From: cdpert01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu
Subject: Re: Family Values
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 23:23:24 GMT
Organization: University of Louisville

In article <1992Sep28.183729.4617@microsoft.com>, philipla@microsoft.com (Phil Lafornara) writes:
> In article <1992Sep25.002336.1@ulkyvx.louisville.edu> cdpert01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu writes:
>>
>>     All it takes for me to illustrate my contention (that the Bible
>>is not entirely symbolic) is to show one counterexample; but for
>>your contention (that the Bible is entirely symbolic), you must
>>prove that every verse is symbolic.
> 
>      I made no such assertion - I merely questioned your statement
> that only portions of the Bible are symbolic.
            ^^^^^^^^

     Look at the text of what you deleted.  Here is your quote:

     "My claim is: the entire text of the Bible is symbolic." 
                       ^^^^^^
What does this mean?  Was I supposed to take this claim as symbolic? :-)

>>  That is obviously not
>>possible, so I will not ask of you what you ask of me.  Here
>>goes:
>>
>>     Deut 5:19 - Neither shalt thou steal.
>>
>>I claim that this can be taken at face value.
> 
>      I agree that it can be taken at face value.  To prove your
> claim, however, you need to show that it _cannot_ be taken symbolically.

     That is a good point!  There are some verses in the Bible
that have both a literal interpretation and a symbolic interpretation
(e.g. the temple of God).  This verse could possibly have a
symbolic interpretation also, though I do not see it.  Why don't
you help me out and show me the symbolic interpretation.
 
>>  Now, it's your turn.
>>Since you claim the *entire* text is symbolic,
> 
>      I did not make this claim.

     Yes you did...look at what you deleted.  If you did not make
this claim, then we are in agreement. 
 
>> please discuss how
>>this *one* verse cannot be taken at face value. Let me give you
>>a starting point -- you need to either claim that 'thou' (the subject)
>>symbolizes something (it's hard to make a pronoun become a symbol)
>>or that 'steal' (the verb) symbolizes something.  When I look in
>>a Bible concordance, the verses that use 'steal' do not seem to be
>>esoteric in any sense.  Therefore, unless one learned reading
>>by the Whole Language Method, one can reasonably conclude this
>>verse is to be taken literally -- just as I reasonably concluded
>>that your questions were to be taken literally.  How do you 
>>interpret this verse?  
> 
>      Your conclusion that "steal" is meant in any literal sense
> appears to be rather unfounded.  It may not "seem" to be esoteric
> to you - this does not preclude its use in a symbolic manner.
> 
>      You have failed to provide evidence to support your claim that
> only a portion of the Bible is symbolic.  Would you care to try
> again?
> 
> 					-Phil

     I told you how you can prove it for yourself.  Get a Bible
concordance -- look up "steal" -- look up all the verses that
talk about stealing -- and see for yourself.  You may see something
that I do not see.  If you do see something different,
I would greatly appreciate you telling me.  I greatly enjoy learning
about the Bible, and I would be very grateful if you taught
me something new.

     C. Perttunen 
Xref: sparky alt.politics.clinton:7945 alt.politics.bush:7309