I don't see this covered enough -- we're giving in when it comes to the Bible, and letting the Falwells and Joneses get away with gross misinterpretations!
How to Talk to a Christian Conservative (If You Really Must):
- When they say "It says in the Bible", ask them where. If they can't name which book, don't accept their argument.
- If they can name which book, rephrase their point as "Okay, it says in Ecclesiastes" etc. -- to highligh the fact that the Bible is itself a collection of texts ("The Bible" itself is hardly ever unanimous about anything).
- Ask them if they know who wrote the part of the Bible they are referring to, and when, and in what language. If they say, "God wrote it," ask for proof.
- Ask them if they have a copy of it, and can look it up and show you. If not, disregard their argument.
- Remind them that the Constitution never names "God" a single time (if they talk about the America's "Judeo-Christian heritage"), and that much of the Constitution was modelled upon Native American forms of governance.
Sample LTE (feel free to use this):
I'd like to thank everyone who helped block gay rights during the election for reminding all of us that homosexuality is a sin, as described in Moses 3, 18:22 and 20:13. I just had a few more questions:
1) Moses 3, 1:9 says that when I sacrificially burn a bull on the altar, God will be pleased by the smell. But my neighbors complain. What should I do?
2) I want to sell my daughter into slavery, as suggested in Moses 2, 21:7. What is the going price for young females? Should I sell her at an auction, or advertise in the local paper?
3) I wish to avoid physical contact with menstruating women, as mandated in Moses 3, 15:19-24 - but how do I know when they are menstruating? The women I know get annoyed when I ask.
4) My neighbors work on Sundays, despite the fact that Moses 1, 35:2 explicitly states that people who work on the Sabbath should be killed. Must I kill them myself - and if so, which method should I use? If not, who will kill them?
5) Moses 3, 25:44 gives me the right to buy slaves. I think this is a good idea. But again, what is the going price? What qualities should I look for in a slave? Are there any particular ethnic groups I should look for? When I sell my daughter, should I instead try to trade her in for a better slave?
6) My family insists on eating pork on New Year's Day, and sometimes even shellfish - despite the fact that Moses 3, 11:7 and 11:10 clearly state that this is against the Lord's will. How can I stop them?
I am so glad George Bush and lots of other people are willing to take the Bible literally - they obviously know more about Christianity than I do. Now please, help me make sense of it!
We should be working in an organized way on swaying religious leaders towards a liberal interpretation of the Bible. The New Testament is unabashedly progressive -- healing the sick, feeding the hungry -- but current Republican rhetoric is stuck in the Old Testament!
Anyone willing to work on this?