Rev. Kate was talking about how the things we agree with in the Bible we tend to think are meant literally, and the things we don't agree on are up for interpretation (side note: I'm one who things it's all up to interpretation, but sometimes the interpretation comes back around to, "Oh, this is meant literally), and it made me think of probably my favorite Granny Weatherwax (a witch) lines from the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett (from a scene in which she's having a conversation with an Omnian priest):
"...And that's what your holy men discuss, is it?" [asked Granny Weatherwax.]
"Not usually. There is a very interesting debate raging at the moment on the nature of sin, for example." [answered Mightily Oats.]
"And what do they think? Against it, are they?"
"It's not as simple as all that. It's not a black and white issue. There are so many shades of gray."
"Nope."
"Pardon?"
"There's no grays, only white that's got grubby. I'm surprised you don't
know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including
yourself. That's what sin is."
"It's a lot more complicated than that--"
"No. It ain't. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that,
they means they're getting worried that they won't like the truth. People as things, that's where it starts."
"Oh, I'm sure there are worse crimes--"
"But they starts with thinking about people as things..."
--from Carpe Jugulum, by Terry Pratchett
Now I wish I could find my copy--as I recall there's several other great Granny quotes in that one. I probably should read more intellectual stuff, but I enjoy this stuff so much...
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