Quoting Scripture Out of Context

One of my pet peeves are those who take Scripture out of context, quoting a verse, or a portion of a verse, but ignoring the context in which it is found.

And since quoting scripture out of context is practically a national past time in America, I get peeved a lot.

But today we have the spectacle of our quasi-Islamic president, B. Hussein Obama, before the people of Cairo, Egypt, quoting from the Koran.

Indeed, none of us should tolerate these extremists. They have killed in many countries. They have killed people of different faiths but, more than any other, they have killed Muslims. Their actions are irreconcilable with the rights of human beings, the progress of nations, and with Islam.

The Holy Koran teaches that whoever kills an innocent is as -- it is as it if has killed all mankind. And the Holy Koran also says whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind.

I like the message. It's a great message. Unfortunately, it is totally out of context within the passage from the Koran:

"5.32": For this reason did We prescribe to the children of Israel that whoever slays a soul, unless it be for manslaughter or for mischief in the land, it is as though he slew all men; and whoever keeps it alive, it is as though he kept alive all men; and certainly Our apostles came to them with clear arguments, but even after that many of them certainly act extravagantly in the land.

It is an admonition to the Jews not to kill Muslims. The following verse explains the context even more:

"5.33": The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His apostle and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement,

You can understand why President Obama did not quote this verse, which clearly would fuel the righteous fire of extremists.

And we were worried about how they would feel about water boarding?