I woke up this morning and switched on the television. On the Comedy Network, I caught the last half of the Colbert Report where he interviewed the author of “Failing America’s Faithful” Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. She is of the view that Christian political activities are focusing too much on gay marriage, abortion, and stem cell research and forgetting the more important commandment of loving one’s neighbor (Matt. 22:39, Mark 12:31). From what she said on the Report, it sounds mostly like she’s serious about dropping those issues for the sake of loving everyone. Here’s a paraphrase on what she had to say about the Bible after Stephen quoted Lev. 18:22 (which talks about homosexuality being an abomination to God):
Well the Bible was written a long time ago, for a very specific time period. There are parts of it that sound like it’s pro-slavery but about one hundred and fifty years ago they figured it out [and stopped slavery]. Why can’t we do the same for the rest of it?
She went on to rant about how important being a community group of people, that we “learn God through others.” I’m pretty sure she’s no seminary student and neither am I but she does claim to be a “baptized democrat and Catholic.” I’m just wondering, how many Catholics out there are living with this notion of picking and choosing what to love and obey from the Bible? I mean, yes we really should be loving our neighbors, but I don’t think at the expense of loving God and the laws He gave. Never once did Jesus show compassion to a sinner without also saying something to the effect of “You’re forgiven, now stop sinning.” Even look at those passages she’s referring to about loving our neighbors. The passages coming immediately before those are the ones commanding us to first love God with all of ourselves. What do you guys think? Love God? Love others?