“Cherry picking, suppressing evidence, or the fallacy of incomplete evidence is the act of pointing to individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position, while ignoring a significant portion of related cases or data that may contradict that position. It is a kind of fallacy of selective attention, the most common example of which is the confirmation bias. Cherry picking may be committed intentionally or unintentionally. This fallacy is a major problem in public debate.”
Great giggles rhombulated out of me the other night when I read once more the old canard (DUCK!) that Christians ‘Cherry-pick’ the verses we use to stomp on people’s heads. As if there were only a few offensive verses to which we bitterly cling.
Naw. The Bible has many, many verses which make the ungodly uncomfortable. If asked, I can point to hundreds of chapters that offend. My query is:
WHY do the ungodly arguing against the Bible cherry pick their arguments?
Do you know how many times I’ve heard:
“If the Bible is true, Doug, then you must not wear two fabrics, as it states in whatever verse whatever.”
“Do you think I could get a good price for my daughter? According to the Bible I can sell her.”
“Shell fish? Doug, you heretic! If you believe the Bible, then you are blah blah blah.”
You get the idea. I’ve heard variations on these themes for years, coming from unbelievers who bitterly cling to their monomania that God…isn’t.
So… by referencing some ‘cherry picked’ verses from a book you don’t believe in…you think to prove your point?
Actually, that’s wrong. Most of the Argueists would never open the Bible themselves, so they rely on others to make their points for them. Putting faith in someone else’s opinion simply because it confirms your prejudice (see: confirmation bias).
I have answers for all of their arguments concerning the Bible.
I could go verse by verse and show the context of what goes where, why we no longer do this or that, why Christians reject this, that AND the other...but the Argueists just want to argue. They don’t actually care about my opinion; they care to only know just enough about the Bible to reject it. I think they should at least read enough of it to understand why it rejects them.
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plug: on my site Fine Dry Wit I have a post about Thelonious Monk including a video of his group playing. Check it out if you want to hear some great music.
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