--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Biblical backing for Mormon behavior is…" description: "\"Biblical backing for Mormon behavior is easy to find, although Mark Twain is reported to have denied its legitimacy to a Mormon. The Mormon claimed pol..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/dennis-mckinsey-72686_behavior_biblical-backing-for-mormon-behavior-is_2497838.jpg" --- # Biblical backing for Mormon behavior is easy to find… ![“Biblical backing for Mormon behavior is easy to find, although Mark Twain is reported to have denied its legitimacy to a Mormon. The Mormon claimed polygamy was perfectly moral and he defied Twain to cite any passage of Scripture which forbade it. 'Well,' said Twain, 'how about that passage that…” quote by Dennis McKinsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/dennis-mckinsey-72686_behavior_biblical-backing-for-mormon-behavior-is_2497838.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/dennis-mckinsey-72686_behavior_biblical-backing-for-mormon-behavior-is_2497838.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/dennis-mckinsey-72686_behavior_biblical-backing-for-mormon-behavior-is_2497838.jpg) > “Biblical backing for Mormon behavior is easy to find, although Mark Twain is reported to have denied its legitimacy to a Mormon. The Mormon claimed polygamy was perfectly moral and he defied Twain to cite any passage of Scripture which forbade it. 'Well,' said Twain, 'how about that passage that tells us no man can serve two masters at the same time?'” Dennis McKinsey ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that biblical justification for controversial practices is often selective, and critics can expose contradictions by highlighting broader scriptural principles. **In simple terms:** Biblical support can be cherry‑picked, but broader teachings may contradict it. Key Takeaway Examine the full context of scripture before using it to justify actions. Themes religion ethics hypocrisy Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical controversial When to use this quote - debates on polygamy - religious justification - ethical discussions - historical analysis Key Concepts scripture interpretation moral reasoning Questions to Reflect On - How do broader scriptural teachings affect specific moral claims? - Can selective citation be ethically justified? A Different Perspective The quote may oversimplify complex theological arguments and ignore nuanced doctrinal interpretations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Biblical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biblical/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Legitimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legitimacy/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Polygamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polygamy/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Scripture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripture/) [Two masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-masters/) [Well said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well-said/) ## Related quotes > [Ye cannot serve God and mammon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/ye-cannot-serve-god-and-mammon/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [Women cannot serve two masters at once who are urgently beaming antithetical orders… Either we believe in patriarchy the rule of men over women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-johnson/women-cannot-serve-two-masters-at-once-who-are-urgently-beaming/) [Sonia Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-johnson/) > [No Compromise is what the whole Gospel of Jesus is all about... 'For I tell you...no man can serve two masters...' (Matt. 6:24). In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-green/no-compromise-is-what-the-whole-gospel-of-jesus-is-all-about-for-i/) [Keith Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-green/) > [You are made in the image of what you desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/you-are-made-in-the-image-of-what-you-desire/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [If a man cannot serve two masters, neither can Christianity, or several thousand of them as the case may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-man-cannot-serve-two-masters-neither-can-christianity-or-several/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nature has placed mankind under the government of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-bentham/nature-has-placed-mankind-under-the-government-of-two-sovereign-2/) [Jeremy Bentham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-bentham/) > [In order to protect himself from force, man was obliged to submit to justice. Justice or force: he was compelled to choose between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/in-order-to-protect-himself-from-force-man-was-obliged-to-submit-to/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Let it be fact, one feels, or let it be fiction; the imagination will not serve under two masters simultaneously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/let-it-be-fact-one-feels-or-let-it-be-fiction-the-imagination-will/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Verily a man cannot serve two masters. And I consider the foundation or destruction of a religion far greater than the foundation or destruction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/verily-a-man-cannot-serve-two-masters-and-i-consider-the-foundation/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The Lord put it clearly: you cannot serve two masters. You have to choose between God and money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-lord-put-it-clearly-you-cannot-serve-two-masters-you-have-to/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [ \[T\]he historian must serve two masters, the past and the present. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-stern/t-he-historian-must-serve-two-masters-the-past-and-the-present/) Fritz Stern > [You not only choose between two ways of life but you choose between two masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/you-not-only-choose-between-two-ways-of-life-but-you-choose-between/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [I do not know but it is too much to read one newspaper a week. I have tried it recently, and for so long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-do-not-know-but-it-is-too-much-to-read-one-newspaper-a-week-i-have/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [To withdraw ourselves from the law of the strong, we have found ourselves obliged to submit to justice. Justice or might, we must choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-withdraw-ourselves-from-the-law-of-the-strong-we-have-found/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The New Testament states that man cannot serve two masters. He must choose one -God, and not the other - money. For what man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-sehgal/the-new-testament-states-that-man-cannot-serve-two-masters-he-must/) [Kabir Sehgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-sehgal/) ## More by Dennis McKinsey > [Heaven is supposed to be a perfect place. Yet, it experienced a war (Revelation 12:7). How can there be a war in a perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-mckinsey/heaven-is-supposed-to-be-a-perfect-place-yet-it-experienced-a-war/) Dennis McKinsey > [Jesus is a mythical figure in the tradition of pagan mythology and almost nothing in all of ancient literature would lead one to believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-mckinsey/jesus-is-a-mythical-figure-in-the-tradition-of-pagan-mythology-and/) Dennis McKinsey > [If God kills, lies, cheats, discriminates, and otherwise behaves in a manner that puts the Mafia to shame, that's okay, he's God. He can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-mckinsey/if-god-kills-lies-cheats-discriminates-and-otherwise-behaves-in-a/) Dennis McKinsey Explore all 4 Dennis McKinsey quotes ## More Behavior quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. 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We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. 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Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 4,218 Behavior quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Biblical backing for Mormon behavior is easy to find, although Mark Twain is reported to have denied its legitimacy to a Mormon. The Mormon claimed polygamy was perfectly moral and he defied Twain to cite any passage of Scripture which forbade it. 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