The complexity of the English Language--especially in written form--often makes it difficult to understand what one is reading or what is being said. This is compounded by the use of heteronyms, homographs, homonyms and homophones. Additionally there is also the fact that in different English speaking counties meanings and spellings may vary as well.

Thus one may think his money is safely in the BANK but it's still lying on the BANK; or that a horse was in the LEAD when the horse was actually made of LEAD; or that the singer was a BASS when the singer's name was BASS; or that the seamstress was a SEWER when her shoe's caught in the SEWER.

So on this board we should be careful about our tempers and appropriate response. Most often this is due to the fact that we either failed to ask one what was meant or we simply fail to read all that was said.

So please before we respond and we let our tempers fly, let's be sure that we first READ all that has been said and then make our responses knowing exactly what we've READ.

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2002

Answers

AMEN my brother, this has been also a concern to me. The issue is you ask a direct question and you receive an oblique answer, sometimes issues are mixed in the answers given that has nothing to do with what one has enquire. Once more thank you and God bless!!

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2002

Amen. In the virtual world, we need to be very precise. I am guilty many times of not explaining myself so that what I am saying is being interpreted by the receiver. Another thing, we can't hear a person's voice tone, or body jestures.

Carmen

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2002

Rob,

That was a profound statement you just made! I will remember that!!!

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2002

Elder Crawford if you would only attend some Connectional Lay Meetings you will be inundated with many more insightful & edifying comments from the pen, word processor and mouth of Robert Matthews. This thread, a tip of his intellectual iceberg, is indicative of his keen insight. I have concluded it must be his foundation as a music major. If I wasn't so physically infatuated with my high school music teacher, Miss Hart, and paid more attention to her lectures I might have mastered the technique of reading music and be able to make quality contributions. Too many of us suffer from communication disorders. We are too thin-skinned to accept constructive criticism and too proud to ask for clarification. Cheers to Robert for providing us with a useful primer which can facilitate civil and temperate dialogue. This is why I have endorsed him as a Lay Candidate to serve as Bishop but, against my best wishes, he steadfastly declines to run :-) QED

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2002

Bill is witty, humorous and often modest as well. But, don't be fooled by his wit and allow it camouflage his keen intellect. QED says it all. The Professor QED is smart (has a quite brilliant intellect) and when you meet him or talk to him it shows.

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2002