What foolishness.

"Christianity is defended not so much because it is true, but because it reinforces the `American way of life.'"

Christianity shaped the early American way of life. Americans' 'way of life' has changed so now it's being called 'conservative Christianity' to distinguish it from what? Liberal Christianity, social Christianity, pseudo-Christianity? It's called 'conservative' because it adheres to the traditional teachings of the Bible. Now (as always) people want all the 'yeses' and none of the 'noes'. They want the loving Jesus but not the righteous Jesus. There's only one Jesus who comprises both.

I am only familiar with one other quote of Philip Brooks and it is...

What foolishness.

"Christianity is defended not so much because it is true, but because it reinforces the `American way of life.'"

Christianity shaped the early American way of life. Americans' 'way of life' has changed so now it's being called 'conservative Christianity' to distinguish it from what? Liberal Christianity, social Christianity, pseudo-Christianity? It's called 'conservative' because it adheres to the traditional teachings of the Bible. Now (as always) people want all the 'yeses' and none of the 'noes'. They want the loving Jesus but not the righteous Jesus. There's only one Jesus who comprises both.

I am only familiar with one other quote of Philip Brooks and it is awesome, but to say that all the conservatives of Jesus' day were against him is probably reading more into his language of 200 yrs. ago than is there. He would certainly not recognize the current pop-culture description of Christianity.

John 7:45-8:11 (which includes the woman caught in adultery) are not found in the most reliable and earliest manuscripts. That's besides the point. Jesus Christ was not opposed to the Law of Moses; after all if he is God incarnate which 'conservative' Christians believe, he was the one who instituted them. What he opposed was 'the traditions of men'; ie., the distortions and "fences" added to the spirit of the Mosaic Law given to Israel.

Sorry for the rant. Couldn't let this one pass. Said my piece. Done. :~)

Nor was it a complement. I've said a LOT about that phrase, but my favorite is here.

Don't blame the carnival barker for fleecing a mark. That's what
Carnies do. If you don't want to be treated like a mark, don't go to
the Carnival.

Hasn't the fact that you are on every "Christian
Lending" and "Christian Home Business Opportunity" and "Christian Vinyl
Siding" sucker list given you a clue by now? These days, all you need
to sell some poor diseased pig in a poke is to slap a fish sticker on
it's ass and take it to Church with y...

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Nor was it a complement. I've said a LOT about that phrase, but my favorite is here.

Don't blame the carnival barker for fleecing a mark. That's what
Carnies do. If you don't want to be treated like a mark, don't go to
the Carnival.

Hasn't the fact that you are on every "Christian
Lending" and "Christian Home Business Opportunity" and "Christian Vinyl
Siding" sucker list given you a clue by now? These days, all you need
to sell some poor diseased pig in a poke is to slap a fish sticker on
it's ass and take it to Church with you.

You might want to ask
yourself why you are sending money to people who are obviously too dumb
to count it, and you might want to ask the other obvious question:

"Am I really THAT gullible?"

Yeah.
At least in the context of the herd. When Jesus said, "feed my sheep,"
it wasn't a complement and he wasn't TALKING to the biggest sheep.