My reaction to the comment on Twitter was essentially the same: I don’t fear the Bible; I fear devout morons who want to impose their bibliolatry onto secular society.
On the spurious quotes: I have occasionally made that error, forgetting that when a quote is just too deliciously perfect for whatever viewpoint I want to support, red flags should go up. But when I find out that I have erred, I make it a policy to post a public retraction and apology. The issue then is less about the fact that these spurious quotes from Washington and Lincoln were used than about the fact that there has been no public acknowledgment of the error.
I agree. More than likely Laurie got the quotes from one of the numerous sermon illustration or quote books that preachers tend to have. I still have a few of mine including ‘America’s God and Country: Encyclopedia of Quotations’ by William J. Federer. They make for great sermon fodder but little else. Just typical quote mining.
The Amateur Exegete 
My reaction to the comment on Twitter was essentially the same: I don’t fear the Bible; I fear devout morons who want to impose their bibliolatry onto secular society.
On the spurious quotes: I have occasionally made that error, forgetting that when a quote is just too deliciously perfect for whatever viewpoint I want to support, red flags should go up. But when I find out that I have erred, I make it a policy to post a public retraction and apology. The issue then is less about the fact that these spurious quotes from Washington and Lincoln were used than about the fact that there has been no public acknowledgment of the error.
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I agree. More than likely Laurie got the quotes from one of the numerous sermon illustration or quote books that preachers tend to have. I still have a few of mine including ‘America’s God and Country: Encyclopedia of Quotations’ by William J. Federer. They make for great sermon fodder but little else. Just typical quote mining.
LikeLiked by 1 person