Abomination Quote by Barack Obama
“Which passages of scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is OK and that eating shellfish is an abomination? Or we could go with Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith?”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public remarks, Barack Obama, date unknown
Questions the suitability of ancient religious laws for modern governance.
In simple terms: Ancient scripture may not fit today's policies.
Key Takeaway
Critically assess religious texts for lawmaking.
Themes
law
religion
ethics
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- legislative drafting
- public debate
- education curricula
Key Concepts
scripture interpretation
public policy
secularism
Questions to Reflect On
- Should modern law be secular or informed by religion?
- How to reconcile ancient morals with contemporary values?
A Different Perspective
Religious texts can be interpreted in many ways, causing disagreement.
![“[T]he Old Testament, [...] if considered as a general rule of conduct, would lead to consequences destructive of all principles of humanity and morality.” quote by David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c3a/david-hume-538_bible_t-he-old-testament-if-considered-as-a-ge_3184846.jpg)
![“That is another theme in the book [Dreams from My Father]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we get the black to see through the eyes of the white? Or the citizen to see through the eyes of the immigrant? Or the straight to see through the eyes of the gay? That has…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/barack-obama-17_black_that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams_10185.jpg)
