Poetry Quote by Rachel Held Evans
““If you are looking for verses with which to support slavery, you will find them. If you are looking for verses with which to abolish slavery, you will find them. If you are looking for verses with which to oppress women, you will find them. If you are looking for for verses with which to liberate or honor women, you will find them. If you are looking for reasons to wage war, you will find them. If you are looking for reasons to promote peace, you will find them. If you are looking for an out-dated, irrelevant ancient text, you will find it. If you are looking for truth, believe me, you will find it. This is why there are times when the most instructive question to bring to the text is not "what does it say?", but "what am I looking for?" I suspect Jesus knew this when he said, "ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened." If you want to do violence in this world, you will always find the weapons. If you want to heal, you will always find the balm.””
About This Quote
Source Book: A Year of Biblical Womanhood, Rachel Held Evans, 2012
Interpretations of texts depend on the reader’s agenda; the same words can justify opposite actions.
In simple terms: Meaning changes with what you seek.
Key Takeaway
Examine your motives before reading.
Themes
interpretation
bias
religion
ethics
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- theological study
- political debate
- personal reflection
- social activism
Key Concepts
Hermeneutics
confirmation bias
contextual analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- What assumptions do you bring to a text?
- How can you check for bias?
A Different Perspective
Readers may project their desires, risking misuse of sacred texts.
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