Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
Proof texting is when you cite a particular verse of the Bible without keeping in mind the context of the passage or how it relates to the entirety of Scripture. It's generally frowned upon as very poor scholarship.
Nick Kristof has one of those columns in the New York Times today where he proof texts his way to arguing that the Bible loves nothing more than gay sex and killing unborn children (or something).
He does this in the form of a quiz so Biblically illiterate that Harold Camping is shaking his head at him in embarrassment. Take the first question:
1. The Bible’s position on abortion is:
a. Never mentioned.
b. To forbid it along with all forms of artificial birth control.
c. Condemnatory, except to save the life of the mother.
The answer, according to noted theologian Nick Kristoff? A, of course. Gosh, if abortion is never mentioned, isn't it odd that so many Christians worked so hard to stop it 2,000 years ago? Continuing on until today? Why would they do it if abortion is "never mentioned"?
Now, I'm not arguing here for a particular stance on abortion, although I am pro-life. And I'm not arguing that the word "abortion" appears in Scripture. Neither does, you know, Trinity. This isn't news. But the church has opposed abortion because of the whole body of teaching in Scripture, from the first passages of Genesis explaining that man is made in God's image to the verse in Jeremiah about God forming unborn children in the womb to various Psalms about God's relationship with the unborn child. There's that bit about Jesus' cousin John recognizing Jesus when both were in utero. And there are countless other teachings about murder and respect for life and how children are a blessing and so on and so forth.
But no, if you're a New York Times columnist looking to proof text your way to support of same-sex marriage (don't tell him what Jesus said about that!) to abortion, you're probably not going to fare very well at understanding that full picture.
It's one thing to advocate these views, but to pretend you've got Scripture on your side is another thing entirely. If you're going to try to make that case, you have to work much, much, much harder than what we have in this weak column.
- Comment (21)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (2)
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
Comments :
May '10
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
So we just tell him it's in the penumbra and call it even.
Jul '10
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
Kristof is simply trying to warm up the culture wars. It's what they do.
And we keep falling for it.
Feb '11
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
Edited 4/3/2012
Edited on Apr 3 at 7:09amRe: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
Funny, the constitution doesn't mention abortion either. Yet that hasn't stopped Mr. Kristoff and most liberal lawyers from finding it a fundamental constitutional right.
Aug '10
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
How about : Thou Shalt Not Kill ? No mention of trimester, prenatal,postnatal. Just God's chillun//
Mollie, Kristof is a sophist putz. NY Times writing about the Bible is like .....
Ebony goes to NASCAR , or
_________________________. fill in contest- let's show Kristof how much we care !
implausible situations with magazines or newspapers, which becoming pretty hard to make fun of anymore.
TIME Throws Kindle Party, No One downloads. 200 hundred cocktail weenies,two Jagermeister bottles lost !
Edited on May 22, 2011 at 6:43pmMar '11
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
Jesus didn't mention silencers on automatic weapons or comedy clubs.
Aug '10
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
And he killed ! Well, maybe that was Bannion.
Oct '10
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
The fool will find in his heart whatever he wants to be there.
Jan '11
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
For Catholics, the reply is easy.
The first writing of the New Testament didn't appear until nearly twenty years after Jesus' death (a Pauline letter in 49, maybe 48). Since there was no Christian scripture for those first two decades, what authority were they working under? Answer: the teachings of the apostles. That authority predates the Christian Bible. The final form of the Bible wasn't decided until after the turn of the first century.
As Catholics, we believe that the teaching authority of the Church (the Magisterium) continues to this day. That and the authority of Scripture work hand in hand.
Although there are some biblical references, the ban on abortion is mostly from the practice and teachings of the early church. It isn't necessary for there to be a specific scripture reference. Some Christian denominations rely entirely on the Bible. Catholics don't. The fact that the Bible may or may not have a specific reference doesn't prove anything (not for Catholics anyway).
