Time was when a politician like Patrick Henry (“Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace–but there is no peace!”) or Abraham Lincoln (“A house divided against itself cannot stand”) could quote from the Bible and assume that pretty much everyone in his audience got the reference. Those days are gone, of course. But most Americans still have at least a nodding acquaintance with the Book. Not, however, those who write and edit articles for the New York Times.
From today’s NY Times Corrections section:
An article on Sunday about hundreds of people who starved to death in Kenya after following the teachings of a pastor preaching End Times mischaracterized the Book of Revelation. It is a book, not a chapter, of the New Testament.
The Bible has books. (“The Book of Revelation” should have been a clue.) Its books have chapters. The chapters have verses. Not too long ago, just about every eight year old in the country knew this, and could quote at least a few of the verses. But such learning apparently has not penetrated the dark recesses of ignorance in the Times building.
One can be secular if one chooses. But one cannot be ignorant of the Bible, as this reporter and editor (if we assume that newspapers actually employ editors these days; I am skeptical) apparently are, without being ill-educated. As, unfortunately, most of those currently working in the press are.
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