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Author Topic: Deliver us from Scripture-citers - Jeff Jacoby  (Read 316 times)

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Offline Idaho_Cowboy

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Deliver us from Scripture-citers - Jeff Jacoby
« on: March 28, 2017, 06:49:57 pm »
Deliver us from Scripture-citers

"The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose," says the wealthy Antonio to his young friend Bassanio in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice."

So can the politician, he might have added. And the party activist.

Full disclosure: I've never actually read "The Merchant of Venice." Though I'm familiar with the story, I have yet to actually study the text or even view a performance of the play. But that line about the devil citing Scripture suits the point I want to make, so I plucked it out of context to use in this column.

When the Trump administration released an outline recently of its forthcoming budget proposals, many on the left expressed dismay. The White House wants to reduce spending on the State Department, environmental programs, arts and broadcast subsidies, and housing initiatives, while significantly increasing outlays on defense, homeland security, and veterans' health care....
Read more at http://jewishworldreview.com/jeff/jacoby032717.php3#jMomXXof2zuUJlHz.99
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Offline EasyAce

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Re: Deliver us from Scripture-citers - Jeff Jacoby
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2017, 07:01:27 pm »
From the article:

Quote
The temptation to quote the Bible for political purposes is bipartisan: Republicans and Democrats do it; conservatives
and liberals do it. The impulse may be sincere. But flaunting a verse from Scripture to promote a political purpose ends up
tarnishing the one without elevating the other.

By all means, study the Bible. Take its lessons to heart. Let those lessons guide how you live your life. Just don't confuse the
word of G0D with a partisan political agenda.

Amen!
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Offline Sanguine

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Re: Deliver us from Scripture-citers - Jeff Jacoby
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2017, 11:40:48 am »
Quote
More importantly, the Bible is a sacred text, not a Cliffs Notes for federal budgeteers. No one can deny that Scripture is replete with exhortations to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and be compassionate to the downtrodden. But those injunctions are personal, not political. If they constitute a moral mandate, it is for the action of private individuals guided by conscience, not for government programs created by the state and collectively imposed through the pains and penalties of law.
Read more at http://jewishworldreview.com/jeff/jacoby032717.php3#dcDUswyVwxYRpsX3.99

And, double Amen!
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