Oct '10
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
KC... We protestants make much noise about Sola Scriptura, but fact is, we rely more on the Magisterium than most Evangelicals would believe or admit. Historical teaching isn't sacrosanct to an Evangelical, but it how we live. And, much of Catholic teaching is in our lives, and again, Evangelicals fail to see it.
I'm not sucking up, just being honest.
Jan '11
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
raycon: KC... We protestants make much noise about Sola Scriptura, but fact is, we rely more on the Magisterium than most Evangelicals would believe or admit. Historical teaching isn't sacrosanct to an Evangelical, but it how we live. And, much of Catholic teaching is in our lives, and again, Evangelicals fail to see it.
I'm not sucking up, just being honest. · May 22 at 7:22pm
Gives me hope that one day, we can all return to a common Christian church. I would love to see that happen.
Jun '10
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
KC Mulville
Gives me hope that one day, we can all return to a common Christian church. I would love to see that happen. · May 22 at 7:40pm
I have a feeling that caught between a thoroughly secularized post-Christian culture on the one hand and militant Islam on the other, future generations of Christians will see the issues that once caused great schisms as increasingly trivial and unimportant in the grand scheme of things.
Apr '11
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
Joseph Stanko
KC Mulville
Gives me hope that one day, we can all return to a common Christian church. I would love to see that happen. · May 22 at 7:40pm
I have a feeling that caught between a thoroughly secularized post-Christian culture on the one hand and militant Islam on the other, future generations of Christians will see the issues that once caused great schisms as increasingly trivial and unimportant in the grand scheme of things. · May 22 at 8:11pm
In my experience, there is one area where this seems to largely be put into practice now: the mission field. I have traveled some and spoken to many missionaries and one thing that has impressed me is that when you're laboring to bring light to a darkened society (as you perceive it, at least) then you worry much less about the traditions, history and affiliations of others endeavoring to do the same thing. Certainly, the broad divisions still exist (Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, etc.), but many differences fretted about here in the US are revealed as inconsequential in Kenya, Cambodia, or Argentina.
Jun '10
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
Does Elizabeth's unborn child sound like a complete human being, or not?
Luke 1: [36] And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. [37] For with God nothing will be impossible." [38] And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. [39] In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, [40] and she entered the house of Zechari'ah and greeted Elizabeth. [41] And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit [42] and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! [43] And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? [44] For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb [John the Baptist] leaped for joy.
Jun '10
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
"Ebony goes to NASCAR"
Ha ha!
In next week's column Kristof will put forth the snarky argument that nothing in Biblical teaching forbids embyryonic stem cell research, use of an IUD, or gender reassignment surgery.
Dec '10
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
Well, the word "privacy" never appears in the Constitution either.
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
The Catholic teaching is also firmly based on natural law. It does not depend upon Scripture.
Sep '10
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
So now when people try to dismiss abortion as just a religious issue, we can point them to the New York Times and tell them it is not about religion, it's about killing babies.
Oct '10
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
Derek Helt
Joseph Stanko
KC Mulville
I have a feeling that caught between a thoroughly secularized post-Christian culture on the one hand and militant Islam on the other, future generations of Christians will see the issues that once caused great schisms as increasingly trivial and unimportant in the grand scheme of things. · May 22 at 8:11pm
... when you're laboring to bring light to a darkened society (as you perceive it, at least) then you worry much less about the traditions, history and affiliations of others endeavoring to do the same thing. · May 22 at 8:57pm
I spent almost 10 years traveling to a great many countries doing focused mission work with the disabled poor, much of it in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The question of one's denomination or Catholicism was irrelevant to the point that asking or caring was a bit of an embarrassment. We could easily tell newcomers. They cared about small matters like denominationalism.
Surrounded by lost people, often even your enemies, you cooperate to reach and serve them. How could it be otherwise?
Sep '10
Re: Nick Kristof Proof Texts The Bible
NY Times writing about the Bible is like .....Ricochet ranking the top 100 Womyn's Studies programs.