignore the rest.

[jwirr]

2. And they use the Bible as a measure for others but never measure themselves by the same laws.

To me this is one of the biggest changes in Christianity today. Back then the commandments were to show us our own sins not to point fingers at everyone else. Today the rw emphasizes their criticism of everyone else using the Bible. They apply none of the laws to themselves. Once saved always saved is their motto.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

5. I came across this quote...

In an online discussion about why millennials appear to be deserting the evangelical movement (and organized religion in general).

I think it's two things (not necessarily in any order)

1. The really off-putting degree of homophobia
2. The really off-putting degree of support to the 1%

[jwirr]

13. Yes, that is a good example of what I am talking about. The old "I am pure" "you are not".

[arcane1]

28. I love the definition of Christian in the Devil's Dictionary:

Christian, n. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor. One who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not inconsistent with a life of sin.

[jwirr]

38. LOL

[Manifestor_of_Light]

48. Ambrose Bierce was one of the great smart asses of history, exposing hypocrisy.

Along with Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Dorothy Parker and Oscar Levant.

One should always read what these people had to say about society in their time....and things haven't changed!!!

"Now we know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall". Well, I think the Beatles were referring to assholes. Rich ones who could afford the tickets, I assume.

[Dragonfli]

42. Welcome to Neo-Calvinism!

Where the wealthy are wealthy because they are blessed having found favor with the lord and the poor are poor because they are being punished by the lord for there supposed transgressions.

Neo-Calvinism is the bizzaro world branch of Christianity.

Don't blame me, I didn't vote for their lord as I happen to be Pagan.

[arely staircase]

70. well put

I once told a fundie coworker that if that is how he interpreted the Pauline Epistles then he personally shouldnt have sex with other men.

His response?

Pauline who?

[Warpy]

78. HAHAHA!! That's a classic response

Most of the fundy bible study groups present their suckers, er, students with workbooks which make it clear that only parts of Paul are acceptable in the NT, well, maybe a couple of verses from John, but nothing from those other sissies. They spend most of their time cruising Leviticus with side trips into the most vicious stories in Genesis, like the mass murder of every living thing via the flood, well, except a drunk named Noah and his family. Everything that is cited in those workbooks is taken far out of context and reading for context is discouraged. They might discover the Sermon on the Mount, horrors!

They do their best to make sure no one sits down with a bible and reads it cover to cover. Fundies think they can quote everyone chapter and verse about everything, but their ignorance of most of the bible is glaring to anyone who has read it.

I have one religious friend who can outquote everybody I've seen her take on and her knowledge is truly impressive. She's also a strong liberal because that's rather the point of everything the fundy bible study classes leave out.

[arely staircase]

79. I am an Episcopalian

I love St. Paul. He was not the homophobic sexist monster some make him out to be. He was man writing letters to specific churches answering specific questions in letters written to him (that we don't have) about questions that often we today arent asking. He must be understood in the context of his time. He never meant nor expected those letters to be Holy Scripture. He meant them to be advice on how the build the Church without getting cracked down upon by the PTBs without selling out the message (too much).

But I get your point and agree. If you walk in to any random fundie church you will more than likely here a twisting of St Paul and not Jesus' ministry as recorded in the Gospels.

[Warpy]

109. Well, he was a homophobe and a misogynist

but he was included in the reworked bible at the Councils of Hippo and Carthage because he served Empire so very well, saying that it wasn't necessary to give wealth away and do good deeds, faith alone would punch a ruler's ticket to heaven, although good works would get nicer things said at his funeral (my addition, it's late).

That's the main argument I have with the man.

He said many good and decent things, too, things that are never mentioned in fundy bible class.

Still, it's like putting the Federalist Papers into the constitution and giving them the authority of constitutional law. It would muddy the legal waters considerably since the Founders failed to agree on so many points outside the constitution--and a few within it. Paul muddied the theological waters by contradicting much of what Jesus said about how to follow him into heaven.

[jwirr]

92. Yes, I am like your friend. I have never memorized more than a few basic verses the just stick in my

mind and I would go absolutely crazy in one of those fundie Bible studies.

