An Hideous Anfractuosity

[Dash]

...or proof-texters beware!

an‧frac‧tu‧os‧i‧ty (IPA [ænˌfræk tʃuˈɒs ɪ ti])
n. pl. an‧frac‧tu‧os‧i‧ties
1. The condition or quality of having many twists and turns.
2. A winding channel, passage, or crevice.
3. A complicated or involved process. (1)

My recent encounters with Christian conservatism has left me pondering. I can't say that I had personally engaged conservatives in any kind of "gay debate" before recently, so the experience has been particularly informative. The difficulties of having any kind of productive conversation with conservative voices were unavoidably manifest, despite my best attempts to identify and defuse those difficulties before they derailed our discussion. I became keenly aware of one core belief (or failsafe) upon which they inevitably rested their case:

Those who disagree with their interpretation of scripture are obviously unable to comprehend the meaning of the Bible as it is written.

They suggest that because of our sin, God has denied us the ability to read and reason through the anthology of inspired authors, poets, jurists and theologians that offered their wisdom to a flawed race.

You understand the issue that perplexes me? They believe that we, because we are sinful, are unable to understand the laws, literature and theology that were given to a sinful desert tribe and infant, sinning Church. Somehow the golden calf-worshipping, backward-glancing Hebrews were capable of discerning the Torah, and the much debauched Corinthian Church was capable of understanding Paul's winding rhetoric; but we, because of our singular (as they believe) sexual flaw, are made irredeemably stupid by the same Divine Spirit that desires to reason with sinful humanity through Holy Scripture.

No matter how assiduously we apply ourselves to scripture; no matter how erudite our scholarship and apologetics; no matter how intelligently we make our case, they comfort themselves with the obstinate refrain, "You just don't get it." Such polemics seem to serve as a mental refuge for those who themselves have no patience or respect for the kind of diligent study that these important matters, which weigh upon the lives of millions, justly deserve.

I say again...if they had respect for the dreadful impact that their scripture and interpretation has upon society, they would design more seemly and substantial arguments than "You just don't get it."

I heard it often on the Methodist discussion board regarding the liberal's use of scripture: it's merely "prooftexting" or "eisegesis."

eis‧e‧ge‧sis (IPA [ˌaɪ sɪˈdʒi sɪs])

–noun, plural -ses /-siz/
an interpretation, esp. of Scripture, that expresses the interpreter's own ideas, bias, or the like, rather than the meaning of the text. (2)

Proof text, a passage of Scripture used to prove a doctrine. (3)

Our beloved (if perhaps flawed) Wikipedia provides the following definition of "prooftexting":

"Prooftexting is the practice of using decontextualised quotations from a document (often, but not always, a book of the Bible) to establish a proposition. Critics of the technique note that often the document, when read as a whole, may not in fact support the proposition." (4)

There is a suggestion from Wikipedia that prooftexting is related to "quote mining" which it defines as follows:

Quote mining is the practice of compiling quotes from large volumes of literature or spoken word. The term is used pejoratively to accuse the "quote miner" of cherry picking and misquotation, where favorable positions are amplified or falsely suggested, and unfavorable positions in the same text are excluded or otherwise obscured.

The expression is also sometimes used in a slightly weaker sense, merely meaning that a quote is being used to support an idea that the original author rejects. In this second case, even a quote which is accurate can be considered a mined quote. (5)

Interestingly, both of these terms are mentioned with reference to conservative, evangelical Protestant suppositions. As an example of prooftexting, Wikipedia suggests the use of Ephesians 2:8-9 which some use to "prove" that Roman Catholiscm is a false religion. For quote mining, a more pernicious example is supplied, which is frighteningly similar to the way scientific material is used against gay and lesbian people by anti-gay conservative Christian organizations. Against the scientific theory of evolution, creationists have quoted Charles Darwin from The Origin of Species:

To suppose that the eye, with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree.

Wikipedia says, "This quote is clearly taken out of context because Darwin continues:"

Yet reason tells me, that if numerous gradations from a perfect and complex eye to one very imperfect and simple, each grade being useful to its possessor, can be shown to exist; if further, the eye does vary ever so slightly, and the variations be inherited, which is certainly the case; and if any variation or modification in the organ be ever useful to an animal under changing conditions of life, then the difficulty of believing that a perfect and complex eye could be formed by natural selection, though insuperable by our imagination, can hardly be considered real. How a nerve comes to be sensitive to light, hardly concerns us more than how life itself first originated; but I may remark that several facts make me suspect that any sensitive nerve may be rendered sensitive to light, and likewise to those coarser vibrations of the air which produce sound.

Such an example is easily identified, for the immediate context from which the quote was pulled refutes the very purpose of the creationist's argument. But what of the liberal who finds a place for gay and lesbian people in scripture? The liberal's use of scripture is likewise dismissed as prooftexting, but it is not so easily seen. In fact, the charge inevitably ends there, with no further illumination of how context refutes a liberal's use of scripture. It is as if the charge itself should be its own evidence against the defendant. The mere invocation of the term "prooftext" is intended to end all discussion, silence all dissenters, and close the Bible in a final, satisfying crash of closure.

