whyroots

I love when people look in the Bible and actually pick out the noble principles it contains, leaving aside the niggling examples of intolerance that are the vestige of Scripture’s human authorship. The Bible is at its best when it shows us at our best -- though, regrettably, it does contain fodder for our baser instincts. Ham, Onan, and Jezebel are just a few examples. I mean, here’s the Wikipedia summary of Jezebel’s downfall in Kings I and II:

“Jehu then confronts Jezebel in Jezreel and urges her eunuchs to kill the queen mother by throwing her out a window (defenestration). They comply, tossing her out the window and leaving her in the street to be eaten by dogs. Only Jezebel's skull, feet, and hands remained.”

The Old Testament is scary. But I digress. The point is that the Bible bursts with tolerance, forgiveness, love of one’s fellow man, and, hell, egalitarian economic and social policy. And it's a great thing when anyone -- evangelical or atheist -- can learn from it. So as for the "progressive evangelicals?" Let 'em in. Big tent.

-- Sarah Dalglish

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