Bible Mutilation

When I read cultural observers, authors and pundits chiming in on scripture, trying to argue what it says and it what it means and how it applies to our lives, I don't know whether to laugh or cry sometimes.

Laugh, because many of the opinions and non-qualified interpretations they offer are so utterly ridiculous (as they betray media's bias and prejudice to the orthodox things of God) as to cause one to chuckle in disbelief. Cry? Maybe because time and again we have to withstand God's holy Word being mutilated and manipulated by unbelievers and ignorant believers who then exercise influence on a largely iliterate Biblical generation, if not a dim-witted one at that.

The latest example of such, being Lisa Miller's latest Newsweek column ("Our Mutual Joy" at http://www.newsweek.com/id/172653) which actually argues that in the aftermath of the election victories of 'Yes to Marriage' in Florida, and initiatives like Prop. 8 in California, "the Bible and Jesus say many important things about love and family, neither explicitly defines marriage as between one man and one woman. And second, as the examples above illustrate, no sensible modern person wants marriage - theirs or anyone else's - to look in its particulars anything like what the Bible describes." Miller inexplicably writes that even though opponents of same-sex marriage often cite scripture, what the Bible really teaches about love argues for the other side."

In lieu of the considerable teaching in the Bible from Genesis to the maps in the back which condemns homosexuality as an abominable sin (among several others), to say nothing of her poor understanding of contextual biblical doctrine and its authorship, I still wonder how someone of such intellect could miss such a large boat? I wondered if Miller read Jesus quoting Gen. 2 in laying out the standard of marriage as hetrosexual in Mt. 19? Regardless of the plain meaning of scripture to you and I, remember as you witness to others and quote the Bible to the lost which we must, what the Word says itself about their receptivity to it, " ..the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Cor. 4:4)."

Don't be discouraged by this truth, just understand it and remember we were there once. This undestanding will tame your discouragment and dissapointment with those you testify to. Pray for them and continue to share nonetheless, sowing seeds of love (Mt. 13) as God and His Spirit will take care of the rest in due time.