That is what he said. That is what the apostle, Paul, really said, in one of the oldest letters we have, from one of the earliest and most beloved of born-again Christians, addressed to some of the earliest non-believer-to-Christian converts, who were, among other things, behaving as if they part of the Family on C Street.

Despite his conversion, and his abiding faith in forgiveness, it's not altogether surprising that Paul had little regard for those who, in the face of both "the law" and "the gospel" insisted on persisting in what, in semantically less reticent times, were called hypocrisy and fornication.

For Paul's letters, it seems, are also the only writings extant from a first century apocalyptic Pharisee. For whom rules, despite forgiveness, still matter.

Which brings us to Maureen Dowd's "Pharisees on the Potomac," in the July 18, edition of the New York Times.

It's a short, sweet catalog of the best of both, in their latest incarnations, flag-wrapped and red-faced. (At least for those of our friends on the right who haven't lost the capacity to blush.)

She cites, of course, the oldies but goodies: The Gipper (God-fearing but church-less) and Arlen (defending Clarence Thomas while trashing Anita Hill).

There's Newt (bashing Bill while cheating on his own wife) and Dick (lying about lying about lying).

There's also a side of Appalachian-trail-Mark Sanford you maybe haven't seen (padding his expense accounts), and John Ensign (who knew he was a "Promise Keeper?") and Chip Pickering (whose wife is suing his girlfriend.).

Best of all, there are the boys of C-Street, "Family" men all, whose special insight into the mind of God leads them to seek counsel and Christian fellowship in a tax-dodge disguised as a church.

Were it not for Bill and John, it's enough to drive a man to self-righteousness.

Stupid Galatians. And worth a Google.