QUOTE : In light of religious diversity down through the ages and across continents, almost any behavior or belief might be defended or sanctioned if one leans on an isolated phrase, sentence, or story from sacred texts, or an obscure religious document. Therefore, when assessing the importance of religious assertions, it is important to determine whether or not the basis for a given assertion is found in primary or secondary texts, whether the teachings are credited to an individual who carries little or much weight within the religious tradition, and whether or not the assertion is an anomaly in a tradition that overwhelmingly supports an opposing point of view. It is also important to scrutinize translations when assessing critical passages.