Quotable Monday: The Ignorant Tight-Ass Club

I'm in the process of re-watching the entirety of one of my all time favorite shows, The West Wing. Aside from the fact that the characters on this show are, in my humble opinion, some of the best to have ever graced the small screen I am a huge fan of Aaron Sorkin and his fast paced dry wit.

I'm only on Season 2 - so its possible you'll see more clips or lines in the future, but this is one of my favorites, as Martin Sheen's character addresses the need for intelligent, culturally, and temporally contextual interpretations of religious texts. It occurs in Season 2, Episode 3 "Midterms" when President Bartlet dresses down a seated radio talk show host Dr. Jacobs (read Dr. Laura). See video and lines below:

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[ BARTLET: I like your show. I like how you call homosexuality an “abomination!” 

JACOBS: I don’t say homosexuality is an abomination, Mr. President. The Bible does.

BARTLET: Yes it does. Leviticus!

JACOBS: 18:22.

BARTLET: Chapter and verse. I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I had you here. I wanted to sell my youngest daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. She’s a Georgetown Sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, always cleared the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be?
While thinking about that, can I ask another? My chief of staff, Leo McGary, insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself? Or is it okay to call the police?
Here’s one that’s really important, because we’ve got a lot of sports fans in this town. Touching the skin of a dead pig makes one unclean. Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point? Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother John for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads? Think about those questions, would you?
One last thing. While you may be mistaking this for your monthly meeting of the Ignorant Tight-Ass Club, in this building when the President stands, nobody sits. ]




With that, happy Monday!