Re: a comment on A Modern Woman by Dovina	30-Nov-05/8:00 PM
I seldom do. They usually think they know.
Re: a comment on A Modern Woman by Dovina	30-Nov-05/7:44 PM
You have apparently studied this more than I have. I would be interested in a short list of the gospels you think are the oldest and/or the most reliable in terms of authenticity from the first century.
Re: a comment on Silent Night by Dovina	30-Nov-05/11:36 AM
I'm not offended by having the poem called blasphemous. I figured that would come up. If you say I am off-doctrine, I am not offended by that either. What was your point again?
Re: a comment on A Modern Woman by Dovina	30-Nov-05/11:30 AM
I looked at that and it's interesting. I don't have the time to look up where I saw that. Bias could be argued on either side, and it would take a lot of time to sort it out.
Re: a comment on A Modern Woman by Dovina	30-Nov-05/11:26 AM
Yes, and you still wonder.
Re: The copper man and Labrador by Caducus	29-Nov-05/5:17 PM
The last line might turn it into another Poor-man-dead poem, except for “shrapnel for our conscience” which I see as a painful wound on the collective sensibility – maybe because of the medal, or just maybe because they all agreed with the dog. Provocative.
Re: a comment on A Modern Woman by Dovina	29-Nov-05/5:03 PM
In textual criticism, I go with the oldest Gospels and the ones written by people who knew Jesus well. Of course, the uncertainty of orgins and corectness in copying, and/or changing makes the science difficult. I am no expert in this, but many scholars think the original Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are probably from pre-70AD and come to us with only minor changes. Other gospels may be just as old and credible. I don't claim any of them to be better except on this basis.
Re: a comment on Silent Night by Dovina	29-Nov-05/4:51 PM
I think He does.
Re: a comment on Silent Night by Dovina	29-Nov-05/4:48 PM
yes, but how is this profane against God? Other sacred entities such as carols, litergy, and dogma are not in the same category as God and not, in my opinion objects of blasphemy.
Re: a comment on A Modern Woman by Dovina	29-Nov-05/2:56 PM
It is a matter of faith, but what surprises me is that you're so much into textual criticism. Usually, it's clerics that get into that stuff. They look for some kind of validity for their faith. Are you a Baptist minister in disguise?
Re: a comment on Silent Night by Dovina	29-Nov-05/2:51 PM
You'll burn for this.
Re: a comment on Silent Night by Dovina	29-Nov-05/2:50 PM
I'm trying to say that I don't think it's blasphemy.
Re: a comment on Silent Night by Dovina	29-Nov-05/11:09 AM
But then it couldn't be sung to the traditional melody without forcing the rhythm. And it wouldn't make sense. Your answer: "It doesn't anyway." My answer: "Yes it does." Nighty-eight bottles of beer on the wall.
Re: a comment on A Modern Woman by Dovina	29-Nov-05/10:26 AM
The Magdeline description is beautifully written: "With his hand and his heart he made her new. Lifted from within by the wind of the Spirit, she blew like a kite in the updraft, dancing dizzyingly while held firmly by his heartstrings 'til she came to earth again, touching down into his deep dark eyes. After that, she knew her calling." How can I help but swoon to such romantic uplift. The power of language is so great I could almost forget how inconsistent it is with the rest of the writings of that time.
Re: a comment on A Modern Woman by Dovina	29-Nov-05/9:55 AM
No metaphors here that I can see, just inconsistent disses. When two things are placed together in a sentence, and the two seem unrelated, I have to wonder why the writer put them together.
Re: a comment on Silent Night by Dovina	29-Nov-05/9:46 AM
Silence is golden.
Re: a comment on Silent Night by Dovina	29-Nov-05/9:45 AM
“Wholly night” is parallel to “Holy night” in the carol. Maybe you know that and think “completely” is better. Maybe so. I don’t think St. Peter will be impressed with the prosecution’s argument. We are made that way by his Master, and he’d have to explain why this case is sin. Your “eggshells” comment appears based on the idea that I took a sacred carol and made it vulgar. But think about the words of that song and tell me if you think they should be sacred.
Re: a comment on A Modern Woman by Dovina	28-Nov-05/5:30 PM
It seems out-of-chaacter with the Mary Magdeline in the four usually-accepted Gospels. There, she poured expensive purfume on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. In this purported Gospel, she is philosophizing like some elevated Dovina. As for having a sense of validation in the Bible, I might find it easire to imagine being part of the Bride of Christ than most men do. And I think Jesus treated women of his day with more respect than the average man did.
Re: a comment on A Modern Woman by Dovina	28-Nov-05/11:30 AM
Thank you. Such finds are interesting. Have you read The Da Vince Code?
Re: a comment on A Modern Woman by Dovina	28-Nov-05/11:26 AM
You have related the ideas of colossal stupidity and somebody wanting to sleep with somebody. Judge's ruling: Associative dimness.