I think it is sad that we were doing alright economically and with civil rights in the 60-70s when the traditional churches with the exception of the Baptists were into social justice and concerned about the things the Bible actually says.

There were groups such as gays who still had a ways to go in the issue of rights but the was an atmosphere of open mindedness that would have let them in. Then along came falwell and the rest of the right wing tv preachers teaching hate and greed and bingo - there goes not only religion but our entire country.

[Warpy]

95. Well, I think only the Catholics preached Bingo

Your point is well taken. The good thing is that the old guard of pompadoured frauds collecting money from poor people trying to bribe their way out of hell is dying off. Only Robertson manages to cling to the camera and he's obviously running on autopilot. The ones who have gone to their eternal reward (shocked on their deathbeds when they realized they really didn't get to take it with them) have mostly left their empires to their kids who lack their charisma if not their greed. Case in point: the Oral Roberts offspring.

A fellow nurse got sucked into one of those fundy megachurches until one day she had been through a particularly grueling night shift and just didn't have the energy to drive across town and went to a little mainstream neighborhood church. She was amazed, said it felt like coming home. I don't think the megachurch ever saw her face or another penny in tithing again. I would hope that more believers follow her example.

The old mainstream churches weren't that bad. The glitzy god palaces are.

[jwirr]

91. Another good one. And I need a good laugh this morning. Tired of being the perpetual live in

grandmother who never gets to sleep in.

[former9thward]

16. All groups do that...

The Bible has something to offend everybody.

[Orrex]

3. Because "'The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose."

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

6. You got me...

[Soylent Brice]

18. lol

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

83. "The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose" is a quote from Shakespeare

Not the Bible. Antonio says it about Shylock in The Merchant of Venice.

I have remarked in other threads, specifically referring to Catholics, on the sometimes abysmal ignorance that some Christians have of their own religion.

[TexasProgresive]

86. But Shakespeare did not weave that out of whole cloth.

Matthew chapter 4 verse 5 and 6 have Satin quoting Psalm 91: verses 11 and 12

Matthew 4:5-6

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple,
6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written:
‘He will command his angels concerning you’
and ‘with their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”


Psalm 91:11-12
11 For he commands his angels with regard to you,
to guard you wherever you go.
12 With their hands they shall support you,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.

This Catholic Christian is not a Bible scholar but is not woefully ignorant of the Scriptures. But your point is well taken. Some Protestants have tiny parts of the Bible memorized and are yet ignorant of the Scriptures as a whole. Some Catholics and Protestants have a Bible they dust and others have a shallow grasp of the Scriptures.

Then there are others who have a better understanding but lack the tools of knowing Ancient Hebrew and Greek along with the attending customs of the times, places and peoples and must rely on the "expertise" of Bible scholars. That's where I place myself.

[Orrex]

88. It also appeared in Daredevil volume 1, issue 192

I should really be more careful about citing my sources!

[Orrex]

87. Act I, Scene 3, if memory serves

In other words, I know.

[deaniac21]

4. Armaments, chapter two, verses nine to twenty-one.

And Saint Attila raised the hand grenade up on high, saying, 'O Lord, bless this Thy hand grenade that, with it, Thou mayest blow
Thine enemies to tiny bits in Thy mercy.' And the Lord did grin.
And the Lord spake, saying, 'First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three. No more. No less. Three
shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then,
obbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it.

[Voice for Peace]

26. duzy

very good

[byronius]

39. My favorite part of the bible.

Good lord, that bloodthirsty rabbit.

[Maynar]

58. A-men.

[A HERETIC I AM]

76. "One, Two, FIVE!

"Three sir"

"THREE!"

