from TPM

Some writing cannot be adequately paraphrased and I present you with an example from my recent reading on Talking Points Memo:
Why the bible MUST be interpreted literally - or not used at all:

A VENGEFUL AND ANGRY GOD!

I am going to agree with fundamentalist Evangelical Christians - for the first and hopefully last time in my life. I have been reading many posts from Christian leaders, as well as excerpts from their books and articles they have written in magazines. I have also visited the websites and read through the literature of some of the largest megachurches (Lakewood Church in Houston - Joel Osteen & Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA,) in the Nation. I've read some more liberal interpretations of the bible in the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations website information. I've read through the articles and blogs on websites such as the 700 Club (our good friend Pat Robertson) and Promise Keepers. I've even forced myself to read the hate filled "end times" garbage on the rapture ready site (I'm banned from posting there after posting my "Christians and Torture" article. Apparently they don't want any conflicting opinions.)

What I've discovered is basically what you might expect. There are a plethora of different interpretations on every single passage of the bible. Each denomination seems to have a different way of interpreting the bible. The Unitarians seem to find a way to twist the bible verses to allow the celebration fo roe v wade - as well as the acceptance of homosexuals and the belief that they should be allowed to marry. The folks at the megachurches are generally about 2/3 on the scale when it comes to interpreting the bible. They don't take a literal interpretation - but will bend the words to make it OK to drive three SUV's, have a giant house in the suburbs where they just don't have to deal with "urban" people or problems. They have small group at the local "Dinner's Ready" franchise and make the weeks meals - and talk about how their husbands all seem to have a problem, no an addiction to pornography. One woman starts sobbing uncontrollably becasuse she caught her husband looking at Maxim at the dentists office. He had it tucked inside the cover of a Spirituality Today magazine. She said it made her feel that he wanted the women in that magazine more than he wanted her. (TIP FROM ME - HE DOES. WHEN YOU COME HOME WEARING "MOM" JEANS AND A SWEATSHIRT - OF COURSE HE'S GOING TO GET A BONE FOR ALYSSA MILANO - DUH!)
And of course the fundamentalist Christian Churches take a literal view of the bible. They view it as the inerrant word of God. There is no interpretation to fit their lives (well - no interpretation that can't be explained by the pastor anyway. It's simple - here is a brief rundown of some of their biblical truths .

keep reading . . .