The tendency of many leaders of the religious right and Republicans to focus on purity and on following the letter of the law while ignoring its spirit is not a problem unique to American politics…the idea–repeated by the prophets, Christ, and then throughout the epistles–that more is required of us than simple belief or a statement of faith is made especially clear in James. “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and they shudder!” (James 2:18-19).