Home / Quotes / Quote by John Shelby Spong

Quote by John Shelby Spong

“You need to identify the values that come out of that kind of belief system, because I don't see them. All the polls I look at say, for example, that adultery is committed as much in the Bible Belt as in any other part of the country. The same goes for abortion, child abuse, spouse abuse or murder.”

Quote by John Shelby Spong

Author

John Shelby Spong

John Shelby Spong is an American author and theologian known for his modern interpretations of Christian doctrine and his challenges to traditional religious beliefs. His work spans multiple fields, including religion, theology, history, and literature. more

You May Also Like

“Spy plots are hard, really hard.”

Author:Rashida Jones

“There are some great values in Christianity, but I think the values are located more deeply in our humanity than they are in our religion. There are certainly some survival values.”

Thinking Values Humanity Christianity Survival Great Value

Author:John Shelby Spong

“If you're going to live in a community, you have to refrain from killing one another and stealing from one another. You must have honor and honesty in your dealings with one another. But I think the deeper thing that we need to do is to become so fully human that we don't grasp at life; we give life away. We give love away. We give being away. That is the ultimate work of religion.”

Ifs Thinking Needs Giving Humans Community Honesty Honor Ultimate Killing Deeper Stealing Refrain Dealings

Author:John Shelby Spong

“I see Christianity in very humanistic terms.”

Term Christianity Humanistic

Author:John Shelby Spong

“I think the story of the Christian faith is how you can become more deeply and fully human, not how you can become religious. And I don't see any indication that being religious makes you more moral.”

Thinking Humans Stories Christian Religious Moral Indication Christian Faith

Author:John Shelby Spong

“The 20th century was a turning point; it freed and emancipated women, broke the back of segregation, and began the struggle to give justice to gay and lesbian people. But the Christian church, in both Catholic and Protestant forms, resisted every one of those humanizing developments. The church was on the wrong side of all three of those fights.”

People Giving Christian Form Fighting Three Sides Church Justice Struggle Century Development Gay Catholic Broke 20th Century Segregation Protestants Turning Points Christian Church

Author:John Shelby Spong

“Some people in the church, like Martin Luther King, Jr., came out against segregation. But if you look at the bulk of organized religion, you will discover that it endorsed slavery and quoted the Bible to approve it; the Pope even owned slaves.”

People Ifs Looks Church Kings Slavery Slave Organized Pope Segregation Luther Organized Religion

Author:John Shelby Spong

“I grew up in North Carolina being told that the Bible approves slavery and segregation, that it was the will of God.”

Grew Grew Up Slavery Gods Will Segregation Carolina North Carolina

Author:John Shelby Spong

“The Hebrew scriptures say it's okay to enslave anybody except your fellow Jews. It says you should enslave only your neighbors. I say to people that means Mexicans and Canadians are a bit at risk if we want to be literal about the Bible.”

People Ifs Want Should Mean Bits Risk Okay Fellows Jew Neighbor Scripture Literal Hebrew

Author:John Shelby Spong

“In supporting argument for segregation, Paul [the apostol] addresses the people in his epistle to the Colossians, and he tells them how to treat their slaves. "Slaves, obey your masters. Masters, be kind to yourslaves." Paul was in favor of a kinder and gentler slavery; it never occurred to him to raise the question about whether slavery itself was immoral.”

People Kind Masters Argument Treats Raises Slavery Slave Favors Addresses Be Kind Immoral Segregation Kinder Colossians

Author:John Shelby Spong