co worker of mine said Kerry was Absalom...so i did some digging.

[loveable liberal]

Apparently, this Absalom guy killed his half brother for raping his sister when David, Absalom's dad, didnt open up a can on Amnon (the rapist). Anyhoo, one sentence in the bible 2 Samuel 15, something about upon Absalom's return to the kingdom, he was silvery toungued and took votes away from the king because Absalom was so clever and charming.

So I pointed out that 2 Samuel 15 is just one line out of a rather lenghty story about Absalom, and 2nd it appears that he may already be in office. She didnt like that.

The christian fright wing sure is goofy.

[papau]

1. Absalom in Canterbury Tales(The Miller's Tale line 636) is more fun! :-)

:-)

It was the first item I ever read in literature about kissing someones ass!

[DenverDem]

2. The Old Testament is all bull shit. Jesus came to blow it away.

The OT is all about how the Jews could never get it right with their legalistic judgementalism. Jesus came to throw out all the rules except for the only one that works, "Love absolutely!"


Fundigelicals are just modern day Pharasees shoveling the same judgemental manure as OT Jews, and it's still complete bullshit.

Fundigelicals are not even close to being Christian. They sure will be surprised when St. Peter points them the way to HELL.

[pauliedangerously]

3. Unbelievable....eom

[question everything]

4. Oh, I suppose there are ignorants everyplace, including among DUers

If that person ever bothered to really read the old testament and to learn about Judaism, s/he will know that the main difference between Judaism and Christianity is that one does not have to believe in god, and certainly does not have to accept a mere mortal as one's god and savior to be a Jew.

The next main difference is that the Torah - the rules that were given to the Israelites while wondering in the desert after the Exodus - was given to them to live by. Judaism wants people to live life to the fullest, while on this earth, alive and kicking, not live in misery hoping for some kind of a miracle in the after life waiting for someone's resurrection.

And then, of course, are all the laws that command people to take care of orphans and widows, of the sick and the elderly, of the underdogs which, I think, is important to most of us, to those of us who are proud to be labeled "liberal."

If all one cares about self and the poor and the elderly be damned, then I can see such a person rejecting such commands from the Old Testament.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. Whoa there!

Have you actually read the Old Testament?

There's a lot more to it than Leviticus, you know.

Both the major and minor prophets are tough on issues of social and economic justice.

Ever since Jews first arrived in this country, they have been at the forefront of every worthy cause that has come along: the labor movement, the peace movement, the civil rights movement, the women's movement, the environmental movement, you name it.

I've seen this "Old Testament bad, New Testament good" nonsense on DU before, and anyone who spouts this line simply hasn't read the Hebrew scriptures.