Andy Canivet scripsit:
> >Because it is poetry and not philosophy, religion, or ethics. (The same
> >can be said of the Bible, or much of it.)
>
> Well - I do think it is those things - but it certainly is poetry, that is
> for sure - that's why it's so interesting.
Well, what I really meant was that (as also in the Bible) the poetry
comes first. The philosophy etc. is encrusted commentary on the poetry.
> >"[The TTC] ...
>
> (For a second I read that as "Toronto Transit Commission")
*gurk*
> Amen to that! (BTW - does anybody know the etymology of Amen? I read
> someplace that the word amen had a common Indo-European heritage as Sanskrit
> om - can anybody confirm or deny this? and are there any other similar
> words? in other IE descended languages?)
It's Hebrew, not IE at all. IIRC the triliteral root means "confirm".
The "verily" in Jesus's sayings ("Verily, verily I say unto you") is
a Greek representation of (an Aramaic relative of) "amen".
> My Taoist philosophy teacher once said he believed a good sense of humour is
> essential to any kind of spiritual growth. I can't help but agree with him.
I always found it fruitful when reading Zen stories about so-and-so
becoming enlightened (usually some monk or other) to understand that
he broke out into a big laugh.
--
John Cowan http://www.ccil.org/~cowan cowan@ccil.org
To say that Bilbo's breath was taken away is no description at all. There
are no words left to express his staggerment, since Men changed the language
that they learned of elves in the days when all the world was wonderful.
--_The Hobbit_