Why Fire Engines are Red

[Eoghan]

Why are Fire Engines are Red?

They have four wheels and eight men;
Four plus eight is twelve;
Twelve inches makes a ruler;
A ruler is Queen Elisabeth
Queen Elisabeth sails the seven seas;
The seven seas have fish;
The fish have fins;
The Finns hate the Russians;
Russians are red;
Fire engines are always rushin’;
So they’re red!


Quoted in chapter 3 logical fallacies of “Exegetical Fallacies” by D.A. Carson

 

[Megan Mozart]

This was the version I heard when I was a kid:

1 plus 2 is three,
3 times 4 is 12,
there are 12 inches in a ruler,
Queen Elizabeth was a ruler,
Queen Elizabeth was also a boat,
boats sail on the sea,
fishes swim in the sea,
fishes have fins,
the Fins fought the Russians,
and fire engines are red because they're rushin' all over!

 

[OPC'n]

lol

 

[Skyler]

Umm... slippery slope?

 

[au5t1n]

In all seriousness, I have seen many arguments just like that on Bible interpretation.

 

[Skyler]

In all seriousness, I have seen many arguments just like that on Bible interpretation.

I came up with a similar one proving Gail Riplinger was a heretic.

And the best part is, it sounds just like something she'd say!

 

[Marrow Man]

The first part I always heard was: "Well, books are read too; two and two are four; four times three is twelve..."

 

[jambo]

On the subject of fire engines, one of the things that always puzzles me is this; why are all fire engines called Dennis?