But before they make a thunderous demise of our debate, however, conservative Christians lead us a long and winding chase through scripture--darting from damning verse to condemning versicle, as we address each against the bright shield of our reasoned faith. It is to this dark labyrinth that I would descend in order to acquaint you with the circuitous habits of the contemporary fundamentalist interpreter. (Yes, let's call it what it is, for the anti-gay position does not become any less a fundamentalist point of doctrine by issuing from lips that also promote other, kinder ideologies. Indeed it is entirely possible, as we have observed, for one to hold to a fundamentalist view of homosexuality and another more liberal theological position...a liberal view of women, for example...depending upon the taste of individual prejudice. Consistency is never a requirement for association with the anti-gay premise.)

* * *

Our tour of these caves begins in the ruins of an ancient city and long dead. Can you smell the sulphur? Do you see the white salt into which the upturned walls mix with their broken foundations? Amidst the rubble, the shouts of the fundamentalist can be heard, "Here lies the only city in history that God destroyed, and it was for the sin of homosexuality that His wrath did fall!" Everywhere, scrawled in the sand and scratched onto the fallen stones they scribble verses from the Torah that tell how Sodom's and Gomorrah's fate was sealed by a mob's last evil intent:

But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, and said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.

But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. (Genesis 19:4-13 KJV)

We reply with the words of the Hebrew Testament from the prophet Ezekiel who cried out against the spiritual unfaithfulness of Jerusalem. He likened that city to a woman who shunned her husband for prostitution and adultery--going after the pagan religions that surrounded Israel.

As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.

Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done. (Ezekiel 16:48-51 KJV)

In his allegory, Ezekiel even says that fortunes of Sodom will be restored so that Jerusalem's greater sin will bring her shame and contrition. Apparently there are greater sins than the sin of Sodom, which Ezekiel did not portray, as the fundamentalist do, as being homosexuality.

The overthrow of Sodom is mentioned several times throughout the Bible, but never with the connotation with which the fundamentalist perspective spins the story. Jesus mentioned Sodom in the gospels (cf. Matthew 10) when he sent his disciples out to preach. If the towns they visited did not welcome them, they were to depart and take their peace with them. Such inhospitable, unwelcoming cities would have a worse time of it than Sodom did, Jesus said. The connection he makes is clear when the mob's cry to "know" the strangers is not perverted through mistranslation to mean "have sex." That they would not welcome strangers and abused the sanctity of Lot's hospitality was indicative of the many crimes that had already made Sodom unbearable.

* * *

In making our response to the those who lurk in the ruins of Sodom and throw its stones at us, we pause to reflect on why our rebuttal is so effective: the original claims were an example of prooftexting, for the context of the story (the ill-treatment of visitors) and the greater context of scripture show that the sins of Sodom were never recorded as homosexuality.

But...looking up, we see that the ruins lie quiet once more. Our hecklers have moved on and have no desire to acknowledge our refutation of their Sodom-based judgment, but they are not done with us. We shall encounter them soon, and a bit further in, as they cry out against us in the great hall of the Levitical Jurists.

* * *

This winding journey shall be continued...

___________________________
A few notes:

1. anfractuosity. Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=anfractuosity (accessed: September 07, 2006).

2. eisegesis. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1), Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=eisegesis (accessed: September 07, 2006).

3. Proof text. Dictionary.com. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, MICRA, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=Proof text (accessed: September 07, 2006).

4. Prooftext. Wikipedia.org. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prooftext (accessed: September 07, 2006).

5. Quote mining. Wikipedia.org. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quote_mining (accessed: September 07, 2006).

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by Dash

No matter how assiduously we apply ourselves to scripture; no matter how erudite our scholarship and apologetics; no matter how intelligently we make our case, they comfort themselves with the obstinate refrain, "You just don't get it." Such polemics seem to serve as a mental refuge for those who themselves have no patience or respect for the kind of diligent study that these important matters, which weigh upon the lives of millions, justly deserve.

I say again...if they had respect for the dreadful impact that their scripture and interpretation has upon society, they would design more seemly and substantial arguments than "You just don't get it."

Your thoughts bring to mind this thought, which was quoted by a commentator recently in another context. Which means, I guess, that I'm text-proofing another's text-proofing!

"The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, prejudices, to be found only in the minds of men." - Rod Serling

It is prejudice that we deal with, plain and simple.

Can't wait for the next installment!

[Steven E. Webster]

Dash,

Excellent writing and research! I did a little bit of interesting library research for several hours a few years ago. Look up "Sodom" in the Encyclopedia Judaica, an excellent reference work on Jewish faith and culture. From there do a little digging in the Talmud and other ancient Jewish writings that comment on Sodom. You will find that Ezekiel's view of Sodom is confirmed there. There is also an expression used various places in the Talmud "...after the manner of Sodom," which does not refer to homosexuality but to a kind of extreme and legalistic mean-spiritedness.

