Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Dobson vs. Obama on "the Bible"

I'd link to this story, but it's an AP story, and apparently they don't want people doing that.

The jist of the story is that James Dobson (of "Focus on the Family"), that great authority on what constitutes an "abomination" in the sight of God, has accused Barack Obama of having a "fruitcake" mentality about the Bible. Obama had the audacity to suggest that, even if we declared this a Christian nation, and we expelled every non-Christian from America, we would still have an argument about whose Christianity should rule. He said some other things, but I fear that paraphrasing more of the article might get me in trouble with the AP, so you'll have to just go look it up yourself.

Here's the point. Obama should just ignore Dobson. He shouldn't suggest meeting with Dobson to talk about religion. He shouldn't legitimize Dobson's theofascist organization with any kind of comment. The answer to this whole argument is very simple: "The Bible is irrelevant to civil law." Of course, saying that would be political suicide in a country where 92% of people believe in God, whatever that means. But my point stands. We cannot make laws base on Biblical precepts. Laws should be vetted only by their constitutionality. Therefore, any argument about whose interpretation of the Bible should govern is moot and frankly idiotic. And therefore it is Dobson who is, in fact, the fruitcake.