[LuvNewcastle]

7. Fundies have problems with the book of James.

They don't discuss it much at all. James stresses good works, while most of Paul's writings stress faith for salvation. So you can treat people like shit and cheat them, but as long as you have faith in God, you're on your way to heaven. Jesus stressed treating other people like you want to be treated, so I think James is probably more in line with the teachings of Jesus. But Fundies seem to revere Paul about as much as Jesus.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

10. Yep... James clearly states faith without works is dead

and while I believe works are not necessary for salvation, they ARE a necessary outflow of faith. If you truly believe in Jesus as the Son of God and your salvation and truly follow his teachings you WILL have works. I mean, that is what Jesus did... he spread his name and did good things... and even railed from time to time against those who were 'dead' in their faith... the religiously sanctimonious who cared nothing for the poor and hurting.

sP

[Dragonfli]

59. Fairy tales, do not salvation bring

For centuries people have looked to the sky for salvation and when the sky answers with silence...





...the more arrogant among them wrote down tales that pleased them, then claimed the sky wrote then to gain favor and adulation from their peers whom they new would revere them as high priests and prophets. Zeus is equal to Yahweh in that they are both dreampt up by frightened children that sought magic to save them or more likely the admiration of those that would regard them as prophets.

That is why the fairy tales so completely negate and contradict one another.

The world is not flat, the sun does not circle the earth, and a giant man is not found when you fly above the clouds.

Like children however some need to believe in Santa because they desperately want the gifts they hope and pray for, I understand that need, someday enough people will understand science and the belief in Santa will no longer be needed to allay the fears of simple, but loving children frightened by the dark.

I understand if my post upsets you, it is often traumatic when a child is told the gift bringer in the white beard does not exist, often they get angry at the messenger and refuse to face that truth.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

71. wow...

nice series of veiled insults.

sP

[Dragonfli]

94. I am sorry the truth is so insulting

Comfort yourself with the certainty held by your fellow scientists of advanced physics http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024839207

[ProdigalJunkMail]

96. no, the truth isn't insulting...

you are. but that's ok. i know your kind. very well. you know little to nothing of my beliefs but choose to belittle and insult nonetheless. it tells not only me but everyone exactly the kind of person you are. i feel no anger toward you... just sorrow for you.

enjoy your hatred of that with which you do not agree...

sP

[Dragonfli]

108. It's more like pity than hatred

I do owe you an apology however, I only meant to point out that fantasies and myths are not reality. I forgot something very important, some people need to believe in their odd fairy-tales and these same desperately need to believe that "science in not entirely true" in a world where the absolute truth is we are likely headed towards self-extinction and of course there are those without the strength to face mortality and need to believe they will never die to make it through the day

I was raised by religious folks and was an alter boy headed for the priesthood, so I should know better, my parents had to believe a mythical figure would save them from death and that they would be reunited with loved ones such as my sister whose death they simply did not have the strength to face.

You see I know that this a very big reason why the science is ignored and this belief in supernatural intervention is only hastening that near inevitability of self inflicted extinction driving me to try desperately to awaken the dreamers to the danger before it is too late, seeking to encourage people to face reality rather than demons and Gods of varying shapes and number but I have forgotten in this case, and other instances in the past that as a species we are still evolving and without a belief in immortality and a God(s) that will swoop down and fix things, there are those that will simply wither and fall into depression. I should respect that, even though I know it will destroy us in the end, compassion should keep me silent regarding unfortunate truth so that those that are unable to face it can find refuge in whatever fantasies allow them some happiness in this all too mortal life.

I shall endeavor to discuss reality only with those that are ready for it, and allow the dreamers their small comfort and denial as as It appears cruel to do otherwise.

I hope your God provides the miracles you need and I hope also that you will live forever as you need to feel you will.

[arely staircase]

80. very well put nt

[The_Commonist]

17. And that's why I like to call them Paulins, rather than Christians.

Or, Leviticans.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. Yup. Good works are much harder than "faith".

Good works take effort and there is evidence or lack of results.

Faith can be affirmed just by saying so whenever questioned. Easy-peasey.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

49. The Prots are all about faith without works.

Don't have to lift a finger to help the poor, just pray your ass off.

Whereas the Catholics say that faith without works is dead. That makes a lot more sense to me. Charity and all that. Even though they have anti-abortion policies that end up killing women.

