Description vs Prescription Origins?

[BiblicalLiteralist]

A fairly common statement I see used against PM is descriptive vs prescriptive does anyone know the origins of this statement? I recall only ever seeing it used when it comes to PM arguments from the monogamy side.

 

[frederick]

I don't know where it came from but with watching the videos @PeteR is responding to on YT I've heard the words used more and more. As it's becoming common with the YT preachers we will likely encounter it more from the general Christian population, so will need to be able to counter the error.

 

[PeteR]

I'm starting to quote it back at them! Gen. 2:24 is DESCRIPTION, but there are prescriptive verses re poly!

Turn that cr@p around on them and make them explain how Gen 2:24 isn't a description!

 

[NickF]

I'm starting to quote it back at them! Gen. 2:24 is DESCRIPTION, but there are prescriptive verses re poly!

Turn that cr@p around on them and make them explain how Gen 2:24 isn't a description!

EXACTLY!

does anyone know the origins of this statement?

No idea who came up with it. But it’s a very important logical argument that we need to understand and know better. A passage that describes something happening in scripture is just a description, it is not instructions on how God wants us to act.

Examples would include evil kings, Jezebel, etc. passages describing what they did are NOT prescriptive for us as believers.

The argument that descriptive passages are not prescriptive is 100% logically sound and correct. The problem is most of the time when we are showing examples in scripture, they are not prescriptive. We can not allow opponents to use a red herring or straw man fallacy to derail the argument. We must not mistakenly try to use descriptive passages as prescriptive. We don’t need to. We have a few prescriptive passages that deal specifically with a man having more than one wife.

We need to point out their monogamy only doctrine is proscribed in scripture.

Look up the definitions of prescribe and proscribe. These definitions are vital to know front and back.

I’ll follow up with more info later.

 

[PeteR]

Sounds like another video... describe, prescribe, and proscribe!!
Thank you! Added to 'the list that never ends!'

BTW, @NickF can't wait to hug your neck at the Retreat!! And, bonus, I get to introduce you to one of my warrior brothers that will be at his first retreat with his second! ( @Robhar . )

 

[NickF]

Sounds like another video... describe, prescribe, and proscribe!!
Thank you! Added to 'the list that never ends!'

BTW, @NickF can't wait to hug your neck at the Retreat!! And, bonus, I get to introduce you to one of my warrior brothers that will be at his first retreat with his second! ( @Robhar . )

Yeah I have some ideas for some collaboration I’d like to do this year. Can’t wait to meet up! Been looking forward to it since we saw each other last!