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at least in their political incarnation. They sure don't use many of his teachings beyond chastity and following his name.
Jesus is pretty much the mother of all inconvenient truths for the RR.
We are called to speak for the weak, for the voiceless, for victims of our nation and for those it calls enemy.... --ML King "Beyond Vietnam"
by Gooserock on Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 11:55:31 AM PDT
[ Parent ]
starting with the apocalyptic book of Revelation. And many never get much beyond this except for forays into Leviticus and Paul for amunition for hate-mongering.
The most outrageous lies that can be invented will find believers if a man only tells them with all his might. - Mark Twain
by mkfarkus on Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 12:15:37 PM PDT
my pretty liberal church has had a Bible study going on the Letter to the Romans, and I've really tried to be open minded about it, but it's really, really hard.
While Jesus is hard for conservative Christians, Paul is very difficult for many of us on the other side.
But it's all part and parcel of the faith. Like it or not. (not sure if I do.)
Civil marriage is a civil right.
by stitchmd on Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 12:17:51 PM PDT
Looked at in context, he's actually an amazing advocate for inclusiveness, though he never got around to including me and my fellow queers in a real way.
Some resources for rethinking Paul:
What is Feminist Theology? - 8.75, -5.59.
by dirkster42 on Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 12:45:00 PM PDT
Paul or Leviticus. What I should have said is that outside of Revelation they cherry-pick quotes out of context to support their sad theological perspective.
by mkfarkus on Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 12:56:38 PM PDT
really, I am.
I think you remarkably understate the issue, though, when you say he 'never got around to including [you] in a real way.' In fact, it's really hard to deny that Paul explicitly excluded homosexuals of all stripes.
That's not the only issue, for me, though, but it's a big one. He may be an advocate for inclusiveness, but it's a strange type of inclusiveness, and I'm not sure if his God is one of vengeance or of grace, even from verse to verse.
I will try to keep working on it, though. Thanks for the references.
by stitchmd on Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 01:04:23 PM PDT
Paul Amongst His Critics? That did a pretty good job of recovering him, actually. Seems like he's everybody's favorite apostle to rip on, has been since day one.
Come, come, come to the church in the wild wood, come to the church in the vale.
by pastordan on Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 01:06:42 PM PDT
His positive passages on love are eye opening and inspiring. However, in the next verse he can go into an angry or depressive passage that is much the opposite to what he just said.
The right wing has a Pauline theology that focuses on the dark elements of Paul's letters. I wouldn't call it Christianity. I would call it a cult of mammon and darkness because it doesn't center around Jesus.
"It's the planet, stupid."
by FishOutofWater on Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 12:59:09 PM PDT
It's not so much that they read it backwards, they sure as shit got the OT's fire and brimstone covered.
I think they just skip over the parts that talk about Jesus.
by AndersOSU on Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 01:58:02 PM PDT
I have often thought about the relative importance that the reading, study of, and preaching from the Gospels (vs. Paul, or Peter, or the Revelation) has on the religious perspective.
The religious right is fed or sustained by churches that often focus exclusively on Paul and Revelation, and that interpreted individualistically (not corporately, or socially).
So perhaps your point about being "anti Jesus" is right -- a deep discomfort with what the gospels are teaching.
Let Justice roll down like water, Righteousness like a flowing stream
by John2Luke on Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 05:25:03 PM PDT
...take note of the many churches who seem to be realizing "Hmmm, maybe we should be taking careof God's creation after all, so we can no longer support Bush's destructive environmental policies." Around here (conservative TX) I have been pleased to see a number of churches speaking out against the war in Iraq, poervty, and other issues Jesus would have cared about. Some of these are Catholic or mainline Protestant, but others are evangelical.
by Leap Year on Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 09:29:54 PM PDT
wide narrow
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