Let He Without Memory Lapse Cast First Vote

While stumping in Greenville South Carolina this past week Mitt Romney botched a scriptural citation. I feel his pain. I am not being cheeky. I really do feel his pain.

The former governor of Massachusetts was just minding his own business, standing outside an adoption agency and riffing on the theme of children to assorted journalists and onlookers. CNN’s Peter Hamby who reported the story describes the scene as follows, jittery real-life syntax and all:

"As it says in the Book of Psalms, what is it?," he [Romney] asked. "A hundred and twenty-six. Where did, I think it's the 126 chapter of Psalms, it says effectively this ... I'll be loose ..."

"One twenty-seven! I was only one off. A hundred and twenty-seven chapter of Psalms, it says, 'Children are an inheritance of the Lord, happy is he who hath his quiver full of them.' "

I have heard Romney invoke this verse more or less correctly before in discussions about abortion. This time, however, not only was his chapter-and-verse citation a little off, but he quoted a tad inaccurately as well. The King James rendering of Psalm 127:3-5 reads:

"Lo, children are an heritage [not inheritance] of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."

Although Romney presently has many enemies in the gates of the Palmetto State, I have yet to see any negative readings of this incident make their rounds across the Web. To the best of my knowledge, no conservative Protestant has played the LDS card and exclaimed: "If Romney weren’t so busy reading The Pearl of Great Price or The Book of Mormon, and stuck to our Christian canon, he would have gotten that scripture right.” (If this scenario seems absurd, please recall that some pundits have spent the better part of the week arguing about the precise positioning of Barack Obama’s hands during the playing of the national anthem at a Steak Fry).

Were such an accusation to surface, I would immediately commuter-jet down to South Carolina and testify on behalf of Romney--though to what judicial body I am not certain--pausing solely to sample the local biscuits (about which I have received many enthusiastic reports).

Citing the scriptures with perfect precision, as all biblical scholars know, is a deceptively tricky feat. There are tens of thousands of verses in the Old and New Testaments and consistently remembering their exact contents and addresses would strain the faculties of even the most sober university biblicist. (Admittedly, we tend to think of them in our own translations from the original languages so we usually cite them differently from everyone else).

Incorrect citation is an occupational hazard. Scriptural verses are the small vials of pure form nitroglycerin that a white-gloved exegete handles on a daily basis. Once in a while a mishap occurs.

How many times have I sent my undergraduates racing to a biblical citation which supposedly clinches my argument about, let’s say, an anti-monarchal streak in the Old Testament, only to have one of my puzzled charges read aloud a passage that speaks of the importance of not eating ostriches, nighthawks and seagulls.

My advice to candidates who drop scripture bombs in public is to refrain from chapter-and-verse references. Just mouth the damn words and get on with it! Your target audience (i.e., Evangelicals) knows the Bible inside out; they won’t need chapter and verse to know that you have just referenced the Good Book. And those holding arrows in their hands will have fewer targets of opportunity.

By Jacques Berlinerblau |  November 15, 2007; 9:14 AM ET
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Just a reminder:

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof".

Posted by: DC12 | November 17, 2007 8:41 AM
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Ohg Rea Tone: So....your're saying the bible is not a book of fact? How could you tell?

Also correct about Smith and his cult.

Compare and contrast smith cult faith, book of moron faith, bible faith.

Posted by: blah blah blah | November 16, 2007 11:45 PM
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JC, christians are the great problem to overcome only here in the states.
And it isn't all christians, it isn't even most christians, as a matter of fact it's very few christians. It's Dobson and Robertson and all those true nut powermongers who are USING the ingrained and reinforced gullibility of the christian population to obtain power for themselves.

I think you would be nuts to follow them, I think it's dangerous to our country's future that you would defend them simply because they claim to be christian. you accuse me of having a clouded negative view of christians, I accuse you of having a clouded postive view.

I don't care about most of you, anymore than I care about the true believer astrologists or pagans or pastafarians or whatever - those people are not trying to change the constitution to enforce their view of reality on all the rest of us. They can believe as they choose without comment from me.

I would be happy to ignore christians the same way, keeping my less-than-savory opinions of your intelligence to myself. As long as you support dobson and robertson and jim jones and all those true nuts trying to steal my country from me, then I'm going to be very adamant about those unsavory opinions ... this is a war for our freedom.

Perhaps you say you don't support those evil men? When! When do the christians refute these people, when do the christians refute their attempted takeover of the country?

