The Sins of Scripture: Exposing the Bible's Texts of Hate to Reveal the God of Love, by John Shelby Spong, is the book under review today. It is a nauseating exercise in trying to make the Bible politically correct. Spong's main technique to do this is to throw out baby and bathwater at once.
I had this book on loan from the library for four months. It took three months to read it, and another month to write this review. The book is pure Satanism. The surname "Spong" is an ancient and honored one among Anglican clergy. But Shelby shows that the Spong name rose to prominence in the Church through man-pleasing, not God pleasing. Spong has written many popular books about the Bible. He is invited to travel often and address large crowds of people with his Marcion-like view of the Bible.
Spong's book doesn't advocate burning babies. What makes it Satanic is its all out assault on the Bible. Spong presents himself as your smiling best friend, who loves the Bible just like you do. But his love of the Bible only consists of throwing away the strong meat of the word. Shelby preaches love, but neglects the importance of hating what is wrong.
Just like any Satanist, Spong knows what he is talking about. Spong does indeed know the Bible very well. But his conclusions are exactly the opposite of what they should be. He tries to convince his readers by repeating himself ad nauseum.
Every page of Shelby's book is so full of lies, I was surprised to find some bits of truth in it. But Spong only repeated those bits of truth that he thought would invalidate the Bible in peoples eyes. Spong spent three pages outlining the case that Jesus was a married man. Married to Mary Magdalene. Spong is correct; Jesus was married. Why this should weaken the credibility of the Bible is beyond me. It has always been understood that you have to study the Bible carefuly before it yields its secrets. The other bit of truth that surprised me was Spong's frank admission that the Bible teaches against Copernicus' heresy. Yes, the Bible teaches that the earth is at the center of the universe.
Spong preaches against positive institutions like slavery, spanking children, patriarchy, and in favor of gay marriage, evolution, women having the vote, and other so-called liberal perversions.
If there was ever going to be a book burning in this country, I would recommend Shelby Spong's book as the first candidate on the list.
Shelby Spong is my exact opposite; he read the Bible honestly and thoroughly, and came to the same conclusions about what it said as I did. Whereas I embrace the dark corners of the Bible, Shelby rejects the Bible in favor of his own understanding. Isn't this pure Satanism? He makes himself God, or judge, by deciding what is right or wrong.
I read the Skeptic's Annotated Bible. The atheists wrote it in an attempt to destroy peoples faith. I read it just to make sure I didn't miss any "good" bits.
John Shelby Spong is a new Marcion. Like Marcion, he convinces people to throw away the "dirty" bits of the Bible. Spong is anathema. He should be punished with the full punishment of those who try to mislead the people into following another God. The Old Testament Law, which he rejects, specifies stoning to death. And let no man pity him, for the evil he has wrought in Israel is great. Let him repent if he can.