Skeptripe #9: "Quote-Mine"

Welcome back to "Skeptripe," where I expose words and phrases used by so-called "Skeptics" and Athiests that are overused, misused, or just plain stupid.

Sometimes "Skeptics" will accuse their opponents of using "Quote-Mines," which are little quotes so potent that they explode the "Skeptic's" argument, like a mine on a battlefield. "Skeptics" claim that this is some kind of dirty, dishonest trick, but what else do you expect from whiny liberal peaceniks?

The best way to avoid being whined at like this is to just not use any quotes anywhere, but sometimes you can't avoid it. My only usual exception is with quotes from the Bible: I hope that if I use enough Bible quotes, exposing the "Skeptic" Athiests to God's Holy Word a little at a time, the Holy Spirit will build up in their hearts until eventually it'll be too much for even them to deny. It hasn't happened yet, but I have Faith that it still might.

Anyway, "Skeptics" who complain about quote mines usually talk about how the words are taken out of context, or how they don't mean what we say they mean. This is obviously absurd: words have specific definitions that were made by God and written in His Divine Dictionary on our hearts. The meanings of words don't change, regardless of what other words are around them. I can go to any passage of the Bible, pick out any string of words, and find that it means the same thing as it does when I read the whole chapter, and it's just as profound. I'd be tempted to say that "Skeptics" just don't understand how reading works, but I think it just relates back to their fears. They're afraid of their Athiest and Big Scienceist heroes being Godly men, or showing that Athiesm is stupid, so they claim we're taking those people's anti-Athiest quotes out of context, and that they actually meant something else. The "Skeptics" are afraid of looking stupid and silly, so they lie about us misrepresenting their arguments. They're afraid to admit that we're right, so they try to mangle God's words to mean other things.

"Skeptics" live their whole lives in fear because they don't have God to rely on. So next time a "Skeptic" accuses you of using "Quote-Mines," just imagine them as they are: a scared, sad little Athiest trapped in the middle of a minefield, shivering and hoping no one hears them praying. There are no Athiests in foxholes, whether on the battlefield, or on the blogosphere.