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.
Sounds like Madonna's got more religion than Spong.
So O'Reilly agrees with Spong that Christianity is about "myths"? Spong seems to argue that it's nothing BUT myths. I wonder why he has anything to do with it, if that's the case --- besides the fact that bashing Christianity pays well.
This is what Bill O'Reilly said....
Explain to me what is POSITIVE about this? It sounds to me like he said, "read it and think for yourself". OR...
We report, you decide.
Bill O'Reilly, Anchor, Fox News Channel
"The Sins of Scripture challenges Christians to look beyond the myths of their faith into the heart of the matter."
I have never heard Bill O'Reilly bash Christianity.
First, it uses the verb "challenges" -- which has a positive connotation. Also, it accepts as a given Spong's thesis that Christianity is about "myths". If you grant that, then you're taking Spong's side. I'd say that it's his critique of Christianity that is myth-based.
Spong is to religion what Kerry is/was to the armed forces.
A minimum of words, a Maximum of truth. 100% correct!!!!! God Bless, KennyBob
Not sure if anything related to Spong (other than "refutation of") would fall under "Traditional Anglicanism"; however this tread could use some help from folks who are actually familiar with the subject!
Well, there may be a financial reason. Harpercollins publishes Spong's new book. Does NewsCorp - Murdoch's company - own Harpercollins? NewsCorp owns O'Reilly's channel - FoxNews
I believe Savage calls him "Leper con", at least that's what it sounds like to my ears.
I wouldn't have a problem with him if he were just some layman writing books condemning traditional Christianity and pooh-poohing the resurrection and even the existence of God. But he insists on being photographed in clerical attire, so he's deliberatelyl retaining his tie to the church and his title as "bishop" or "retired bishop" or whatever it is. Maybe he does this because it's more marketable to be a "churchman" condemning the church, than just another run-of-the-mill streetcorner atheist. But's its dishonest and unethical.
Since Spong doesn't believe that Christianity has any unique claim to truth -- or that the basic beliefs of Christianity (incarnation, resurrection) are true, he must view as suckers the Chinese who risk their lives to embrace this faith that he rejects.
"Springs Here. Factor Gear."
I saw this interview last night. After the interview, I determined that I would never watch O'Reilly again.
Bill basically mocked religious conservatives for being too hard-lined on the gay issue. Bill didn't even protest when the interviewee compared modern-day evangelicals to slave-owners.
I didn't see the interview, but O'Reilly's promotional blurb on Spong's book says it "challenges" readers to move beyond their religion's "myths". So Christianity is a myth? I know Spong believes that. Does O'Reilly?
They have been pinged.
Gee, if Spong believes so strongly that the earth (to say nothing of New Jersey) is so overpopulated, why doesn't he just do the right thing and pull out his own feeding tube?
There's nothing wrong with suicide, after all, and the money saved from his constant consuming of precious resources could provide 100,000 condoms a year for the Great World War Against AIDS,...Plus he could provide a great example to all of us unenlightened commoners of "Christ-like" self-sacrifice, a new "morality play" for the 21st Century!
.....so what is he waiting for?
Did anyone else think O'Reilly and Spong discussing religion was painful and like watching the blind leading the blind? A greater display of Scriptural ignorance I haven't seen in a long time. Shot off an email to O'Reilly saying exactly that. Doubt he'll read it though.
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