Tuesday, September 22, 2015

A Demand that Christians Renounce the Old Testament

As you all probably know by now, Ben Carson is doubling down on his Islamophobia. Here's how he answered some questions about that on Facebook:
Under Islamic Law, homosexuals – men and women alike – must be killed. Women must be subservient. And people following other religions must be killed.

I know that there are many peaceful Muslims who do not adhere to these beliefs. But until these tenants are fully renounced…I cannot advocate any Muslim candidate for President.
Of course, the vast majority of people elected to public office these days take their oath of office with their hand on the Bible - including both the Old and New Testaments. In the former are texts like this:
Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man intimately. But all the girls who have not known man intimately, spare for yourselves. Numbers 31:17-18

He [Josiah] executed the priests of the pagan shrines on their own altars, and he burned human bones on the altars to desecrate them.... He did this in obedience to all the laws written in the scroll that Hilkiah the priest had found in the LORD's Temple. Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since. 2 Kings 23:20-25

You may purchase male or female slaves from among the foreigners who live among you. You may also purchase the children of such resident foreigners, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat your slaves like this, but the people of Israel, your relatives, must never be treated this way. Leviticus 25:44-46
So it strikes me that, by Carson's standards, every politician who is a Christian and swears on the Bible needs to renounce these tenants in order to be suitable for office in the United States. No?

5 comments:

  1. Did he really write "tenant" instead of "tenet?" I know that's a common verbal error and I'm being nitpicky, but it just bugs me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. An honest effort at comparison would find in the Bible that God choose to interact with Man in different ways at different times. Also, you will find NO Christian churches that would teach that this is still the way people should behave or how people should treat others.

    On the other hand, while certainly not all, but many, in Islam hold to these teachings today both from Imams to individuals. Also, can you name any country that is lead by a Muslim where the concerns that Dr. Carson mentions are not present?

    Come on Nancy, you are smarter and better than this type of reaction.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm smart enough to know that what Dr. Carson has said over the last few days is deeply offensive to anyone that understands the values on which this country was founded (not to mention the millions of Muslims who have lived here for generations).

      I'm also smart enough to know that the country with the largest Muslim population in the world is Indonesia. I don't believe that they are in the business of killing all homosexuals or people of different faiths.

      Those who peddle in the kinds of lies Dr. Carson is telling need to be called out.

      Delete
  3. I'M sure the two Muslim members of Congress (Keith Ellison, and another who's name escapes me) could explain the fine points of "intensity of faith". Any candidate running a serious campaign for president would be so vetted during his run, that he wouldn't make it to first base, with beliefs like killing others of other faith, etc. If he can't reason that those actions would be ludicrous for a potential serious candidate, he is not ready for prime time himself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cruz and possibly Paul may be "True Believers" since both were anointed together by Cruz's extremist Daddy. All in all, Sarah Palin on, Dominionists secretly believe that when they win, these OT prescriptions will come to pass.

      For the rest of us, finding a good, wise, scholarly Rabbi would help set the record straight, but in the absence of such a wise scholar, determining that tribal laws from at least 6000 years ago may NOT be a good reflection of how we need to live today. After all - the Bible tells us to bell people with leprosy, too, and we don't even think of that. Life expands, wisdom grows, and leaving behind the prescriptions of an ignorant - not stupid but ignorant - people might be a good idea.

      Delete

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