They Left Sin Out
We've heard of "sin of omission" -- but the Oxford Junior Dictionary is guilty of the opposite: ommission of sin.
Apostles and Earrings
I wonder if this belonged to one of the apostles? Simon the Zealot strikes me as the kind of guy who would wear an earring. I recall the time, when I was graduating from seminary, I received an invitation to start a new congregation in a college town. In the letter, they outlined the vision, the demographics of the community, and their expectations for the pastor. The letter ended with a p.s. -- "and of course, your wife will not be permitted to wear earrings." They forgot say anything about ME wearing earrings. For a while, I was tempted to go ahead, take the position, and get my ear pierced.
What ever happened to the idea that a dictionary was a complete collection of words in usage in the English language?????? I wonder how they get the right to decide what is and what is not a word. Hmmmmmmmmm
ReplyDeleteOK now, I just gotta tell ya - - - the more I "ruminate" on this, the angrier it is making me.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't even the fact that these are church world words they have left out - - - - it makes me ask myself, "what OTHER words did they also omit?"
Seems to me that a dictionary should reflect and record word history and not attempt to alter, change, and especially not FORM it.
I think Daniel Webster is turning in his grave.
GRRRRRRRRRRR
Why should this surprise any of us? Any book we read should be read with 'a grain of salt'.
ReplyDeleteAny book we read, including a dictionary or encyclopedia, is a collection of what the author feels is important. Any author puts forth the message he/she wants to get across.
When we read/hear an 'eye-witness' account by the news, it is a bias opinion.
For example when an American and Russian were in a two-man race. The American won the race. When it was reported by Americans, they said America won and Russia came in second. When it was reported by Russians, they said Russia came in second and America came in second to last.
Definition of Sin--something someone else does that others deem is wrong?
ReplyDeleteSin was left out of this dictionary probably because the author feels like so many other people today. Sin is only something others do. When we do the wrong deed, we are only being human, or perhaps at most making a tiny mistake.
Phil
At the end of the article, a spokesperson explains that the dictionary was designed to reflect words that children commonly come across at home and school.
ReplyDeleteAs a Sunday school teacher of seven year olds, I can tell you from experience that "sin" is not a word many of the kids have in their vocabulary. So could it be that even for "churched" kids, this isn't a word they commonly come across in church, either?
Something to think about.