I can remember if this is mentioned in the book Exegetical Fallacies or not, but if it isn’t, this could be another one:
Still more ill judged is the over-egging of the rhetorical pudding. The project website tells us that ‘with over 1,000 references to the earth in the Bible, compared to 490 references to heaven and 530 references to love, the Bible carries a powerful message for the earth.’ I am not sure what to make of this argumentum ad arithmeticum, unless the point is that the earth is approximately 1.88 times more important to God than love and 2.04 times more important than heaven. Based on my own research into this topic and following the same method, I am prepared to say that the earth is 7.04 times more important to God than donkeys (which are mentioned 142 times in the Bible).
–Alan Jacobs, reviewing The Green Bible
so crazy. we are called to care for the Earth as God has called us to but sheesh!
I nearly bought a green bible once. It is quite attractive. However I already own one NRSV, and I don’t use the translation other than for reference. The edition is quite nice, but it is just a marketing gimmick of course.
hehe… ‘argumentum ad arithmeticum’… I gotta incorporate that little gem of a rhetorical method into my own theological discussion at some point!
Yeah, by this “logic” we’d be led to believe God cares MOST about “and, of, to, in, with, by, for …”
Those words must appear thousands of times in Scripture.
Also, following this pattern we would have to conclude that the geographical areas around Palestine and the Middle East are more important to take care of than, say, Michigan. Michigan gets no mentions in the Bible, but Egypt is mentioned often. So, the Bible says we should turn Michigan into a toxic waste dump, but save Egypt? Gimme a break. Religious marketing really bugs me!
Here’s a good marketing idea that will never happen: how about a “Black and White Study Bible” – containing just the text that God gave us through His authorized Prophets and Apostles? Black text on white pages. Simple. Brilliant. God-honoring. And no “explanatory notes” (a.k.a. Jehoiachin’s pen knife).
Here’s a good marketing idea that will never happen: how about a “Black and White Study Bible” – containing just the text that God gave us through His authorized Prophets and Apostles? Black text on white pages. Simple. Brilliant. God-honoring. And no “explanatory notes” (a.k.a. Jehoiachin’s pen knife).
I like those boring pew Bibles the best even though I just bought The Illustrated HCSB Study Bible.
Jeff