Topic: Separation of Church and State, part whatever
Mountain Man
Ex-Member
posted
The percentage of people in the ancient world who could speak and understand more than one and often many different tongues was greater than that of todays world. Christ would have been a title rather than a name. Since the hebrews did not allow portaits(graven Images) the written discriptions were a very important way of indentification. Romans recognized that a persons appearance went a long way towards his effectivness as a leader. They were always looking for clues about any one who might gain popular support for or against Roman rule. The Letter was much like an intelligence report. Later exagerations like the story that it was carved in stone found in ruins hurt the credibility of the text of the original letter. Since the original was either lost or no longer exist the only records that remain(those of a saint)dating from the 11 century are all anyone has to judge its worth as a historical document.
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Uh, you got a cite for that?
Registered: Mar 1999
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Mountain Man
Ex-Member
posted
The greater percentage of those who were able to understand and speak more than one and sometimes several tongues, is backed up by the same thing holding true in the third world today. Africa is especialy noted for this. Trade languages were common in many different lands. The migrations and conquest that occurred in those days, as well as the wide spread trade between nations, made it a part of daily life. The average person had to learn at an early age to understand those people of different countries and tribes,that he would have to deal with. This applies to a working knowledge of other languages.
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Look to today's Europe as an example on a larger scale to se what he means: Many europeans speak more than one language. Why? Because there are several cultures with their own language crammed into that (relativly) small area of land. I'd imagine that there were several dialects of Hebrew alone and that pronounciations and meanings of certain words changed from village o village as well.
Now look at America and Canada: there's very little need for most people to learn more than mabye one language other than English (spanish being second) because while we're as diverse as the aincent world, the flow of ideas and law is far more universal. Rome ruled but allowed indivdual villages their own sub-laws (like our states have).
If jesus traveled far, he probably picked up a smattering of several tongues....but that does'nt mean he's ready for a job at the UN or anything.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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Mountain Man
Ex-Member
posted
If Sol would like to know more about the subject, he can start with web searches. My own knowledge comes from real world conversations with professional translators. The less sophisticated a society is by western standards, the higher the percentage of the population that must learn other languages or dialects to do business. Recent movement here to make the USA bilingual (Spanish-English)show how things are begining to change. Other countries like Canada (French-English) have dealt with the situation for many years. In ancient times the whole thing was so common place it became second nature to learn other tongues. Try Encarta first They mention some of the same things.
[ September 17, 2003, 04:15 PM: Message edited by: Mountain Man ]
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Yeah, Simon, it's not like you to not research something so thoroughly as MtnMn has. You'll find that if you just do a Google search for "Language" you'll get A LOT of different sites. Therefore...
No but we all know the real reason everyone speaks different languages is that they were infected with the Asherah virus by the great en Enki in Summerian times to prevent mass mind-washing through the use of the mother tongue. I mean, don't we?
-------------------- "Nah. The 9th chevron is for changing the ringtone from "grindy-grindy chonk-chonk" to the theme tune to dallas." -Reverend42
Registered: Sep 2000
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Those are some fine links. I have been looking for a Jew-free Bible for years! What they have to do with your claim about the proportion of multilingual speakers over time is, alas, lost on me. If proper "research" involves pouring over Christian Identity websites I think I'm better off doing something more entertaining, like removing my fingernails with a razor, or drinking acid.
Registered: Mar 1999
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Mountain Man
Ex-Member
posted
Only one of those links mentions christianity. Did you look at the other two? As for the separatist link its only there because it does tell part of the story of how the bible was written. The language controversy goes on and on. Just posting it doesn't mean I agree with all they say.Or anything they say for that matter.
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'Cuz this is MY separation of church and state, part: what-EVAH!
Seriously, I do think there's a precedent for not letting government look like it's setting up religion. Though it would be fun to see the Soylentologists and Satanists go, they have to be strict and unbiased.
Personally, I agree with the motive behind the ten commandments. Really, most of them are obvious guidlines to human ethics, that's why they are found in all religions worth a damn (sic).
-------------------- "I'm nigh-invulnerable when I'm blasting!" Mel Gibson, X-Men
Registered: Aug 1999
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Mountain Man
Ex-Member
posted
I see nothing at all wrong in having all codes of Law displayed in one form or another in every courthouse. Regardless of the religious background. The history of the concept of law is too important not to be recognized.
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I agree: we'll start with the Koran to make sure we're not all hypicrites. We'll display the Christian laws LAST.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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