To the football coaches praying at midfield, the political lampreys laying hands on heavily

[raging moderate]

8. No, many Protestant churches teach that Jesus spoke in parables.

The United Methodist Church teaches that Jesus spoke in parables. Because He did. And they embrace sacred tradition of many kinds. It is the Fundamentalists who read literally and without context, and pounce on phrases that prop up their egos. If you read Matthew 25 aloud to them with slow speed and proper enunciation and pauses at the commas, they become flustered and rush out to insist that it cannot possibly mean what it means, because obviously only members of their little club could be accepted into Heaven.

Matthew 25:40: When the Son of Man shall come in his glory....Before him shall be gathered all nations....Then shall this King say unto them on his right hand, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the fountation of the world. For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; I was naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me....Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."