Bible texts misused in Rumsfeld reports, religious leaders say

[steven johnson]

Who would have guessed distortion would have been used in the Bush Administration for political spin?

Using the Epistle to the Ephesians instructing believers to "put on the full armor of God" and a passage from Isaiah directing them to "open the gates that the righteous nation may enter" apparently were used for just such purposes.

Meanwhile, some Jewish and Christian leaders say that the biblical passages were misused -- just as moderate Muslims say Al Qaeda twisted the Koran to justify the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

"What is at issue is the possibility that the highest levels of the executive branch took biblical texts out of their proper context to cast the mission of the U.S. military in explicitly religious terms," said Scott Alexander, director of the Catholic-Muslim Studies Program at Chicago's Catholic Theological Union.

Several members of the clergy say many of the biblical quotations used to condone war were taken out of context. Ephesians, for example, makes clear that the armor of God refers to the virtues of truth, justice and peace.

The disclosure of the intelligence reports added to lingering concerns about the role of religion during the Bush administration. In 2001, Bush called the war on terrorism a "crusade," sparking fears among some Muslims that the fight against terrorism was a battle against Islam.

Bible texts misused in Rumsfeld reports, religious leaders say

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. People should realize that Rummy, Cheney et al were/are INSANE.

this will go down as one of the absolute darkest periods of our history. That is if we survive long enough to be able to look back on it from afar!

[donheld]

8. Rummy, Cheney et al are NOT insane

they are just very cunningly evil.

[rurallib]

2. no doubt the first time in history biblical quotes were misused

in order to make a case for war or torture etc.

[roguevalley]

9. a great deal of the bible is text at a superficial level with multi

layers underneath that no one ever seems to get

[rpannier]

3. They misquoted the Bible

Please tell me why I am NOT shocked at this revelation

[rustydog]

4. Of COURSE Bible verses were misused!

My God,(pun intended) Religious Fundamentalists misuse the word of God to promote fear, hate, and mostly to RAISE MONEY! (Praise Jesus) it is their modus operandi.

Hey you born-Again fanatics, who would Jesus Enhanced Interrogate? Who would He kill by lethal injection, hanging, firing squad or electrocution?
Who would jesus wage war on? Gays? (You bet!) The poor, needy? (Fuck welfare queens huh?)rag heads? Oops, he came from the middle east!

[liberal N proud]

5. Bible texts misused?

Happens every Sunday all over this land.

Most churches pick and choose what they use from the bible and then twist it anyway they want.

I turned the good book on my pet republican last week, he said that homosexuality was an abomination according to the bible. I returned so is eating shell fish. Left him babbling.

[Graybeard]

6. "Several members of the clergy..."

You mean the religious community other than the lunatic RW Christians actually have voices? I thought they were all mutes. Because of their silence it is the Falwells and Robertsons who dominate the news shows.

[AspenRose]

7. We've gone over this before.

Why are you convinced that the progressive clergy are silent?

Just about every time a major statement from a mainline denomination is made, it's on the last page of the religion section of the paper.

Do you honestly think FOX NEWS, et. al., is going to have progressive and mainline clergy on their shows? What purpose would THAT serve them?