[mwooldri]

56. Please don't lump all prots together!

Anglicans (particularly the Episcopal Church of the USA) and Lutherans (particularly the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) are known for their good works.

But sadly there are a lot of (mainly independent) churches who do nothing but pray. It could be that they're working on paying off the mortgage on their church building, so good works go out of the window. Could be something else but my opinion is that they have lost their way to Christ.

[ColesCountyDem]

57. As are the American Baptists.

The 'working churches' don't make as much noise as do that 'faith-y' churches, because they're too busy working.

[Bluenorthwest]

93. Uganda is 42% Catholic, we see that charitable spirit there in the anti gay laws

Sorry, but when you have Bishops dancing in the street over 'prison for life for gays' laws and you affect some humanitarian superiority someone has to say something.
I guess to Francis's Church, 'good works' means attacking gay people with law and with weapons. Also 'good works' means denying that is happening while claiming to be better than others.

[King_Klonopin]

73. Don't tell me you are a disciple of Jesus; show me ...

I would rather see a sermon than hear one.

One pair of helping hands does more than one hundred praying lips.

Gratitude is an action word.

"By their works you shall know them." -- Jesus

Paul stresses that you can't be saved by being "good" -- in other
words, by purchasing salvation through your own works. Salvation
comes from faith in the mercy of Jesus. Paul gives a lot of
instructions on how to act as true disciples. And Jesus gives plenty
of warnings to hypocrites who only give lip-service, like all those
"good Christians" who blame the poor for being poor while attempting
to cut food stamps and stop the efforts to raise the minimum wage
(that would be you, Paul Ryan) ... "I will say I never knew you."

Faith without works is just a lot of pretense.

[1StrongBlackMan]

25. Anyone that has studied Paul ...

can tell you why he is revered by fundies, and it's not just because he provides them with the "saved by grace/faith" get out of jail free card.

Before his "conversion" Paul was a enabler of the "1%ers" of his day, as he was a tax collector.

After his "conversion", he remained a fierce homophobe and misogynist, and arguably, a racist, as he fought for/advocated a "purity" within the church that extended beyond the spiritual.

[malthaussen]

27. Saul was a tentmaker. Levi was the tax collector.

Saul was also a pharisee by his own confession, which casts an interesting light on the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18: 9-14). And may shed an interesting light on the infighting in the early church, since as appears from the Gospel of Mary Magdalen, Levi was of the gnostic party.

I also think it's interesting that Saul never heard Yeshua himself, whereas James is thought to have been his brother.

-- Mal

[1StrongBlackMan]

32. You are quite correct ...

I confused "conversion" stories. Back to Sunday School for me!

[chknltl]

40. And Paul built motorcycles.

Fancy Harleys, had his own shop too.

[Gore1FL]

100. And Peterbilt trucks.

[chknltl]

102. Then he invented the garage to keep them in afterwhich...

Mary and Paul talked him into forming the first ever garage band called Mary Paul and Peter, a name he was not happy with seeing as how it was he argued, entirely the wrong season for coming up with band names and IT WAS HIS garage after all.

[Gore1FL]

54. Levi couldn't help it. It was in his genes. n/t

[Blue_In_AK]

77. I see what you did there.

[countryjake]

99. There's a DUzy!

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

29. Matthew was the tax collector

While not a lot is known of Paul's early life, there are indications that he and his family were tent-makers.

As to his positions on the issues, it's really had to say with much clarity. Given that some of these statements were a) issued in an era of paternalistic societies and b) likely....um...."edited" to fit somebody else's idea of what the church should look like, it's difficult to tell what Paul was thinking. Especially with regard to women.

Note For Clarification: Matthew and Levi are the same guy.

[1StrongBlackMan]

34. You are quite correct ...

I confused "conversion" stories. Back to Sunday School for me!

[DhhD]

31. Do you mean James the brother of Jesus? The other James was the head of the Trinity Church in

Jerusalem during the time of Paul. Both were scorned by the Right Wing Establishment and Elitists.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

50. It's confusing

The Epistle of James was written by James the Just who may (or may not) have been the brother of Jesus and who may (or may not) have been the leader of the Church in Jerusalem.

