By Scott Tibbs, June 9, 2008
♣ While I was at Holiday World on Saturday, I observed the sign leading from the water park back into the amusement park. The message was simple: shoes, shorts and a shirt are required to go back. A literal, word-for-word interpretation of the text would exclude anyone wearing jeans or slacks from returning to the park, which leads to a lesson in basic logic. Some Leftists love to whine and cry when I interpret something literally, hysterically pointing to areas where I point out that literal interpretation is inappropriate as evidence of "hypocrisy". But the reality is that while there are many things that must be interpreted literally, there are also some things that are not to be interpreted literally. Only a fool denies that both of those principles are true simultaneously.
♣ The use of the word "fool" above could lead someone to condemn me using Matthew 5:22. Am I in danger of hell fire for calling someone a fool? Was Jesus Christ, who was without sin, in danger of hell fire for calling people fools in Matthew 23:17, Matthew 23:19 and Luke 11:40? As a Christian, I believe that every word of the Bible is absolute truth, but not every word of the Bible is to be interpreted literally or applied universally. In order to fully understand some Scripture, you have to take it into context with other parts of Scripture. The issue is not what any individual wants to believe, but an honest and earnest search for truth.
♣ Many Leftists hate it when, in a discussion of Christian doctrine, I issue the challenge to "show me from the Bible where I am wrong." But the reality is that, when seeking answers to a theological question, one simply must use the holy texts of a particular faith in order to understand the doctrine of that faith. The Bible is the foundation of the Christian faith and is the final authority on all questions of Christian doctrine. Anyone who rejects what the Bible teaches when considering Christian doctrine places himself in the position of God, arrogantly fabricating his own religion. Finally, no matter how much shrieking Leftists may do to the contrary, I have never issued that challenge in a discussion of a secular topic. Not one single time. To claim, suggest or imply otherwise is a lie.
♣ There are many statements that, while they are generally true, are not true in each and every case. Following are two examples of this principle, leading to today's fourth and final lesson in basic logic:
- Abortion is legal in the state of Indiana. Obviously, There are exceptions to this statement, as there are limits on abortion in state law. But those limits restrict what is otherwise (unfortunately) a legal procedure.
- The most effective way to avoid the human papillomavirus is to abstain from sex until marriage. Obviously, a woman who is sexually assaulted by an HPV-infected man can become infected even without having consensual sexual intercourse, not being exposed to the virus at all is clearly better than being immunized against most (but not all) strains of it and then being exposed to HPV.
While some Leftists love to nitpick in hopes of scoring a "gotcha", the reality is that finding an exception to a statement of general truth does not in any way invalidate the general truth. All that does is demonstrate that the general statement of truth does not apply universally.
