Re: putting the "x" back into xmas


Temporary Like Achilles wrote:
> don freeman wrote:
> > >
> > > Here's the thing about him...he's always preaching peace, love,
> > > understanding, tolerance, etc., until an issue arises that he's
> > > against...then watch out for the fire and brimstone.
> > >
> >
> > I preach truth. Peace, love, understanding and tolerance just grow out
> > of truth, and one shouldn't have to preach them. One shouldn't have to
> > preach truth either, but the illusion mongers seem to have taken over
> > the asylum.
> >
> > Of course I resent what organized religion has done to this planet. Only
> > a fool wouldn't resent that.
>
>
> Well ... I wasn't going to answer your last response to me, apart from
> noting that it was very funny. However, as you have decided to say that
> you preach the truth, it occurs to me that perhaps you should become
> acquainted with it. Your response to my post about the origin of the X
> -- that X in Xmas stems from chi and means Christ and that the X in,
> say, Malcolm X, is from mathematics and means an unknown quantity --
> shifted away from those facts to this ludicrous statement from you:
> "There are all kinds of theories about the origin of different
> phrases and words, but what really matters is what people mean when
> they speak. If you draw an X over a picture of a cigarette, it doesn't
> mean "holy smoke." And if you draw a picture of an X over Jesus, it
> doesn't mean that you think Jesus is an especially wonderful
> Christian." How silly can you get? Does anyone not understand that we
> are talking about two quite different uses of an x? One involves an x
> being used as part of a word or as a symbol within a construction to
> indicate meaning. Yours involves an X as a graphic sign that erases or
> defiles meaning - it is wholly negative unless you add something to
> indicate why you want to erase the meaning and the new quantity or
> quality with which you wish to replace it. Do you know what that kind
> of shift is called, Don?
>
> As we are speaking of the truth, I must say that I find it difficult to
> decide what kind of English teacher you were. You didn't know the
> origin of the x - instead you bluster: "There are all kinds of
> theories about the origin of different phrases and words." Right. In
> a previous argument in the group, you didn't know that a fact is, by
> its very nature, true -- although you tried to argue the contrary for
> quite some time. You've demonstrated that you don't know the basics
> of prosody. You abhor religion, myth and legend - threads of meaning
> that are woven throughout the literatures and cultures of all nations
> and, therefore, the stuff that English teachers are made on - and
> want to replace it with your own version of evolution. I could go on,
> but that's enough.
>
> Normally, I try not to be confrontational here; it really isn't the
> kind of stance that I enjoy. I like to be friendly and, as I said to
> another poster, I try to find the good in everyone. (Yes, that may
> well be one of my many character flaws!) However, when someone says,
> "I preach the truth" without the saving grace of irony I feel
> justified in sharing some of the truth with him. Does it matter if you
> were an English teacher? No. Does it matter that I was a professor of
> English literature? No. Does it matter that you say you were an English
> teacher and yet demonstrate you lack some basic knowledge and skills?
> Yes, I'm afraid it does - especially when you say you preach the
> truth.
>
> Temporary

Hear, hear. Post of the month.

Wow, a lit. professor who acknowledges the real existence of Fact. My
hat is off. In your own world you must have been treated like our hero
when he went electric.

Prof., would you agree Mr. Freeman would do well to read some Mary
Renault? He needs to be taken by the hand and shown how myth, legend
and religion germinate and grow to become the very ground we walk.

--
wsk

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Longitude and the Equation of Time
    ... On Feb 23, 9:25 pm, Doug Weller ... He Knows The Truth and his mission is to Preach The ... That careless 17th century cartoon conception would not exist if you ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: putting the "x" back into xmas
    ... > of truth, and one shouldn't have to preach them. ... defiles meaning - it is wholly negative unless you add something to ... decide what kind of English teacher you were. ...
    (rec.music.dylan)
  • Re: Dear Dave
    ... But I wish you well in your continuing effort to find truth. ... You do misunderstand but that perhaps is understandable, ... I defended Dr. Thiering's honor on SRQ. ... I do not actually force or preach - I report or switch context ...
    (soc.religion.quaker)
  • Re: putting the "x" back into xmas
    ... about literature or literary terms and devices. ... simultaneously suggest that the truth is irrelevant. ... preach darkness, the kind of uninformed darkness that serves as the ...
    (rec.music.dylan)
  • Re: X = Z
    ... travel a path and return to its beginning, a goal of mathematics is ... that have otherwise generally canonical meaning. ... Fashion has nothing to do with truth. ... appear on the subject of 'primes' above and below mine, ...
    (sci.math)