That the only verse from Leviticus that has any bearing in our world today for these people is from Chapter 18, verse 22 (one verse out of 859) ("you shall not lie with a male as with a woman, it's an abomination" NRSV)... of course among other Levitical abominations are violating any of the rules of Kosher, in a summary statement after the rules are listed... so no ham or bacon for breakfast (or Easter dinner for that matter), no mixing meat and dairy (cheeseburgers, anyone?), no shellfish, etc. ;-)

These people who regard themselves as taking the Bible "literally" grab whatever they can use to beat others up with, or whatever scattered verses they can string together to make up a rapture/second coming narrative (for example the verses scattered through the "Left Behind" books, which they take to be prophecy instead of fiction), and cast aside anything that doesn't suit them, all the while accusing all other Christians and Jews of mistreating the Bible. Then somehow, they take the most amazing liberties and leaps of logic in their fanciful interpretations of the Book of Revelation, a book which would fit right in with the Harry Potter books (which they detest) if it were taken at face value. Yet rather than looking for seven-headed beasts, etc. they make those images into people, nations and events in today's world, predict the end of the world based on them, and still they claim to be "literalists." Just as with Ms. Palin and her Achiles' Heal, they don't know the meaning of the word.

Next time one of them throws a verse at you, ask them what the verse before that one says, and after... or what was happening in the history of the Holy Lands when that verse was written. It's highly likely they won't have a clue. Even better, ask them to recite the beatitudes (Luke 6:20-38). Most of them don't know the Bible at all (especially the teachings of Jesus). Don't let them intimidate you into thinking they do (or be surprised if they don't care that they don't).

Their God is manufactured strictly in their own image to suit whatever they need God to be to fit into their psychologically dysfunctional worldview. When God seeks to inspire them to wake up and change their ways (which I believe God is constantly doing with us all), they regard God's own inspirations as temptation coming from satan who is trying to drag them away from the "true faith."

Do these dimwits not realize that a majority of the general public have wised up to the old adage that a lie repeated endlessly becomes the truth? If they're not careful they'll flip the public to the position that anything with "Republican" attached to it is assumed to be a lie and any angry idea that's repeated ad nauseum can absolutely not be trusted?

What's sticking in his craw is that, after pushing Palin forward and successfully having her nominated as V.P. he expected to profit handsomely, right out of college by this whole corrupt system. Now, it's possible it will all come apart before he gets that chance and the poor boy will actually have to find a way to earn an honest living. But then again, Palin is well known for hiring old friends to work in the government in Alaska. May she'll give him a gig. I hear Commissioner of Public Safety is open...

Let's throw out the Paulson/Bush/Hoover plan and solve this problem with a trickle up approach. Do exactly as Rep. Gillibrand suggests - audit the Wall Street Banking firms to establish that REAL value of the CDI's and outlaw trading in vehicles obscured by mud and subterfuge. Force rewrites of failing mortgages according to reasonable standards and, perhaps refunds to those who were duped into getting in over their heads by unscrupulous mortgage brokers, lenders and housing inspectors. Return the entire finance system to REAL numbers and accounting (increasingly cast aside beginning with the Reagan years - yes, they're boring and using them prevents massive and unearned profits, but it also creates a system that's sustainable and doesn't melt down every few decades).

After all, the underlying problem in the lending systems is that the bankers who each seem to have thought they were the the only ones stretching the truth finally realized that everybody was lying to everybody! They won't lend to each other because they don't believe a word anybody else is saying! Bring it all back to REALity and start over from there, and if money needs to be given out, give it to those at the bottom and let it trickle up! (OK, you can call me a populist!)

Perhaps you'll want to visit a different blog to find someone expressing the opinion you'd like to hear. As minister of God, I must also remind you that the son of man came into the world not as a warrior, but as a prince of peace. Those who claim to be warriors in God's name are likely serving someone or something else, as we so easily recognize in dealing with Al Qaida and other Islamic fundamentalists, but so often fail to see in ourselves.