Logical Fallacies

I do wish that people who do not believe the Bible would not use scripture to justify doing what the Bible says is wrong. It leads to logical fallacies.

A recent Newsweek article begins: "Let's try for a minute to take the religious conservatives at their word and define marriage as the Bible does." The list given by the author is of those who sinned against God's plans. They are given as examples of how the Bible says marriage should be. Certainly a weak analogy.

A similar analogy would be to have a book on how to build a house and build it using only the "Do Not" examples. The house would not stand.

Another example of logical fallacies, excluded middle, would be: "... if you believe that the Bible was written by men and not handed down in its leather bindings by God ..." I would state a conservative believes the ink flowed from pens held by men and they chose words within their vocabulary, but the writing itself was inspired by God.

There are other logical fallacies the author uses, including irrelevant conclusions. I see 'proof by verbosity' -- there is much misinformation in the article along with some facts. Sorting it out becomes time consuming, and not worth the effort to respond at all.

Also, the well as been poisoned by the derogatory description of conservatives and literalists who believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God. Here are a couple of examples indicating scriptural selectivity, quoted from the author:

"... these are throwaway lines in a peculiar text ..."

"The Bible was written for a world so unlike our own, it's impossible to apply its rules, at face value, to ours."

"But the Bible authors could never have imagined ..."

God did not have to imagine. Omniscient, His word was written for our world, too. If not, why use any portion of the Bible?

This author, as Thomas Jefferson and many before them, wishes to pick and choose what appeals to them rather than face the entirety of God's word. My conclusion is not based solely upon the author's logic, but upon the beginning of her final paragraph:

"More basic than theology, though, is human need."

Finally, this Newsweek religious editor (her title) throws theology out the window and states her case. I wish she had before using "throwaway lines in a peculiar text."

Dr. Albert Mohler has offered a response to the Newsweek article.

My own response is from the Bible: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16 KJV)