Sometimes, I cannot go to sleep at night. You know how it is.
It could be a test that you're worried about, a fight with a friend that hasn't been cleared up, a person you adore from afar but have no idea on how to break the ice, the speech you have tomorrow, a presentation, a paper, a letdown, a project or a wish.
These are all things that can keep you awake, relentlessly and painfully. But I have a personal cure - I call a friend.
Meet my friend Marlon.
Young, black, intelligent and often agreeable to hang out with, he's a fun guy, one of my old run-around boys, and definitely not someone who will put you to sleep.
However, my homie Marlon is a strict Christian fundamentalist. Thus, trends such as homophobia, sexism, Christian nationalism and scrupulous interpretations of the Bible shape his views. Since I am one to argue, I always take this subject head-on as a challenge. Sometimes, I purposely start arguments to see where they are going to lead. This is when he brings out his Bible quotes, and my sleeping problem is cured.
But lately, I've decided to play his game - the old game of conservatives who cite the text.
I've been reading the Bible, and let me tell you, I have spotted many homosexual metaphors. Doing a little research, this leads me to believe the Bible is a conservative text in some areas, but a progressive text in most. Some of the basic investments of progressivism can be found in the Bible, and they come into conflict with many conservative ideologies (welfare is bad, family is the only center, nationalism, anti-sexuality, etc.).
Steve Kangas has compiled a list of essays that could be used to support this argument on his web page, titled "Liberal Resurgent: A Response to the Right." He provides some very interesting Biblical quotes that progressives might find quite interesting and that the right might find confusing. Consider the following:
On national defense: Jesus said, "Love your enemies" and "Blessed are the peace makers." (Matthew 5:44, 5:9, 5:39)
On social programs: "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." (Matthew 19:21)
On financial success: "You can not serve both God and money." (Matthew 6:24)
On the philosophy that "greed is good": "Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15)
On paying taxes: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." (Matthew 22:22)
On money-hungry televangelists: "In the temple courts, (Jesus) found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins and money changers and overturned their tables." (John 2:14, 15)
On family: "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers." (Matthew 10:5, 6)
On letting others pull themselves up by their own bootstraps: "But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (Luke 14:13)
In addition to these quotes, there are a few that can be linked to human sexuality (check out Song of Songs 5:2-6 ... it's a riot!) and abortion (something not directly found). Conservatives just might be shocked.
Still, one could even argue that the main man of the book, Jesus (pronounced "Hey-sues" in my languages) was not only a liberal, but as Kangas argues, a radical liberal who advocated a big redistribution of wealth. (Some may counter this with the belief that, in Jesus' time, social and economic systems were different. If so, the Bible should cease being a "moral authority" for modern times.)
His beliefs still seem pretty radical by today's standards and are a mine of information for progressive arguers. Some might even argue he was a socialist.
I admit, I'm just starting this project, and it is exciting to me. For that reason, the Bible has been added to my collection on my shelf along with many others. However, it is one of many, not the only one. Yet, it will soon serve as one of my sources in the forging of my ideology and my life.
And I strongly believe, if many progressives follow this practice, we might be sleeping better. Some of our conservative friends, such as my homie Marlon, might be spending late nights wide awake ... thinking.
Contreras is a senior
history and English major.