Alabama state official defends Roy Moore, citing Joseph and Mary

[GMDino]

Because the bible belt apparently can't a person's arse from showing.help these guy's pants on...


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/11/09/alabama-state-official-defends-roy-moore-citing-joseph-and-mary-they-became-parents-of-jesus/?utm_term=.2d7a61f831fe

Quote:An Alabama state official on Thursday dismissed a Washington Post report alleging that GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore had initiated a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old girl decades ago, saying there was an age gap between the biblical Joseph and Mary. The Post also alleged that Moore had pursued three others when they were between the ages of 16 and 18 and he was in his early 30s.


“Take Joseph and Mary. Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became parents of Jesus,” Alabama State Auditor Jim Ziegler told The Washington Examiner. “There’s just nothing immoral or illegal here. Maybe just a little bit unusual.”


In the Bible, Mary is the mother of Jesus, and Joseph became her husband. Beliefs about the specific story of Joseph and Mary and Jesus’ birth vary widely in Christian history and across traditions. Mary is referred to in scripture as a virgin, but there is disagreement about what that means. Generally, however, Christians believe that Mary was a virgin when he was born. Joseph is usually referred to as Jesus’ “father” or a father figure.

The Bible does not state Mary and Joseph’s specific ages, but she is usually understood to be a teenager, and Joseph was an adult.


Moore is a judge and the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate in Alabama, one of the most solidly evangelical states in the country. 
He was twice elected to and twice removed from the state Supreme Court after refusing to follow church-state laws. In 2003, he refused to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state judicial building. In 2016, he was suspended after ordering judges to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples.


Multiple evangelical leaders slammed Ziegler.


“Bringing Joseph and Mary into a modern-day molestation accusation, where a 32-year-old prosecutor is accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl, is simultaneously ridiculous and blasphemous,” said Ed Stetzer, a pastor and church consultant who chairs the Billy Graham Center of Church, Mission and Evangelism at Wheaton College. “Even those who followed ancient marriage customs, which we would not follow today, knew the difference between molesting and marriage.”

[A short history of Roy Moore’s controversial interpretations of the Bible]


“Women were chattel back then, they were traded — of course they married men who were much older and had multiple wives,” said the Rev. Amy Butler, senior minister of the Riverside Church, a historical and prominent interdenominational church in New York City. “It’s completely ludicrous to equate the sex assault of a minor with an ancient culture. It’s ludicrous . . . It makes me want to rip the church back from these people.”


The topic is addressed in the Gospel of Luke (1:26-38)


“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.’”

Earlier this year, Moore received high-profile endorsements from conservative leaders such as psychologist and radio host James Dobson, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins and National Organization for Marriage president Brian Brown.



In an email to supporters on Thursday, Moore told his supporters, “the forces of evil are on the march in our country. We are in the midst of a spiritual battle with those who want to silence our message.”

[BmorePat87]

I just wish they'd at least say "this is unbecoming and reprehensible behavior".

Trump's excuse was the women were too ugly. Moore's is that if it were true, someone would have said something by now.

[Belsnickel]

The number of people defending him is puzzling. Sean Hannity tried to say it was consensual. 14 year olds can't consent...

[*jason*]

(11-09-2017, 11:52 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: The number of people defending him is puzzling. Sean Hannity tried to say it was consensual. 14 year olds can't consent...

Yet another reason to disregard anything that comes outta Hannity's mouth.

[Belsnickel]

(11-09-2017, 11:57 PM)jason Wrote: Yet another reason to disregard anything that comes outta Hannity's mouth.

Yeah, he then proceeded to attack Jake Tapper for fake news when he referenced a transcript of Hannity's own words saying it was consensual. It was one of the most ridiculous things.

[*bfine32*]

Absolutely no excuses for this type of action if true. Kudos to my boys Mitch, Pence, and others from the GOP disregarding politics and seeing this for what it is

[Belsnickel]

(11-10-2017, 12:04 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Absolutely no excuses for this type of action if true. Kudos to my boys Mitch, Pence, and others from the GOP disregarding politics and seeing this for what it is

Absolutely. When I heard about Mitch's comment I was very happy about that. I hadn't heard about what Pence may have said. Most people I have seen have been focusing on folks defending Moore since that makes better click bait and is what's people in my social media feed tend to be sharing.

[SunsetBengal]

(11-09-2017, 11:50 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: I just wish they'd at least say "this is unbecoming and reprehensible behavior".

Trump's excuse was the women were too ugly. Moore's is that if it were true, someone would have said something by now.

While I agree completely with what you say,  the entire notion of defending a grown man's sexual advances toward a juvenile with reference the Bible is absurd.  When I read the original story it brought a few questions to mind.  Why would a mother of a teenage daughter going to a custody hearing allow her daughter to sit outside with a strange man?  Second, why didn't the girl let her mother know that the man asked for her phone number?  Third, why would she allow her daughter to leave with said man in an automobile??

Man is likely a creeper, no doubt.  However, this story has some puzzling questions.