I do listen for that, why don't I hear it?

Trust in your Bible JC, good for you. Just keep it out of my face, and out of my constitution.

Posted by: OORT | November 16, 2007 7:21 PM
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You have the right of course to think Christians are crazy or nuts as you have said. But when Christians say something is wrong it is because they are "narrow-minded" yet you should have all the freedom in the world to label crazy those who don't see the world as you??????????? Why must we respect everything and everyone on this planet with the exception of the Christian. Your logic is seriously flawed and everyone sees through it.

Additionally, would the Christian/Bible bashers of you have the rest of the country assume that Christians are the great problem to overcome? If everyone just suddenly stopped believing would our country suddenly become a utopia? Socities need a guiding force and a moral compass. I don't think I am crazy for trusting the Bible as opposed to putting my trust in the fical academic trends and theories of our age.

Hatred, fear and misconceptions rule your lives because those very things cloud your vision of Christians, the very things you accuse Christians of. Let's get this clear none of you know me any better than I know you, stop pigeonholing and stereotyping me and other Christians. The hypocrisy in some of the comments here is nauseating.

Try listening instead of hating and bashing at every turn.

Posted by: JC | November 16, 2007 5:39 PM
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Expose thy selves all ye bigots and liars.The father of your sins awaits..Your hate is really only fear. Why are you afraid of the truth ? And the second is like unto the first.

Posted by: chuck the truck | November 16, 2007 4:06 PM
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For Professor Berlinerblau in relation to Mr. Romney:

Whether or not done accurately, the devil can quote scripture for his purpose.

[With thanks to W.S. and the Merchant of Venice.]

Posted by: Norrie Hoyt | November 16, 2007 2:56 PM
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The fact that Mr. Romney misquoted a bible verse disturbs me a lot less than the fact that he feels compelled to cite scripture in the first place.

I'd feel better if he could recite the Constitution from memory.

Posted by: Jim Carlson | November 16, 2007 2:25 PM
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The Bible is sooo misunderstood. The Bible is not a book of science or history - or direct quotes for that matter. The Bible captures the essence of faith - not pretending to be the library of fact.
Ohg.
http://thefiresidepost.com/2007/10/10/the-bible-faith-truth-knowledge/

Posted by: Ohg Rea Tone | November 16, 2007 1:36 PM
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Mitt Romney cannot be expected to quote the King James Bible. That is not the Bible of his faith. Joseph Smith rewrote that book to incorporate his 'enlightened' wisdom. If Romney actually becomes President the Mormon faith will be studied and exposed -
Ohg.
http://thefiresidepost.com/2007/10/10/mormons-the-beginning-theology/

Posted by: Ohg Rea Tone | November 16, 2007 1:30 PM
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Eric writes:

"He believes in scripture that has has never been substantiated by any archeology whatsoever."

What part of pre-Mosaic scripture has 'been substantiated by any archeology (sic) whatsoever'?

Belief in scripture takes faith, not archaeological proof.

Posted by: HillRat | November 16, 2007 12:11 PM
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God help this country if its citizenry can't recognize Romney for the odious smarmy piece of trash he is. We sure have fallen far from the days of Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy.

Posted by: Anonymous | November 16, 2007 12:10 PM
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Personally, I'm much more concerned about whether presidential candidates know the Constitution than the Bible. I could care less what a bunch of uneducated, nomadic, superstitious tribesmen said or did thousands of years ago and think scripture has zero relevance to today's political, social and economic issues.

Posted by: Dennis | November 16, 2007 11:13 AM
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"I get frustrated with people who think Christians are stupid. Faith is a choice, you probably support other choices vehemently so why not respect a Christians choice to believe. "

Who isn't respecting a christian's choice to believe? You have all the right in the world to do that. Why aren't you respecting our choice to think you are nuts?

why should we think that you know any better what a "true christian" is than anybody else?

Put this word in your head: predictability. Randomly choose any one human on this planet, at any random time in history. It's a guy this time. Which of the inumerable gods humanity as worshipped and feared does he believe in?

With great precision we can predict the answer by referring to: Where was he born? When was he born?

Do things like this ever leak into your head when you say the things you say, when you believe the things you say you have "chosen" for yourself?

Posted by: OORT | November 16, 2007 7:18 AM
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"A true Christian is one who makes the decision for him or herself to dedicate their life to Christ."

A true Christian is one who has been called by the triune God and who lives one's life as an answer to that call.

