Posted on 04/12/2005 11:19:52 PM PDT by churchillbuff
O'Reilly has written a dustjacket blurb for Bishop Spong's new book: "The Sins of Scripture challenges Christians to look beyond the myths of their faith into the heart of the matter." I also got an email from a Spong-promoting outfit that says O'Reilly will have Spong on his show.
Here's the Publishers Weekly review on amazon:
Spong, a retired Episcopal bishop and prominent spokesperson for liberal Christianity, focuses this book on "terrible texts" which have been used to justify such "sins" as overbreeding, degradation of the environment, sexism, child abuse and anti-Semitism. These biblical texts, according to Spong, are not the incontrovertible Word of God, but flawed human responses to perceived threats. An incendiary example of this is Spong's assertion that Paul was a closeted gay man whose anti-gay statements were motivated by little more than his own self-loathing. Spong does not stop there; in the course of the book he suggests that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married; that none of the supernatural events described in the Bible took place (including the resurrection); and that theism itself is a misunderstanding of God. Interestingly, readers who do not endorse Spong's radical reinterpretation of Christianity will still find much in this book they can affirm. His explanation of the roots of Christian anti-Semitism is fascinating and much less challenging to orthodoxy than many of his other claims. Unfortunately, Spong leads with his weakest section, which features a variety of poorly constructed arguments claiming, but giving inadequate evidence for, a strong causal relationship between biblical injunctions and both overpopulation and environmental problems. Nonetheless, this absorbing book has much to offer readers of all persuasions.
What is it that Michael Savage calls him - - the "leper con"?
The sin is not in being tempted. Jesus was tempted. The sin is in yielding to temptation and doing sinful acts. I am tempted to adultery. Soooo?
Excellent phrase! That's exactly what this guy is. Lord Have Mercy on us! What is happening to the Holy Orthodox Church? We are being devoured from the inside by many of our own Bishops and priests.
Well summarized...
I don't have cable. Is O'Reilly hosting Spong tonight?
I wouldn't say "touts"...
He said it was thought provoking. But he clearly didn't swallow it whole.
Is Spong on O'Reilly Factor tonight?
Yes.
Why does Spong get attention? It's obvious that he crossed the like into kook land years ago.
Are you talking about the TV interview? The blurb that O'Reilly wrote is positive.
Some execs in the publishing industry seem to want to tear Christianity down, so they give him a platform. In this case, I believe it's Harpercollins. Is that owned by Murdoch's company? If it is, it might help explain why O'Reilly's hosting Spong tonight.
I was surprised to see this old liberal wreck was still alive, but he's huckstering a book entitled "The Sins of Scripture" on O'Reilly's show. He said he'd rather go to Hell than go to Heaven with small-minded Christians. I think he'll get his wish.
I'm talking about the interview.
I didn't watch the entire thing - but what I saw was not positive.
I read your post - but didn't find the blurb that O'Reilly wrote - is it on Amazon?
Nuts!! He doesn't believe in the trinity, the sacraments, salvation through Christ. He doesn't even believe in God!!
He is no scholar, he is an anti-Christ.
I quote it at the top of this thread. And if you click on the amazon link at the top of the thread, you'll also find it. Actually, the full blurb on the dustjacket (which I saw in a store) is even longer and, in my view, all positive.
Yes and no. Yes, he's no scholar. No, he's not anti-Christ. Anti-Christ will have followers. Spong just has a book agent, a PR flack and some publishing execs eager to conspire with him to try to undermine Christianity.
That quote says it's from the Publishers Weekly - not from Bill O'Reilly.
For some reason, I cannot connect to Amazon.com right now - but I'll read it later.
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