Columbia Pastor Selectively Uses Scripture in TV Interview

Originally published at Free Tennessee:

Maury County Pastor Carol Jacobs told News 2 while speaking of her church's planned boycott of Wal-Mart in an interview this week:

We believe that there's a biblical standard that is set in the Word [a.k.a., Bible], that the gay and lesbian lifestyle is not condoned or encouraged in the Word of God.

The problem with this point of view is that Ms. Jacobs, who seems to embrace the Bible as authoritative, is in fact only pulling out certain scriptures to use on her behalf, while ignoring others that do not serve her.

How would we know this? Because first of all she is a woman in the role of a pastor at Trinity Family Church. The Bible she claims to embrace includes the following:

I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression. [St. Paul]

So, her very position in her church shows that she ignores some scripture in favor of others.

We also know of her selective use of scripture when she tells News 2 about her church's vision:

Our vision of our church is how to successfully train and teach people to live successfully in their generation.

The overwhelming bulk of scripture says nothing about success and more times than not addresses the way that the poor and other social outcasts are treated. In fact, the New Testament tends to characterize success as the path to hell (for example: "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to get into heaven"; and from St. James: "Come now,you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you"). Again, by emphasizing success, this pastor is ignoring large portions of the Bible that consider such accentuation to be perverted.

Here are some other Bible teachings that conservatives tend to ignore:

If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, you shall not deal with them as a creditor; you shall not exact interest from them. [Exodus]

Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. [Jesus]

Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none. [John the Baptist]

Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property.[Leviticus, which is the same book that religious conservatives like the Columbia pastor quote to condemn interaction with gays and lesbians]

I find it difficult to take conservatives at their word when they tell me that their opposition to gays and lesbians is based on a strong reading of the same scripture that they--and most other Christians--selectively quote from.