Posted by: Stu | November 16, 2007 7:17 AM
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Pam,

There are many Christians whose parents were not or who were nominal. You and many want to sweep Christians under the rug by saying they are just mindless drones following in the steps of their parents. Well here is mythbuster for you, it isn't true! A true Christian is one who makes the decision for him or herself to dedicate their life to Christ. A follower of Christ follows Him regardless of what others around are doing. In fact the decision to follow Christ in the way that He asks of us is much more radical and original than the choice to be a skeptic. Jesus had many run ins with skeptics they were called Pharisees, Saducees, Pontius Pilate and Judas.

I get frustrated with people who think Christians are stupid. Faith is a choice, you probably support other choices vehemently so why not respect a Christians choice to believe.

Posted by: JC | November 16, 2007 6:11 AM
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I don't get your beef.

As you write, Romney said: "As it says in the Book of Psalms, what is it?," he [Romney] asked. "A hundred and twenty-six. Where did, I think it's the 126 chapter of Psalms, it says effectively this ... I'll be loose ..."

a. he is not sure of the chapter
b. he say's he's paraphrasing or giving the gist (gisting??) - "it says effectively"
c. not promising an exact quote: "I'll be loose ..."

Heritage, (inheritance), fruit of the womb is his reward, quiver, blah blah.

What difference does all this make? Romney is trying to make a point that he is now pro-life (anti abortion) and that he is a Christian.

Neither of these should qualify him or disqualify him from being President.

But, Romney is subtly ... or not so subtly ... trying to imbue his changed positions with the aura of legitimacy as if they spring from the penumbra of the Bible.

Recall that in Griswold v. Connecticut, the Supremes found a right to privacy in the penumbra of one of the Amendments in the Bill of Rights - I'm not sure which one, I'll be loose and say teh 4th Amendment.

Gotta be careful of those penumbras - you never know what is lurking in these shadows.

Plus, who cares if someone without the text in front of him gets the Bible wrong. Heck Bush can't even read a speech without mangling the words. Remember his "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice ... er... you can't fool me twice" bit?

Plus No. 2 ... we're talking about a book that has verses that have been translated from an ancient language into various forms of English and various editions ... where is the consistency in any of this stuff?

Posted by: Anon 2 | November 16, 2007 12:07 AM
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"I'm happy to answer any questions people have about my faith and do so pretty regularly," the former Massachusetts governor said.

OK, God loving Mitt answer this. Do you agree with your Church's use of electroshock to "cure" gays? Did you make Bishopric referrals for this torture when you were a Bishop?

Do you disavow the Mormon dogma that people of color are marked by God because they were "fence sitters" in the war between God and Satan in the Mormon pre-existences of souls?

Are you "happy to answer any questions" or those you choose to answer? What will be your treatment of gays and people of color if, God forbid, you get elected President. Maybe you can pay your close friend and adviser Cofer Black, Vice Chairman of Blackwater, to answer for you or maybe Blackwater can take care of these nuisances for you another way.

Romney is like the other Christian extremists neocons who cherry pick scripture out of context to support his political agendas. Hopefully, this time, American's won't buy it.

Posted by: Roy, Chiapas Mexico | November 15, 2007 9:56 PM
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"What did y'all expect from Romney? The dude believes in a false gospel. He believes that God was a man, just like you a me, before he was the Lord. He believes in scripture that has has never been substantiated by any archeology whatsoever. I could give a horned owl's hoot about the election, but I care about deluded people who need to hear the truth."

This one gave me a good chuckle. If you believe in a big Daddy in the sky, Eric, you're as deluded as anyone. Don't you realize that each one of you thinks his religion is the only really true one? Have you considered the possibility that it might just look true to you because your Mommy and Daddy and all of your friends and neighbors think so? It was the same for Mitt. Your religion is just an accident of your birth. Wake up. Read a few books about things for which there is actual evidence. It just might be a revelation to you.

Posted by: Pam | November 15, 2007 6:33 PM
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There are some seriously an** retentive people out there who insist on everyone always quoting scriptures perfectly every time. First of all, who has ever done that? Jesus is the only one, so exercise a little patience with the rest of inferior humanity and get a life.

Posted by: Jed J. | November 15, 2007 6:26 PM
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I had no idea Dr. Berlinerblau had become such a big deal. It seems like just yesterday, we were in Breslin Hall at 8:00 every Monday morning.

Keep Thumpin' the Good Book--I look forward to your new book. I'll be sure to buy it on Amazon, therefore doubling the amount of copies sold.

