Assuming, for the sake of argument, that God is the sort of being to which the limited human concept of "approval" can be applied, how does one discern what God does or does not approve of?

Oh, Niec, it's because some guy says God spoke through this collection of books that was written by a bunch of other guys who claimed to be in direct communication with God while writing said collection of books. Though according to some opinions, the guys writing the books were a little wonky. And according to other opinions, there were no mythological 'guys' because God Himself wrote the books and delivered them to King James. So they are an absolutely undeniably verifiable source for what God approves of. Though according to some opinions, only when read literally. And according to others, only when read in light of developing Jewish jurisprudence. And according to yet others, the Jewish part of the collection aren't really all that important any more, just those other non-Jewish books tacked onto the end.
See? Easy. :)

[QUOTE=mlarue75;264778]Um, well, not exactly (grin) but I would agree with the Reconstructionists, just this once, that they are our sacred texts because they are our sacred texts, regardless of who wrote them or did not write them..[/QUOTE]

do you know who said that originally??? because that rings so true.

[QUOTE=moonlighttruths;327142]do you know who said that originally??? because that rings so true.[/QUOTE]Well, one of our frequent posters says that, but I don't know who said it originally.  I'd guess R. Kaplan himself, though maybe not in so many words.  (Probably in a lot MORE words.)  :D

The more I learn of Reconstructionism, the more it makes sense to me.  I guess deep down I believe it, but I can hardly tell that to my 4th grade Hebrew school class.