Please choose the right stuff!

One of my favorite episodes of West Wing is when:

President Bartlett is about to address a gathering of radio talk show hosts in the White House. As he enters the hall, they all stand and applaud. All, except one: a blond woman, wearing a green suit. At first, her presence seems to rattle the President. He loses his train of thought several times before he finally speaks directly to the sitting talk show host. “Excuse me, Doctor,” he says. “It’s good to have you here. Are you an M.D.?” “A Ph.D.,” she replies. “In psychology?” he asks. “No, sir,” she says. “Theology?” “No.” “Social work?” “I have a Ph.D. in English literature,” she says."I’m asking,” continues Bartlett, “Because on your show people call in for advice and you go by the title Doctor, and I didn’t know if maybe your listeners were confused by that and assumed you had advanced training in psychology, theology, or health care.”

“I don’t believe they are confused. No, sir,” she responds.

 

“Good,” says Bartlett. “I like your show. I like how you call homosexuality an abomination.”

“I don’t say homosexuality is an abomination, Mr. President,” she replies. “The Bible does.”

 

“Yes, it does!” Bartlett exclaims. “Leviticus 18:22.

I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I had you here. I’m interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. She’s a Georgetown sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, always cleared the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be?” 

 

He continues: “While thinking about that, can I ask another? My chief of staff, Leo McGarry, insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself or is it OK to call the police? Here’s one that’s really important, ‘cause we’ve got a lot of sports fans in this town. Touching the skin of a dead pig makes one unclean, Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point? Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother John for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads?

The lesson I draw from this is:

All modern Christians (or other religious groups for that matter) choose what they prefer from the Bible.

You can't hide behind the Bible.

So please choose the right stuff.

Comments

[Jean]

This is one of the few reasons I miss having a TV

[ainelivia]

Yes I remember it well and was so glad I videoed this episode. Cos I wanted to go back and check the quotes. I loved the one about "burning mother in a small gathering" because her clothes have two different threads.

My Mother was a devout Catholic, yet on the eve of Halloween, the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, all doors and windows had to be shut before dark and sharp objects placed before them to prevent the spirits of the dead coming in. I wonder what "President Bartlett" would think of that.

[Ronni Bennett]

I just saw this episode again sometime in the past few days. It's a good speech Bartlett gives, but I wish the writers had given her some responses beyond "no, the Bible says so." I think they wimped out.

It's still a great scene...

[fp]

I enjoyed that scene too. There's also the closing bit about how one rises when one is in the presence of the President and sits when invited.

(I of course am of two minds about that bit since I belong to a little sect founded on the principle of not taking off one's hat in the presence of nobility, even so...)

[Tamar]

Yeah, Frank, I just might be from the same sect because I so agree about not taking off hats to nobility ... for a long time have thought that things would be ever so much better if kings, queens, presidents and stuff would wash out their own toilets.

Ronni, I saw that episode on Monday night and it was particularly pertinent for me as I was considering dropping someone from my blogroll because of exactly what Bartlett was talking about - the timing was perfect!

Aine Livia, It is interesting the contradictions one almost has to get tangled up with to make a belief system "work!"

Jean, West Wing is fabulous! Too bad indeed!

[Ronni Bennett]

Frank and Tamar: Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I still believe in standing when the president of my country is in the room to recognize not him (or her someday), but the office.

The same goes for hat-doffing - not just in the presence of nobility, but in the presence of any man or woman.

However, I will not - as I once had the opportunity to do - curtsy during an introduction to foreign royalty.

But as I said, I'm probably old-fashioned and out of touch about these things.

[Tamar]

I don't know about the old fashioned stuff, Ronni. For me it is connected to being a Socialist. My dear Mar-Mar who took care of our infants was as important as any President. Her "office" as infant caregiver even more important, in my opinion. If we took our hats off to everyone for their important functions in our society - street cleaners and Kings and child care teachers and computer scientists - whoever contributes to our society ... for one cannot do anything without the other.

And yet [spoken with a twinkle in my eye] good for you! - I note that you would not curtsey for royalty ... pretty revolutionary I would say!

Hmm ... delicious ... look what you started, Frank!