Bible Quote by Bart D. Ehrman
““Some people may think that it is a dangerous attitude to take toward the Bible, to pick and choose what you want to accept and throw everything else out. My view is that everyone already picks and chooses what they want to accept in the Bible...I have a young friend who whose evangelical parents were upset because she wanted to get a tattoo, since the Bible, after all, condemns tattoos. In the same book, Leviticus, the Bible also condemns wearing clothing made of two different kinds of fabric and eating pork...Why insist on the biblical teaching about tattoos but not about dress shirts, pork chops, and stoning?””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Bible and Its Critics, 2015
Selective adherence to biblical rules shows how people prioritize cultural norms over consistent theological interpretation.
In simple terms: People pick which Bible rules fit their preferences, ignoring others.
Key Takeaway
Seek consistency when interpreting texts.
Themes
faith
interpretation
culture
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal decisions
- religious counseling
- ethical debates
- family discussions
Key Concepts
selective obedience
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we accept some rules and reject others?
- How can communities foster balanced scriptural understanding?
A Different Perspective
Rigid literalism can ignore context and nuance.
![“For others, I suspect the vehement dislike of tattoos [on women] is really a fear of women's skin. When a woman makes her own mark on it, she isn't quite as available to receive whatever fantasies you might want to project on to her. If skin is a screen, and a woman writes on it, she is telling…” quote by Jenn Ashworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4ba/jenn-ashworth-160129_fear_for-others-i-suspect-the-vehement-dislik_496324.jpg)
