Quote Mining for the Prize: Misuse of the Bible

Ninja Turtles

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One thing that has become increasingly apparent to me is that people will quote mine a text to support their agenda. From using a single verse to justify hatred, or using a single verse to ridicule readers of the Bible, I wonder why is it okay to quote mine the Bible, yet if you were to do the same thing with a book citation in an essay, you would be soundly trounced for making yourself susceptible to pulling things out of context.

As with all literature and text, there usually is a unifying idea that is being conveyed in a passage. When you write an essay, quote citations usually are longer than one sentence. This makes sense as a person needs to understand the context of the text they are citing when they are trying to convey an idea. However, this seems absent for detractors and supporters of the Bible.

Why is it that quote mining is accepted with religious texts when this would never be accepted with any other piece of literature?
 
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AngelusSax

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Why? Because people will take the Bible and make it say whatever they want to by prooftexting this way, so as to "justify" their opinions, not realizing that if the Bible says what you want it to say going in, you should probably be suspicious of your own interpretation.
 
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Ninja Turtles

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I think this is an important issue because I see it happen all over this board. The worst is when people give little bits and sentences and don't explain anything thinking a sentence speaks for itself.

I wonder if I can quote mine the Bible and find verses about quote mining biblical teachings. :D
 
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James T

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I have done this once where someone is using bible quotes to support a position where they wish to impose their view of morals onto another group of people and their actions.

I will probably do it again where someone uses a bible quote because it amuses me to find the contradictory statements present within the bible. Not really the most honorable of reasons I afraid.
 
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ChristianCenturion

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Ninja Turtles said:
One thing that has become increasingly apparent to me is that people will quote mine a text to support their agenda. From using a single verse to justify hatred, or using a single verse to ridicule readers of the Bible, I wonder why is it okay to quote mine the Bible, yet if you were to do the same thing with a book citation in an essay, you would be soundly trounced for making yourself susceptible to pulling things out of context.

As with all literature and text, there usually is a unifying idea that is being conveyed in a passage. When you write an essay, quote citations usually are longer than one sentence. This makes sense as a person needs to understand the context of the text they are citing when they are trying to convey an idea. However, this seems absent for detractors and supporters of the Bible.

Why is it that quote mining is accepted with religious texts when this would never be accepted with any other piece of literature?

It's not like they are using a source that isn't available to all. When it happens, the easy remedy is to provide the missing context or the balancing scripture. Of course, that would be difficult for those that don't know the Bible, but there are plenty of Christians that do love the wisdom found in the scriptures and they are usually the ones that call out the violators; however, the ones that pretend to know and the arrogant hurt themselves more than they prove anything. That Sword has two edges.
 
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philN

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Alright.

Then I think there is nothing wrong with using the Bible as a means of supporting an argument, but there are few considerations to keep in mind before one does so.

First off, if someone is using a biblical quote in a debate with someone who does not believe in the bible or christianity, then it is irrelevant to use scripture until the two parties in question agree that scripture is something worthy of basing an opinion on. I have a muslim friend who quotes the Q'uran to disprove me, and it means nothing to me because I do not believe the Q'uran to be accurate.

Second off, if you are going to use a biblical quote, most people do not check context and look up words in different versions or go back to the Greek words to seek out the true meaning. They find one verse that is somewhat ambiguous and then twist it to fit their view. This is frustrating to me and altogether ignorant. Not to mention disrespectful toward God. I don't think he is pleased when we twist his words to fit our personal agenda.

So, unless I am misunderstand you, I think I agree with you.
 
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MoonlessNight

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The behavior is common with works as philosophy as well, it's just that people don't quote works of philosophy as much as they do the Bible. I've seen people quote Plato's republic to suggest that he thinks that we should all adopt a democracy, or that the strong should rule only for their self-interest and many other things. It's certainly possible to find a line here or a sentence there that would suggest those things. But of course both of those things are completely against the general message.

I think part of this stems from the fact that everyone wants to have a philosopher or a theologian or a sacred text backing them up, but let's face it most of those things are really long. So they find something to support what they are saying and put it down. This is accepted because no one wants to admit that they haven't read these things, so they don't want to look stupid asking for context if the work actually does say that even in context.

It comes down to people wanting to look sophisticated and general laziness, I think.
 
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James T

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philN said:
This is frustrating to me and altogether ignorant. Not to mention disrespectful toward God. I don't think he is pleased when we twist his words to fit our personal agenda.
It is nice that you have a hot line to the true meaning. I wonder (assuming for the sake of argument that he exists) how god would feel about the people who wrote the bible. Certainly put a number of words in gods mouth did they not?
 
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philN

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You are obviously someone who does not hold to Biblical inerrency, thus, it would be somewhat pointless for me to defend my view on this. Basically, the writers of the Bible were not putting words into God's mouth, so much as God was putting his words into them. I could explain God's revelation and how the Bible is "god-breathed", but I am sure it would lead to you claiming I am using circular logic and we will end up in a vicious cycle of point-couterpoint claims ad nauseum.

If you are legitamately interested in discussing biblical inerrency and the origin of the Bible, I would be happy to do so in another thread (as not to hijack this one).
 
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James T

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philN said:
You are obviously someone who does not hold to Biblical inerrency,
Yes.
philN said:
If you are legitamately interested in discussing biblical inerrency and the origin of the Bible, I would be happy to do so in another thread (as not to hijack this one).
I would have difficulty having such a debate without being accused of being rude, so it's best I don't accept your offer.
 
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