2008-12-04T12:43:54Ztag:sursumcorda.salemsattic.com,2018:/isso/thread/post/forwhy-and-a-peculiar-definitionComments for sursumcorda.salemsattic.com/post/forwhy-and-a-peculiar-definitiontag:sursumcorda.salemsattic.com,2018:/isso/346/1262Comment #12622008-12-04T12:43:54ZSursumCorda<p>Indeed. C. S. Lewis had something to say about that difficulty. In his day—in start contrast to ours— the word "Christian" was being used as an word with positive connotations; to call a man "Christian" was to speak highly of his morals, his generosity, his kindness. Thus the word had lost its meaning, and you could not make a factual statement about his religion—if he was, say, an atheist—without impugning his character. He compared it with what happened to the word "gentleman," which originally had a particular meaning about a man's birth and class, but was muddled by being used to describe behavior. To say that a man who crafts shoes for a living is not a gentleman used to be a simple statement of fact, not an insult.</p>
<p>Times of transition in meaning are hard. "Nice" used to be offensive, meaning foolish or wanton.</p>
<p>I remember my father telling me that this is why legal documents are so long and seem so convoluted to us. Lawyers know, and use, the precise meanings of and distinctions among words whose definitions we have muddled.</p>tag:sursumcorda.salemsattic.com,2018:/isso/346/1261Comment #12612008-12-04T07:29:56ZIrishOboe<p>Yet, yet, we do have to take the time to figure out what people mean by certain words. Stephan and I got in trouble of the word "reformed" the other day. We didn't exactly define it willy-nilly, but because others have taken over the pure meaning of the word, it can be difficult. I suppose the same problem can be said of "orthodoxy." Always lend a generous ear and please, never assume the worst of what you <em>think</em> someone said.</p>