They had really crappy record-keeping back then. No photo ID's or anything.

[Raksha]

110. There wasn't any "both." James the brother of Jesus aka James the Just

became head of the Jerusalem church after his brother's death. They are the same person.

[Blue_In_AK]

75. I never did care much for Paul.

I mean, there's some good stuff in there, but there's some really not-so-good stuff, too. I like the Book of James much more. (I can cherry-pick with the best of them. )

[arely staircase]

81. big time

Never heard the words of Jesus's brother (St. James) in the Baptist church in which I was raised. The Gospels were preached much less than tjevletters of St. Paul, which themselves were twisted to fit an un christian agenda.

Thank God for my current Church.

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

85. Martin Luther wanted to remove James from his Bible

Because it seems to contradict his sola fide ideas. Luther was also a great fan of Paul; he said that he re-read Romans almost every day.

I agree with ProdigalJunkMail in that James says that if you claim to have faith, but that faith is not reflected in the way you live, then that claim is a sham.

[TexasProgresive]

90. “St. James’ Epistle is really an epistle of straw

“St. James’ Epistle is really an epistle of straw, for it has nothing of the nature of the Gospel about it.” — Martin Luther

My guess is that they would agree with Luther.
http://catholicism.org/epistle-of-straw.html

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Doesn't fit in with prosperity theology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology

[secondvariety]

53. I overheard

a young couple at my church asking themselves if the reason they had so many financial difficulties was the lack of sufficient tithing. Sad.

[Strelnikov_]

104. Agree . . . what is practiced in this country is the gospel of prosperity

or as I call it . . . the cult of hypocrisy.

[Iggo]

9. Not real. Not real. Not real. Not real.

[duhneece]

11. My first 'kick'

Kick, kick, kick...and a big yeah?

[Polito Vega]

12. Because they are cherry-pickers

Who selectively quote a book that often defends the poor.

[mwooldri]

55. There you go! Exactly that. Cherrypicking.

Though this has been done ever since the founding of the Christian faith. I believe that the first split was between the church in Rome vs Greece.

I believe though that some splinter groups have gone the right way. The Episcopal Church of the USA, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are two churches that are known for doing good works.

[2naSalit]

14. Here's a thought that will make their heads explode...

What if the "antichrist" isn't an individual but a movement... a group of individuals that turns out to be the fundies?

[Buddha2B]

47. This is a very same assessment

I might have to agree with you on this! Makes sense!

[freshwest]

52. And some old fashioned *liberal* Christians say that's exactly what RW fundies are. n/t

Last edited Fri Apr 18, 2014, 01:16 AM - Edit history (1)

[Voice for Peace]

15. I love this one.. maybe it needs to become viral.

A nicely done graphic, maybe with Koch Brothers in the
background. I can't do it myself but somebody can..

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

21. I can't do it either...

O, that I had skills.

[amuse bouche]

19. "How come the Fundies never quote this verse?"

I bet that is not a serious question.

Fundies and their fellow cohorts are not logical.

They simply use fraudulent religion to hurt 'others' and use their 'book' as the reason to deny personal responsibility for their their hatred.

[zeemike]

22. And the answer is...

Because they don't believe the bible, although you would never know that by listening to them speak...but as one of my favorite posters here ends his posts with...You will know them by their WORKS.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

24. The recent Lutheran schism

Back in 2009, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), while not embracing gay marriage, at least allowed that individual congregations may call an openly-gay pastor, provided the person was in a committed, monogamous relationship.

Shit Meets Fan.

About 10% of the ELCA's congregations split off to form the North American Lutheran Synod. While the ordination of gays was the driving issue, many of these churches also felt that the ELCA's social teachings were just "too liberal." You know, all of the caring for the poor and healing of the sick shit that Jesus was always going on about. No use for it.

So basically these people are saying that they care more about what they hear from Rush Limbaugh than when they read in their Bible.

