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Volume 13 Number 47

Sat May 15 23:50:04 2004

Language, Truth and Logic (A.J.Ayers)
- Ethel Jean Saltz <nietgal@airmail.net>
Suprarationalism
- Bernard E Oppenheim <boppenhe@iupui.edu>

The Very Jewish Apocrypha

Ethel Jean Saltz <nietgal@airmail.net>

From: Ethel Jean Saltz <nietgal@airmail.net>
Date: Thu May 13 10:07:48 2004
Subject: Language, Truth and Logic (A.J.Ayers)

I forget to mention that having some knowledge of Hebrew makes a whole
lot of difference in how I approach my home bible study.  I have the Old
Testament in English, Hebrew and Spanish.  So I get a feel for the
Sfardic method of communication, the very ancient Arabic/Hebrew method
of communication and the Anglo-Saxon method of communication. 

After all is said and done, I lean heavily on the Hebrew because it gets
closer to the Abrahamic faith and is older than the Arabic of the Koran.

Am I wrong about this?  The Dead Sea scrolls are 2000 years old.  The
Koran took another 600 years later in time and defined the Arabic
language.  And the Koran deals with torah.  Orally there is similarity
between Arabic and Hebrew.  Scriptural there is not. ??????  And again I
plead exactly what are the scriptures the Koran tells us about that Jews
and Christians fight over in Muhammad's time.

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From: Bernard E Oppenheim <boppenhe@iupui.edu>
Date: Thu, 13 May 2004 07:36:34 -0500
Subject: Suprarationalism

In MLJ v13n146 I wrote:

  I think that the dispute between science and religion (or rationalism and
  faith) is resolvable in only one way.  Science is the correct approach for
  all questions of fact, i.e., for questions about the way the universe is.
  But science can't answer any questions related to values, i.e., for
  questions about the way the universe ought to be.  In fact, values are a
  personal matter, and only I can attempt to answer questions about the way
  the universe, for me, ought to be.  I might try to alter the universe and
  myself in an attempt to maximize my long-term pleasure and minimize my
  long-term pain. Science would help me to do this by informing me of the
  likely outcomes of my actions.  But if I pass from a hedonistic to an
  existential approach to life, then I have to concern myself about what
  long-term goals are worthwhile that go beyond my personal pleasure and pain.
  And in the face of my eventual death I have to concern myself with what will
  survive me, if my life is to have any meaning.  Science provides no an

Unfortunately the last sentence of the paragraph was cut short. It should have
read:

  Science provides no answers here, but religion provides a set of values that
  determine many of my actions and goals, and give my life the meaning
  necessary for overcoming existential angst and anomie.

Bernie Oppenheim

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From: Ethel Jean Saltz <nietgal@airmail.net>
Date: Thu May 13 10:08:40 2004
Subject: The Very Jewish Apocrypha

Two experiences have given me support.  Experiences I got in retirement.

1.  At the age of 64 I got a 7 week old dog and it was my very first
truly pet experience.  Being retired I had leisure to really observe and
research and there was already the Web.

2.  I did really intensive bible reading all by myself and observed how
it really did present a mirror of my own self.

Last year I branched out into the Apocrypha, it was at Khanookah time. 
I had already been in love with some books of the Apocrypha and proud of
this additional very Jewish intelligence.  IV Maccabees vindicated my
brain evolution.  I am so proud to be associated with this kind of Jew,
who lived 2000 years ago and still has to be heard in the 21st century. 
He documented my own mental development.  I'm using it as part of my own
health record and giving it to my physicians and lawyers.

I started thinking about Martin Luther.  He withheld this Jewish
education from the Christians.  Can anyone explain why?  Why the Pope
doesn't point this out I'll never understand.  It would go along way in
explaining the current use of pornography as an attribute of God,
spiritually, all over the globe.  Else it's not pornography after all,
just plain good old human nature as in the "good old boyz".  After all
what is a sex therapist all about?

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