There are those who insist that we take every word of the Bible as literally true. In the case of the New Testament, that absolute literal truth would become a moral imperative: "it would be better if anyone who leads astray one of these simple believers were to be plunged into the sea with a great millstone fastened around his neck". What then should be the attitude of such people to this statement, this virtual divine imperative? Over the past few decades, there have been an intolerable number of instances of people abusing little children and minors, whether sexually, physically, psychologically or socio-politically. Some countries are beginning to draft severe legislation for the punishment of the sexual abuse of children. Yet none has ever suggested that these abusers of little ones should ever be executed as Jesus seems to suggest. We do not, in fact, take this injunction literally. Does this mean that we ignore Jesus' teaching? No. In such instances we best obey Jesus' teaching, not be following his words literally but by listening to and recognizing the seriousness of the sinful behaviour of which he speaks. There are many instances of human behaviour that we should not, under any circumstances, take lightly or deal with leniently.