By their works, indeed!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

51. Missouri Synod is extremely conservative.

I knew a couple of Mo. Synod preacher's daughters back in high school, and the dad was quite conservative. The daughters were extremely bright (one of them got a BS in Physics from Rice University, which is difficult to get into) and they got the hell out of there.

The father quit talking to the younger daughter because she married a Baptist boy she met at her job, so she was not welcome anymore in the Reverend's house. She probably did it to get out of the house anyway.

The two girls did all the house work and the three boys sat on their asses and didn't do anything.

I assume that Mo Synod is anti-gay.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

63. I grew up in the Wisconsin Synod...

and they think the Missouri Synod is full of wild-eyed hippies.

So there's a little window into the world of MY childhood.

[Nye Bevan]

23. Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler

Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’[d] and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”[e]

20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth.[f] What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

http://mobile.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+19%3A16-22&version=NKJV

[cer7711]

30. I Think James Was One of Us!

Anyone got links to his old blog postings?

[uwep]

33. This is not the repugs version of this book.

The meek shall inherit the earth, blessed are the poor, there are all kinds of quotes in this book that reviles the rich, but evidently not in the republicans version.

This book and its passages are used by conservative "CHRISTIANS" to justify their bigotry and misogyny. Attacks on the poor, women, and anyone that requires government assistance is the norm.

[darkangel218]

35. I dont know much about the bible, ot any other mainstream religious texts.

But what I know is that most rich despise the poor. They just do. Not all, but the majority. They look down to the poor and treat them as they were pest.
And this is not just in the US, it's all over the world.

Fucking sick

[stopbush]

36. Not quoting 6 verses is a good start. Only a couple hundred thousand to go

and they won't be quoting any verses from that wretched book.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

41. The book is OK -- just not some of the readers

I forgot which comedian said it, but something like, "I look at Jesus Christ the same way I look at Elvis Presley. I like the guy will enough, but his fan club creeps me out."

[stopbush]

43. Have you ever read that book? Hardly OK. One of the most anti-human things in existence.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

46. I have...

And you really need to take into account it having been written by a culture just barely out of the Bronze Age. Taking the Bible literally doesn't work for people who believe in it OR for those who don't.

[stopbush]

97. And who decides what gets taken literally and what's a metaphor?

How about for a change we take the bad stuff literally and all the good stuff as metaphor? That would at least be a change of pace from the "bad stuff is a metaphor, good stuff is literal" view.

And as long as we're taking things into account, why not take into account the whole idea of atonement through blood sacrifice? That particular practice is pretty stupid when one thinks of Israel sacrificing burnt offerings of animals. But everybody gets misty eyed when the sacrifice is gentle Jesus, meek and mild. Why? It's the same bullshit except it's worse because it's a human being being sacrificed.

The only thing that need be taken into account with the Bible is that it is entirely fiction. Once you realize that, you gain a true perspective on just how wretched the thing is.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

98. Thanks for your input (nt)

[Bette Noir]

68. John Fugelsang.

Guests on The Stephanie Miller Show every Friday, and guest hosts when she takes a vacation. Good man. They call him, "The Ecclesiastical Mook."

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

89. The Mahatma Ghandi put the same thought this way:

"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

Ghandi is alleged to have replied, when asked what he thought of western civilization, "I think it would be an excellent idea."

[aznativ]

37. And he hates all these people too

http://www.rollcall.com/50richest/the-50-richest-members-of-congress-112th.html

https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php

[Stuart G]

44. K and R

[MisterP]

45. they don't read it because they call themselves literalists--clearly obviating any need to know

either the letter or the spirit

it's the same with "fambly valoos"--it's not a code of conduct or criterion of judgment: it's just a bloody shirt to wave around: their voters won't even remember the candidate's affair, let alone penalize them for it, any more than they would think that Mississippi's teen pregnancy rate has anything to do with abstinence-only (or, for that matter, that MS's rate is higher than in "the land of fruits and nuts&quot

[GeorgeGist]

60. Clearly God gives a shit ...

not; actions speak more clearly than words.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

61. The same reason they never quote the "well regulated militia" verse.

[Pharaoh]

62. perfect!

