Status Updates From The Sins of Scripture: Expo...

In his case “against scripture” Spong mentions issues such as the claims of Mosaic authorship for the Torah or Davidic authorship of the Psalms when they were clearly written at a later date, or ways the Gospel writers play with Old Testament texts to tell the story of Jesus. (more in notes)

Spong rightly states that Christians must come face to face with the evils that have been done in the name of their religion and spends several pages listing these evils. He is right, atrocities have been committed in the name of Christianity. However, this does not justify the conclusion that the text of the Bible itself is to blame. Rather it is the misuse of this sacred text.

Immediately another bold and unsubstantiated claim that the Bible is inherently antisemitic…Most fundamentalists I know are Zionists through and through so this is news to me

Early on, Spong makes a bold claim that at times “the Bible is the enemy” rather than the way it’s been misinterpreted or abused. I move forward hesitantly.

“Is it not strange that before the feminine symbol [Mary] could be called holy and lifted into God by the Western Catholic tradition, it had to be first desexed then dehumanized?”

“Women’s feelings were given no consideration, since controlling the woman’s body for the sexual benefit of the male was the only priority and men claimed that right exclusively for themselves.”