By now, i’m sure all of you have heard about Dobson’s criticisms of a 2006 Obama speech. instead of adding to the endless commentary, i’m going to go the way of my friends and refer you to Scot McKnight:
Here’s my take: Dobson and his companion commentator routinely distorted what Obama was saying by rephrasing and capturing what he said in their own context and for their own agendas. For instance, Obama hypothesized (Dobson didn’t get this) what would happen if we moved all nonChristians out of our society. Even then, he was suggesting, we’d have diversity. Then, Obama asked, if we lived out the Bible which parts would we choose? Would it be Leviticus or Deuteronomy — and he brings up shell fish and stoning one’s son — or would it be the Sermon on the Mount, which Obama stated would be difficult for the Defense Dept to apply. Dobson and his guest got into how the OT laws aren’t for today.
What they miss here is that Obama is talking about how to live in a pluralistic society.
Read the rest of the article here.
July 2, 2008 at 2:52 am
Here is another take on it, from Christianity Today.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/juneweb-only/127-11.0.html