A lot of people are raised and trained to prooftext. Extra-dishonest prooftexting comes from the Coffee Mug Version of the Bible: isolated verses, framed, without context and without other passages that problematize them.* And it seems to be finessed into practitioners' minds: they don't catch themselves doing it.
It's just so damn sad.
* I recently had the delight of someone getting enraged (strategically, I think) at a green faith class I was teaching and demanding that everything should be read through the lens of 2 Thessalonians 3:10 and who wanted unhoused people not to exist-- *they're* the environmental problem.
* Oh, I meant to say that I waited eagerly to see whether he would stand up in outrage and stomp out of worship the next time a Beatitude turned up in service. Nope. That inconsistency.
I have been harping on The Beatitudes since the EVILgelicals turned a blind eye to the true teachings of Christ. So thank you for reminding us today of the way forward. Amen,
Many hereditary Christians do not read their book, but depend on their preacher to tell them what it says. Some who claim to have read it cover to cover -- like the infamous photo MTG posted of herself last year -- must be reading a different edition than mine.
How else to explain how they have missed the message of radical inclusion of the New Testament? Jesus broke bread with the outcasts of his society. He tells the parable of the rich man who couldn't get any of his equals to come to his banquet, so he sends out his servants to invite all the street people.
How else to explain how they have missed Jesus's message of nonviolence? Jesus never advocated armed insurrection against the Roman Empire.
I don't believe MTG read the entire book. I think she only read the Revelation of John, and only in the worst possible translation.
When an entire island of people can insist that a book says Z, and you know it says H, it can be really pretty impossible to continue a conversation. How do you miss a theme of an entire book? (And I'm going to guess you can do that by not reading the damn thing.) There should be a Bible Bowl for everyone who purports to quote a verse. You lift up some clobber verse, you have to answer 20 questions about that verse's context, its origins, its author, and then we skip around a bit to make sure you've read more than just one verse or chapter.
I'm not a better woman. I've settled on "Well, at least I don't ACT on those thoughts." (In my religion, just thinking bad things counts as doing bad things.)
It certainly isn’t logic. I think it’s partly framing. The blood-garglers at the NRA have done a masterful job of tying gun ownership to power and masculinity (not the good kind) and they’ve created such fear that for some, a gun seems the only out.
Not to sound too sympathetic but when you’re a self-loathing MAGA cultist, you’re a pretzel twist away from hating others as you hate yourself. That’s the characteristic that makes them easy pickings to be organized by their “leaders”.
Your Bible is my Bible.
A lot of people are raised and trained to prooftext. Extra-dishonest prooftexting comes from the Coffee Mug Version of the Bible: isolated verses, framed, without context and without other passages that problematize them.* And it seems to be finessed into practitioners' minds: they don't catch themselves doing it.
It's just so damn sad.
* I recently had the delight of someone getting enraged (strategically, I think) at a green faith class I was teaching and demanding that everything should be read through the lens of 2 Thessalonians 3:10 and who wanted unhoused people not to exist-- *they're* the environmental problem.
* Oh, I meant to say that I waited eagerly to see whether he would stand up in outrage and stomp out of worship the next time a Beatitude turned up in service. Nope. That inconsistency.
It's amazing what we blame on the poor. Everyone? Read "Poverty, By America."
I have been harping on The Beatitudes since the EVILgelicals turned a blind eye to the true teachings of Christ. So thank you for reminding us today of the way forward. Amen,
Many hereditary Christians do not read their book, but depend on their preacher to tell them what it says. Some who claim to have read it cover to cover -- like the infamous photo MTG posted of herself last year -- must be reading a different edition than mine.
How else to explain how they have missed the message of radical inclusion of the New Testament? Jesus broke bread with the outcasts of his society. He tells the parable of the rich man who couldn't get any of his equals to come to his banquet, so he sends out his servants to invite all the street people.
How else to explain how they have missed Jesus's message of nonviolence? Jesus never advocated armed insurrection against the Roman Empire.
I don't believe MTG read the entire book. I think she only read the Revelation of John, and only in the worst possible translation.
When an entire island of people can insist that a book says Z, and you know it says H, it can be really pretty impossible to continue a conversation. How do you miss a theme of an entire book? (And I'm going to guess you can do that by not reading the damn thing.) There should be a Bible Bowl for everyone who purports to quote a verse. You lift up some clobber verse, you have to answer 20 questions about that verse's context, its origins, its author, and then we skip around a bit to make sure you've read more than just one verse or chapter.
You’re a better woman than I, Susan. I admit to having vengeful thoughts about the MAGAs. But I believe Jesus will forgive me.
I'm not a better woman. I've settled on "Well, at least I don't ACT on those thoughts." (In my religion, just thinking bad things counts as doing bad things.)
We can love them, but logic doesn’t mean anything to them... so I don’t know how we change this unhealthy love of guns
It certainly isn’t logic. I think it’s partly framing. The blood-garglers at the NRA have done a masterful job of tying gun ownership to power and masculinity (not the good kind) and they’ve created such fear that for some, a gun seems the only out.
Kelly Latimore’s art is so profound!. Thank you for sending me to her.
I enjoy her work very much and want some to hang in my home.
Bless the Lord. And you. And all of us. 😘
Amen.
Dammit. There isn't.
Not to sound too sympathetic but when you’re a self-loathing MAGA cultist, you’re a pretzel twist away from hating others as you hate yourself. That’s the characteristic that makes them easy pickings to be organized by their “leaders”.