To anyone familiar with Alabama politics or just Alabama in general this should come as no surprise.
Most of the Republican candidates for governor believe in creationism, all believe prayer should be restored in schools (as if any person cannot offer a silent prayer to God at any time), but one in particular echoed the problem that is espoused by every Christian preacher I have ever heard, even though most don't admit it.
"I think there are parts of the Bible that are meant to be literally true and parts that are not," said Bradley Byrne.
This allows "Christians" to use a few particular verses from the Bible to condemn gays, while ignoring the verses that forbid eating shellfish or wearing polyester blends or playing football. It even allows them to ignore the teachings of Jesus and get a divorce on a whim, while denying gays the right to marriage because the Bible says marriage is between a man and a woman.
Their other views cannot be ignored either.
Byrne, Bill Johnson, and James Potts have "some belief in evolution" with God behind the process. That leaves the others; Roy Moore, Tim James, Robert Bentley and Kay Ivey as strict 6 day creationists.
On religious displays on government property, Kay Ivey believes "only Jewish and Christian displays should be allowed on government property."
Roy Moore (who was ousted from the state Supreme court because he refused to remove a washing machine size display of the Ten Commandments from the Supreme Court building) thinks that goes too far. (That Moore would allow a Muslim display goes against conventional wisdom 100%).
Candidate Potts said displays of all faiths should be allowed, unless they are Muslim. "Either you accept our way of life or you go back to another country that is Muslim."
None of those views comes as a surprise, but admitting that Christians pick and choose which parts of the Bible to believe ironically makes Byrne the most believable.
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Comments
You omitted something. Byrne also indicated that "it is unimportant whether some details of the Bible, such as people living for hundreds of years, are factually correct."
You're putting words in his mouth. I could read those two statements to mean many things, but your meaning isn't one of them.
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