Nobel Prize Winning NYTs Journalist-Paul Krugmans Language Gap

Religio-Political Talk (RPT) ^ | 1-13-2011 | Papa Giorgio

[SeanG200]

Michele Bachmann was given the Krugman treatment in a column on Monday. Krugman had this to say: And it’s the saturation of our political discourse — and especially our airwaves — with eliminationist rhetoric that lies behind the rising tide of violence.

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I think seminary grads have a LOT to offer these political “mavens” (really, red herrings). For instance, what does the typical Bible student learn about how to interpret properly. Here is some of a larger paper I wrote a while ago entitled, “Biblical Inerrancy Defined,” on this topic:

The internal test utilizes one Aristotle’s dictums from his Poetics. He said, "They [the critics] start with some improbable presumption; and having so decreed it themselves, proceed to draw inferences, and censure the poet as though he had actually said whatever they happen to believe, if his statement conflicts with their notion of things…. Whenever a word seems to imply some contradiction, it is necessary to reflect how many ways there may be of understanding it in the passage in question…. So it is probably the mistake of the critics that has given rise to the Problem…. See whether he [the author] means the same thing, in the same relation, and in the same sense, before admitting that he has contradicted something he has said himself or what a man of sound sense assumes as true."

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[SeanG200]

Eight Rules of Interpretation ~ …the Eight Rules of Interpretation used by legal experts for more than 2500 years.

1) Rule of Definition: Define the term or words being considered and then adhere to the defined meanings.

2) Rule of Usage: Don’t add meaning to established words and terms. What was the common usage in the cultural and time period. When the passage was written?

3) Rule of Context: Avoid using words out of context. Context must define terms and how words are used.

4) Rule of Historical background: Don’t separate interpretation and historical investigation.

5) Rule of Logic: Be certain that words as interpreted agree with the overall premise.

6) Rule of Precedent: Use the known and commonly accepted meanings of words, not obscure meanings for which there is no precedent.

7) Rule of Unity: Even though many documents may be used there must be a general unity among them.

8) Rule of Inference: Base conclusions on what is already known and proven or can be reasonably implied from all known facts.

[rightwingcrazy]

What does Rule 6 add to Rule 2?

[Tublecane]

“with eliminationist rhetoric that lies behind the rising tide of violence”

I had to look up what was meant by “eliminationist,” and can find no direct connection to it with violence. Just more hazy notions of a poisoned culture/environment/aura/climate/etc. of “hate.”