Posted by: Olin Grant Parker | November 15, 2007 2:38 PM
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Get over it. Memorizing quotations is silly in the first place, memorizing the index is even sillier. As long as you can derive a reasonable moral context from your belief structure it has done it's job.

Mormons are no more or less moral than any other people of any other faith. There are plenty of religious and non-religious texts that are not the bible that can still impart the needed moral center. Expand your reading list and learn something.

So far the neo-con biblical literalists haven't shown much in the way of morality, generosity, care for their fellow man etc. We can't justify giving children health care but killing hundreds of thousands of people is OK. What would Jesus really say about that.

Posted by: ColeM | November 15, 2007 2:22 PM
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Why does Romney so remind me of Kerry?
You know, upper class twits. I think Monty Python had something to say about these guys ... what was that ....

Posted by: oort | November 15, 2007 1:55 PM
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Oh! How nice to have berlinerblah so humbly give advice on how to run campaigns.
What a swell guy he is. How valuable.
And do we care about how often "...I sent MY undergraduates..to clinch MY arguments...only to have one of MY charges..."etc.

Posted by: Dean | November 15, 2007 1:45 PM
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A brilliant man once told me, "Utilize, don't memorize." A smart man will say he's paraphrasing then quote the essence of the passage.

Posted by: Shanks1 | November 15, 2007 1:24 PM
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What did y'all expect from Romney? The dude believes in a false gospel. He believes that God was a man, just like you a me, before he was the Lord. He believes in scripture that has has never been substantiated by any archeology whatsoever. I could give a horned owl's hoot about the election, but I care about deluded people who need to hear the truth.

Posted by: Eric | November 15, 2007 1:24 PM
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Been there done that... while an emcee. The passage I was trying to recall (and thought I had memorized):
Jeremiah 9
23 This is what the LORD says:
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,

24 but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,"
declares the LORD.

Thankfully a brother was able to feed me the passage.

What can I say. It happens.

Posted by: Dave R | November 15, 2007 12:41 PM
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Hello dana:

Please tell me this isn't so, http://www.hoax-buster.org/sellyoursoul and back it up with some facts. Faith is not facts. It's something but facts it's not.

You need a new book. Old book broke beyond repair.

Posted by: BGone | November 15, 2007 12:29 PM
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*I am a Christian first and foremost*

And I live in the south, but I am a registered democrat.
I have a degree in religion and consider myself educated it biblical theology!
When you actually take the scripture that these men are using in their speeches and interviews you need to break it down,
First what version of the bible are they using? Is it the NIV, KJV, the message version, ext… this is because each one is written differently with a slightly different look on certain bits of scripture.
Second read the context! What does the whole piece of scripture say? Who was it from, who was it going to, what is the over all idea? (The letters from Paul are often the most misrepresented) Anyone can use anything in the bible to back up their claim, but Sometimes when you read the whole scriptural text you see that it didn’t support what they said in the first place.
If we are so called Christians it is our responsibility to look these things up and see if these so called Christian men ( in this case I use the word Christian lightly, due to the fact that to be a Christian you do have certain things you have to believe ...Like the trinity or the apostils creed) are using them correctly or just using what their speech writers told them to use.

Posted by: dana | November 15, 2007 11:36 AM
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Serves him right for mixing religion and politics. Romney needs "Jozevz On: In APOCALYPTIC Society there is a NON_FORGIVING_SIN:" to help him out of "that" mess.

Jozevz said, "Note: Under Eclati_On "Public" & "Private" Law(s) that there is such a thing a "NON_FORGIVING_SINS!"

Misquoting the Bible is a "NON_FORGIVING_SINS!" in North, East, South and West Carolina and elsewhere too. Lucky for Mitt only the ministry actually reads and understands the Bible. And, they are very selective.

Can't help but notice that Jozevz is a BIG Mitt Romney supporter. With just a little more help...

They're all going to hell anyhow, http://www.hoax-buster.org/sellyoursoul to become president. Well, Jozevz is probably an exception to that and all other rules.

It is on the net! You just put it there. Otherwise I wouldn't know yet not that I care.

FYI: Former speaker of the house, Dick Armmie says Hillary in 08. Larry Kudlow lost several more hairs over that. Here come the taxes!

All issues are economic, TAXES.

Religion is the great enemy of democracy. Hello Mitt Romney, and, Jozevz.

Posted by: BGone | November 15, 2007 11:22 AM
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