Also, why try to make it partisan, by referencing Trump?  It's not like previous Democrat Presidents haven't also had aggressive sexual advance complaints..

[*bfine32*]

(11-10-2017, 12:05 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Absolutely. When I heard about Mitch's comment I was very happy about that. I hadn't heard about what Pence may have said. Most people I have seen have been focusing on folks defending Moore since that makes better click bait and is what's people in my social media feed tend to be sharing

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/mitch-mcconnell-and-chorus-of-republican-senators-call-on-roy-moore-to-step-aside-in-alabama-senate-race/2017/11/09/4e6da1d2-c57b-11e7-84bc-5e285c7f4512_story.html?hpid=hp_rhp-top-table-main_mcconnell-255p%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&tid=a_inl&utm_term=.b9481f6e0c07
Vice President Pence also “found the allegations in the story disturbing and believes, if true, this would disqualify anyone from serving in office,” said spokeswoman Alyssa Farah.

[NATI BENGALS]

It will all blow over. He found a way to blame Hillary and Obama.

[BmorePat87]

(11-10-2017, 12:08 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Also, why try to make it partisan, by referencing Trump?  It's not like previous Democrat Presidents haven't also had aggressive sexual advance complaints..

He's currently the most powerful politician who has experienced the same thing. It's the most relevant immediate comparison. 

[Belsnickel]

(11-10-2017, 12:18 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: It will all blow over. He found a way to blame Hillary and Obama.

At least when Obama et al blamed Bush 43, he was actually a predecessor in the office. The fascination with Hillary is off.

[SunsetBengal]

(11-10-2017, 12:20 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: He's currently the most powerful politician who has experienced the same thing. It's the most relevant immediate comparison. 

So, no thoughts on the previous part of my post?  Only want to cherry pick the one sentence that you want to respond to?

[BmorePat87]

(11-10-2017, 12:26 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: So, no thoughts on the previous part of my post?  Only want to cherry pick the one sentence that you want to respond to?

I didn't really disagree with anything else in the post (there are many questions, as with any serious allegations) so I just focused on your question to me (I assumed the other questions were rhetorical and just you making your point). 

[*bfine32*]

(11-10-2017, 12:20 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: He's currently the most powerful politician who has experienced the same thing. It's the most relevant immediate comparison. 

So Trump was accused of making sexual advances toward a 14 year old when he was in his 30s? Or maybe there's another reason besides "He's currently the most powerful politician who has experienced the same thing" that motivated your introduction of him into the equation. 

Only you know the true answer. 

[SunsetBengal]

(11-10-2017, 12:28 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: I didn't really disagree with anything else in the post (there are many questions, as with any serious allegations) so I just focused on your question to me (I assumed the other questions were rhetorical and just you making your point). 

So you only look to respond to thing that you disagree with? 

[BmorePat87]

(11-10-2017, 12:29 AM)bfine32 Wrote: So Trump was accused of making sexual advances toward a 14 year old when he was in his 30s? Or maybe there's another reason besides "He's currently the most powerful politician who has experienced the same thing" that motivated your introduction of him into the equation. 

Only you know the true answer. 

He was accused of walking in on teen girls as they were naked at a pageant and is known to have told teen girls he'd be dating them in a few years, but he was in his 40's at the time.

But, seriously, we all know I am referring to just the fact that he was the target of allegations of sexual misconduct by multiple women, just like Moore, and I was commenting on their responses to these similar experiences. I didn't realize the age was the only thing some people were focused on, but I'm sure you'll have a good response in your further attempts to make even more of an ass out of yourself. 

Edit: I really blew it by not making fun of this line "Only you know the true answer." Oh well, maybe next time I'll mock the snarky way you end your post.

[BmorePat87]

(11-10-2017, 12:32 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: So you only look to respond to thing that you disagree with? 

If I have nothing more to add, I won't always respond to something, no. 

Do you have an issue with that? The tone I got from the last post was almost like you thought I was dismissing your thoughts on that, which I wasn't.

[*bfine32*]

(11-10-2017, 12:46 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: He was accused of walking in on teen girls as they were naked at a pageant and is known to have told teen girls he'd be dating them in a few years, but he was in his 40's at the time.

But, seriously, we all know I am referring to just the fact that he was the target of allegations of sexual misconduct by multiple women, just like Moore, and I was commenting on their responses to these similar experiences. I didn't realize the age was the only thing some people were focused on, but I'm sure you'll have a good response in your further attempts to make even more of an ass out of yourself. 

Moore was accused of sexual misconduct toward children. I do not consider the two situations similar at all and took issue with the comparison.


Hopefully my attempt to make an ass out of myself was to your satisfaction. 

[SunsetBengal]

(11-10-2017, 12:48 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: If I have nothing more to add, I won't always respond to something, no. 

Do you have an issue with that? The tone I got from the last post was almost like you thought I was dismissing your thoughts on that, which I wasn't.

Well, I did find it a bit off putting, as I responded to your entire post.  I only added the final sentence as an afterthought, and that was the only thing that you chose to remark on.