There Is No Limit to Weaponizing the Bible



The favorite phrase of Chirstian Bible readers is, "What this means is...." Since no license or credentials are needed to use this phrase it can be used by anyone for any purpose. One place of tension with the Christian community and non believers is also controversial among Christians. It is whether or not there should be laws against "sin." An author in Christianity Today thinks the Christian has an obligation to not only remove sin from her own life but pass laws that penalize "sin" in society. "Sin" that becomes some acceptable practice common in the culture is called "systematic sin." Christians have a obligation, the link says, to support laws against systematic sin.

I've always speculated about why Christians cannot see that the culture keeps changing and making behaviors that were taboos acceptable. Since this seems to have been happening since even before Christianity why don't Christians, I've wondered, give up? Why don't they see their opposition today against gay marriage, trans and abortion as fruitless as their former opposition to alcohol and divorce?

The answer seems to have different parts. "The sky is falling" is a reliable technique to trigger emotions. Thus, declaring sin is taking over society excites part of the community of faith and helps preserve membership. 

To compliment this, the Bible remains available to be weaponized against whatever is today's favorite alarming sin. Picking among the many sins available for demonization, clever branches of the faith can use this to help advance themselves or their own religious organization.

Trying to pass laws to stop sins of choice is futile. But it is profitable.   

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