Steven Webster

[Dash]

After some time, we emerge from the tunnels into a dark and cavernous hall carved from the stones of the old earth. Its age and immensity seem designed to impress upon those who stand under its weighty roof the smallness of their worth. The gray granite walls are carved deeply with hundreds of laws and punishments. From the high galleries around the perimeter our many accusers shout upon our heads the unceasing refrain, "Sin! Abomination! Death!"

Looking more closely at the carvings we see that many portions of the text have crumbled away and lie forgotten on the pavement. Other sections have been covered over with fresh white stone--smooth marble from an empty tomb sealed with ruby and jasper inlay. Yet here and there in this ancient chamber of law, its keepers are busy shoring up favored areas. They scurry about, cleaning the old walls and plastering in new cracks.

Many cluster around the place where it is written, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."(1) They do not allow anyone near these areas, and those who attempt to examine these laws under a closer light are chased away with cries of "Destroyer! Mocker! Satan!" Even from here, though, you can see at the beginning of that section:

"After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances."(2)

There follows a list of certain things once included in the statutes in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan. Among them near the bottom of the list, where our friends are lovingly polishing and caressing, are three worship rites forbidden to those who lived under these laws: child sacrifice, shrine prostitution, and ritual sex with animals. Those who maintain these laws are really only interested in the one that refers to shrine prostitution, because it seems to condemn us. They would like to ignore the ancient "holy ones"--the "qadesh"--which the good Jewish kings removed from the land again and again when they led their people back to their own God. (3) Indeed, those who have been able to examine the ancient script with wisdom have often come away with the realization that there is more there than its protectors are willing to see, and meanings that have no resemblance to the preferred interpretation of its curators.

But there are so many laws in this place! Why are some so ignored, and others sealed over? What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws that are written in this ancient chamber? Follow me, friend, and I shall show you words long forgotten by the custodians of this shrine. Now gaze upon the lintel of the great doorway and read what Moses himself placed there:

" We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand: And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes: And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers. And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us." (4)

These laws were given to those with whom a specific covenant was made. That Old Covenant--that old promise--was fulfilled in one eternal sacrifice made for all people. The Sacrificial Lamb has told us that unless our righteousness surpasses the righteousness of these Pharisees, we will never enter into the Kingdom. (5) That Lamb became our Righteousness and is The Way of Heaven. (6) The laws that were the righteousness of those who built this edifice are not our Righteousness and will never lead us, nor these furious keepers of the law, to the long desired peace.

Is this something new? Yes...and no...as my good father often says. In an age more ancient even than these laws, Abraham, the father of the tribes to whom they were given had no law. He trusted in no law, but believed God; and his belief was credited to him as righteousness. (7) This is the same thing our Lamb asks of us. So, do not follow the ways of these Pharisees, my friend, and do not be discouraged by the shouts of condemnation that they rain upon us from above.

Before we continue on, I would like to make one further point. Looking at the narrow focus of our accusers, it becomes quite obvious that they are ignoring the immediate context of the law which they hurl in our direction; they are ignoring the broader context of the ancient society in which that law was given; they are ignoring the context of the New Covenant made by our Lamb's great sacrifice; and they ignore the context that goes back far beyond all their own laws. It is obvious that they are doing again that thing which is called prooftexting. This law seems to prove their case against us, but in fact, their premise is not supported by the whole of scripture nor the broad sweep of Judeo-Christian history.

They are not yet done with us, however...so we must meet them again in these crooked catacombs through which they run.
__________________

Notes:

1. Leviticus 18:22 (KJV)

2. Leviticus 18:3 (KJV)

3. cf. 1 Kings 14:24, 15:12 and 22:46; also see thread "A Word in Translation" for more about the Hebrew word "qadesh."

4. Deuteronomy 6:20-25 (KJV)

5. Matthew 5:20 -- For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (NIV)

6. John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (NIV)

7. Genesis 15:6 -- Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. (NIV)

[midtnscott]

Dash, I lack your eloquence in writing and must humbly reply, "welcome to the fundamentalist movement." No one exists except those who believe exaclty as they. There is no room for discussion or open mindedness. Theirs is a "take no prisoners" mentality and God help all of us, gay and straight, if the they gain absolute control; they're not far off now. Don't confuse them with evangelicals who are conservative, but keep an open mind, in most things and when a seed is planted it does grow, even if slowly.

They cherry-pick scripture to support their views and taken out of context has a completely different meaning; excellent example of quoting Darwin. It is their minds which are darkened and cannot reason or understand. For them the world has shrunk to a few select verses of scripture, casting out the whole, complete picture the bible gives us. Theirs is a sad, miserable, empty life that they attempt to impose on others, think it will end their own tribulations.

These are the fundamentalists and they are their own enemy in the end. They only deal in absolutes and can't appreciate shades of grey. It brings to mind the quote from the last Star Wars movie, "The Return of the Sith" when Obi wan Kenobi told Annakin, "Only the Sith deal in Absolutes." Can we draw any conclusions and parallels from that?

[Dash]

I should get back to this, shouldn't I? Hmmm...