- “God helps those who help themselves.”
- “They will know we are Christians by our love.”
- “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.”
- “Money is the root of all evil.”
- “…Blessed Trinity”
Who said I actually had to have seven? I mostly wanted to post this after reading the intro to an article I had posted a few weeks ago:
Only 40 percent of Americans can name more than four of the Ten Commandments, and a scant half can cite any of the four authors of the Gospels. Twelve percent believe Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife. This failure to recall the specifics of our Christian heritage may be further evidence of our nation’s educational decline, but it probably doesn’t matter all that much in spiritual or political terms. Here is a statistic that does matter: Three quarters of Americans believe the Bible teaches that “God helps those who help themselves.” That is, three out of four Americans believe that this uber-American idea, a notion at the core of our current individualist politics and culture, which was in fact uttered by Ben Franklin, actually appears in Holy Scripture. The thing is, not only is Franklin’s wisdom not biblical; it’s counter-biblical. Few ideas could be further from the gospel message, with its radical summons to love of neighbor. On this essential matter, most Americans—most American Christians—are simply wrong, as if 75 percent of American scientists believed that Newton proved gravity causes apples to fly up.
So, I felt the need to post Verses that are Not in the Bible, in an effort to clear things up once and for all. Now just a brief note one each one, listed by number again:
- Like it said, counter Biblical.
- This can be found strongly implied in other scriptures.
- Don’t know that there’s much Biblical support for this one.
- It’s the Love of Money that is a root of all kinds of evil.
- Though you can Biblically find support for the trinity, no where in scripture does it actually make this distinction.
Haha, you’re so funny…I like the joke about 5 vs. 7
*hehe* That many people actually believe Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife?? You’ve GOT to be kidding me.
Very funny and eye-opening stuff (in a very very sad sort of way).
Peace,
Jamie
“the LOVE OF money is A root of ALL KINDS OF evil” 1 Tim 6:10
#2 “This can be found implied in other scriptures.”
-It seems very clear to me, not just “implied” as you state, in this scripture:
John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. BY THIS all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
#5 “Though you can Biblically find support for the trinity, no where in scripture does it actually make this distinction.”
-Check out Matthew 28:19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
It sounds like Jesus makes a very clear distinction of the trinity.
*What are your thoughts?
Dan,
I’m an idiot. #2 I think still stands, simply because I’ve heard so many people say that line as if it was a quoted verse, but yes, maybe implied is not strong enough of a word.
#5 yeah, my choice was pretty bad. I’m gonna change it. What I intended to put was something people say with the word ‘trinity’ as if it says ‘trinity’ in the Bible. You’ve cleared up my mistake, and now I’m the one who looks silly, not the folks who don’t know who Noah’s wife was.
Yea, for #5 it crossed my mind that maybe you were trying to specifically pinpoint the use of the word, ‘trinity’ – and yea I agree that scripture never says ‘trinity’.
#3 is from a methodist preachers sermon, old school