Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Honest to God

Home
Progressive Christian
7 Terrible Things the Bible Clearly Says

7 Terrible Things the Bible Clearly Says

Last updated on: July 3, 2018 at 12:15 am by Jayson D. Bradley

7 Terrible Things the Bible Clearly Says 2018-07-03T00:15:52+00:00 Jayson D. Bradley

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I’m pretty lucky to have conversations with Christians from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Usually, those conversations go great—but occasionally they’re a disaster. I know there’s a problem the minute they tell me, “the Bible clearly says.” It’s at that point I start looking for the exit.

When you drop a phrase like that into a conversation, it’s evident that you don’t understand how communication works. We’re talking about a document where it’s on us to build a bridge between different cultures, worldviews, languages, etc. There’s no question that the Bible makes statements that are clearer than others, but even then we have to wrestle with some of the differences between cultures separated by thousands of years.

This isn’t because of some “progressive” desire to undermine the Bible’s authority, or because of a desire to wriggle out of personal responsibility. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. I often find that the people who are serious about contending with these questions take the Bible far more seriously than those who just take what they see at face value without asking tough questions. In fact, I find a lot of the people that use this conversation ender aren’t overly familiar with Scripture.

So let’s take a look at some things the Bible clearly says—things that you’d be crazy to take at face value:

1. Do not allow a sorceress to live.

(Exodus 22:18)

What are you going to do about that Wiccan down the street? The Bible has given you your marching orders. (Please do not follow them.)

2. Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the cruel.

(1 Peter 2:18)

There was a time when Christians used the Bible’s explicit teachings about slavery as a reason not to abolish the slave trade. What do you do when the Bible isn’t not only vague about slavery but places the onus on slaves to submit to cruel masters?

3. If she grabs your junk while you’re fighting someone else, show her no pity.

(Deuteronomy 25:11–12)

The actual two verses read this way:

If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.

Crimony. Was this a problem that needed a solution? Either way, the Bible clearly gives a solution to this embarrassing problem.

4. No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the Lord.

(Deuteronomy 23:1)

Had an accident that impacted your privates? Stay the heck out of the church.

5. The men of her town shall stone her to death.

(Deuteronomy 22:20–21)
What do you do if your daughter loses her virginity before marriage? Be careful how you answer—because this is what the Bible clearly says:

If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the young woman’s virginity can be found, she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done an outrageous thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house. You must purge the evil from among you.

6. Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.

(Leviticus 20:9)

Seems harsh, right? Too bad.

7. God encourages the murder of pagan children—and infants

(Hosea 13:4, 9, 16)

You shall acknowledge no God but me. . . . You are destroyed, Israel. . . . The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open.

It’s kind of hard to maintain a pro-life stance in the face of this clear statement in the Bible. Maybe we should only worry about Christian fetuses?

But what about . . .

If your natural desire to any of these (or the hundreds of others) is to explain to me why I’m misrepresenting them, congratulations! You are beginning to get my point. But first, you need to recognize that these are things the Bible clearly says. They’re not obscure passages being twisted to make a point. They’re explicit statements that you need to do some interpretive work to understand and justify.

Stop trying to shut people down with “the Bible clearly says,” unless you plan on executing disobedient children.

Scripture

Previous Post

June 12, 2018

Resolved: 20 Decisions for Surviving the Church with Your Faith Intact

Next Post

November 8, 2018 Love or Fear: What's the Defining Characteristic of a Christian?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Ask Jayson Blogging Evergreen Giveaways Guest Posts Interviews and Reviews Jesus Matthew Politics Scripture Social Issues Social Media Spiritual Formation The Church Uncategorized

Select a Month March 2023 March 2022 May 2021 April 2021 February 2021 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 January 2020 February 2019 January 2019 November 2018 July 2018 June 2018 April 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 August 2017 April 2017 February 2017 January 2017 August 2016 July 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 April 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 April 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 April 2013 January 2013 December 2012 August 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "meek" mean in the Beatitudes?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Very rich Angry and harsh Funny Gentle and humble