Prooftexts - Bible Verses used by Christians to justify Christian Doctrine

   
The Sun revolves around the Earth, and the earth is fixed. Ecclesiastes 1:5
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
  Psalm 104:5
Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.
  1 Samuel 2:8
For the foundations of the earth are the LORD's; on them he has set the world.
  Joshua 10:13
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
   
   
Slavery is acceptable Leviticus 25:44 (NIV)
Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.
  1 Timothy 6: 1-2 (NIV)
All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare[a] of their slaves.
   
Racial discrimination Joshua 9:21
And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
   
Corporal Punishment of Children Proverbs 13:24
He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
  Proverbs 20:30
The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil ...
  Proverbs 22:15
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
  Proverbs 23:13-14
Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
   
Punishment of the innocent Exodus 20:5
...I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
   
   
The Inferiority of Women Colossians 3:18; cf. 1 Peter 3:1 and Ephesians 5:22
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
  1 Corinthians 11:3 and 7-9
... I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man ... For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
  1 Corinthians 14:34, cf. 1 Corinthians 11:3-9 and 1 Timothy 2:11-12
Let your women keep silence in churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
   
   
Who is to be killed - Capital Crimes  
Blasphemy (i.e. profaning the divine name) Leviticus 24:16
And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.
Bestiality (both parties) Exodus 22:19,

Leviticus 20:15
Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.
Homosexuality Leviticus 20:13
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Pre-marital sex (women only) Deuteronomy 22:20-21
But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.
Adultery Deuteronomy 22:22

 

 

 

Leviticus 20:10
If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.

And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
Wizardry Leviticus 20:27
A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
Witchcraft Exodus 22:18
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Spiritualism Leviticus 20:27
A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
Making sacrifices to other gods Exodus 22:20
He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
Worshipping other gods, or heavenly objects Deut. 17:2-5
If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.
Atheism 2 Chronicles 15:12-13
And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
Cursing one's parents Exodus 21:17


Leviticus 20:9
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
Being a stubborn and rebellious son Deuteronomy 21:18-21
If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
Desecrating the Sabbath Exodus 31:14
Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
   
   
   

Bible Verses Routinely Ignored by Believers

Mustn’t wear gold or pearls 1 Tim 2:9
In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.
Mustn’t Pray in Public Matthew 6:5-6
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Mustn’t eat Black Pudding Leviticus 17:14
For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.
Mustn’t wear Braided hair or expensive clothes 1 Timothy 2:9
In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.
Purification needed after Childbirth Leviticus 12:1-5
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.
Men mustn’t attend Church with Genital Injuries Deut. 23:1
He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord.
Mustn’t attend Church if you or any of your 2406 immediate ancestors are illegitimate Deut. 23:2
A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord.
   
   
   

Notable by its absence from the Bible

Any criticism of paedophilia  
Any criticism of defrauding gullible inadequates  
The concept of equality  
Anything recognizable as effective medicine  
Mention of penguins, kangaroos and other animals outside the Middle East  
Support for questioning authority  
Anything comparable the advanced science or philosophy of (earlier) pagan Greeks  
Any criticism of animal cruelty