They often saw the Bible as being as much a part of the problem as the solution. To be fair, they often found great solace in the broad themes of the Bible. They knew the prophets and Jesus’ own words about how the poor deserve dignity and are loved by God. It was true that insomuch as they spoke about these things they echoed a tradition that I knew, but other elements of the Christian story were changed and shifted in a way that I could not quite articulate. Moreover, I was told repeatedly that