[CBHagman]

64. There's more where that came from, too.

And bear in mind this is still only from the book of James. There's much more in the Gospels and elsewhere.

[url]http://www.usccb.org/bible/james/2[/url]

1 My brothers, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.

2 For if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in,
3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here, please,” while you say to the poor one, “Stand there,” or “Sit at my feet,” 4have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs?

5 Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

6 But you dishonored the poor person. Are not the rich oppressing you? And do they themselves not haul you off to court? 7Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you?

8 However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

10 For whoever keeps the whole law, but falls short in one particular, has become guilty in respect to all of it.

11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not kill.” Even if you do not commit adultery but kill, you have become a transgressor of the law.

12 So speak and so act as people who will be judged by the law of freedom.

13 For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day,

16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?

17 So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

That's quite apart from all the other verses about treating the poor justly, welcoming the stranger, visiting people who are in prison, etc.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

65. That's why he was know as "James the Just"

The Apostle Paul gets WAY TOO MUCH attention.

[47of74]

66. Because it's been redacted in their translation.

Along with most of the New T. Especially all those pesky words in red.

[blkmusclmachine]

67. The fundies pick and choose what they want to believe. The Buybull is their "cosmic buffet."

[JohnnyRingo]

69. He sure has a funny way of showing it.

I should be so damned.

I try not to shake people's faith, but Dick Cheney keeps ticking beyond all expectations while a loveable actor like Jon Ritter fell to a heart ailment that only God knew of.

Doesn't seem fair.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

84. We allow it

Don't blame on God what could more easily be attributed to our seemingly incapable ability to ignore the obvious. That Dick Cheney has never been indicted for his crimes is not the hand of the Almighty. It's just us not giving two shits.

[arely staircase]

72. the James in question was Jesus' brother. nt

[Blue_In_AK]

74. Good one!

In fact, there are many, many places in the Bible where the wealthy are called to task. Fundies are indeed very selective with their Bible thumping.

[IronLionZion]

82. Because prosperity gospel sounds better

They have a God given right to accumulate as much wealth as possible, while other must go without. It is God's will, you see.

There have been many articles written about how the bible belt preachers never say jack shit about helping the poor in those red states with anything at all. Its easier to rail against sinful people who deserve smiting and wrath. Because those lazy bums should just get a job.

There's plenty of violence and murder in the bible too, that fundies selectively ignore.

The only thing that no one will ever do, is leave the judging to God, and mind their own business.

[JEFF9K]

101. The Bible is full of anti-Republican verses ...

... with only a smattering of verses that might be construed as anti-Democratic.

[Paulie]

105. Yep. Like my favorite from the sermon on the mount:

"Who among you, when a brother asks for bread, you give him a stone."

[JEFF9K]

106. I read the Bible from cover-to-cover. ...

My favorite discovery was on the very last page, where it specifies punishment for people who "add" to the Bible. That's something that conservatives do alot.

[markpkessinger]

107. That reference is not to the "Bible" as a whole . . .

. . . it is only a reference to the Book of Revelation. The particular collection of religious writings we now know as "the Bible" was not finally established until the 4th century C.E. No writer of any particular book of the Bible had any awareness of any 'Bible,' and thus no verse within any book of the Bible can be said to refer to that collection. The Bible should not be understood to be a unified book, to be read cover-to-cover like a novel.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

111. Then there's translations...

Had a friend who, as a graduate student, was allowed to work as part of a team doing a new translation (can't remember which one). His professor was one of the translators; he was basically a go-fer for the committee.

But his account put a torch to any reasonable argument that the Bible is the direct and inerrant Word Of God (tm). The source documents are extremely few, forcing the translators to extrapolate the meaning based on words in other texts outside the Bible itself. Sometimes the committee literally voted on what they thought some words actually meant.

He used the example: We all went down to the wharf to greet the (blank). With the "blank" being a word that doesn't appear in any other language, but you have to assume that it's a word that means some sort of water vessel. But that could be a log raft or a submarine. I assume that's how camels showed up in the Bible even thought historically there were few camels in the region.