LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: BIBLICAL MISDIRECTION AND ITS APOLOGISTS

To the Editor:

I'm not sure why editor Jay Eastlick hasn't noticed, but in the current controversy over "politics and religion," there certainly isn't a "neglect" of religious "apologetics." In fact, there is an ever-increasing number of "Christian conservative" apologists who stridently insist that because the beliefs stated in the Bible are the words of God and, therefore, "true," everybody must be required to subscribe to those beliefs. Here are a few examples:

1. On the Justification for the Proper Role of Women. "Your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you" (G3: 16). "Man was not created for woman, but woman for man" (ICorl 1:9). "Woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet women will be saved through bearing children" (ITm2: 13-15). "I permit no woman ... to have authority over men" (Tm2: 12). Older women should "train young women to love their husbands and children, to be sensible, chaste, domestic, kind, and submissive to their husbands" (Tt2:3-5).

2. On the Justification for Homophobia. "If a man lies with a male ... both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death" (L20: 13). Homosexuals are "men committing shameless acts with men" (Rm1 :27), and they "will not inherit the kingdom of God" (ICr6:9).

3. On Other Justifications for Intolerance or Cruelty. "Whoever sacrifices to any god, save to the Lord only, shall be utterly destroyed" (E22:20). "He who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall be put to death" (L24: 16). "Whoever does work on the sabbath day shall be put to death" (E3 1:15). "No bastard shall enter the assembly of the Lord" (D23:2). "Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death" (E2 1:17). "If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die" (D22:22). If a city or nation will not voluntarily become your slaves and "do forced labor for you", then "you shall besiege it," killing all the men, all the male children, and all the non-virgins, but all the virgins you may "keep alive for yourselves" (D20: 10-14, N3 1-1718).

4. Conclusions: What "Christian conservatives" seem strangely blind to is the fact that none of the statements made by Jesus -- the heart and soul of Christianity -- repeats or condones any of the beliefs quoted above. Is it any wonder, then, that many Christians and non-Christians find a bit scary the intolerant, cruel, and "holier than thou" attitudes and actions of many from the religious right?

JOHN C. BIERK

Cape Girardeau