The truth is as both a pastor and a student of the Bible I can make the text say whatever I want. My community trusts that I'm approaching the text authentically and scholastically. And I do try. However, Christianity in America has departed so far from a scholastic understanding of the Bible that churches, pastors, leaders, etc. have created interpretations of the text that no way reflect the person of Jesus. Today we look at one piece of scripture that has been mutilated from its original intent, in the hopes that we can reclaim a path that follows Jesus into actions of love, compassion, and mercy.