What Is Written in the Law? How Do They Read It in Tennessee?

And behold, a lawyer from Tennessee (the Volunteer State) stood up to put Jesus to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to put my religious beliefs and personal principles into practice?” He said to the lawyer, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”  And he said to him, “You have answered right; do this, and you will live.”

But he, desiring to justify himself to the Evangelical Christian voters in his state said to Jesus, “And just who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A bisexual man was going down from Nashville to Murfreesboro, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and left him bleeding in a ditch, leaving him feeling anxious and panicky – it was probably post-traumatic stress disorder. Now by chance a psychologist was going down that road; and when he saw the vulnerable bisexual man, he passed by on the other side citing his sincerely held religious beliefs. So likewise a licensed therapist, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the far side of the road.”

The lawyer interrupted Jesus at this point. “Teacher, thank you for the lesson. This is exactly what we thought you’d say.” And he turned and departed from Jesus.

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