Let's try some Biblical Trivia:

The crime of faginy, that is the crime of making children steal, is named after Fagin, a fictitious character from Oliver Twist.

The crime (depending on where you live) of sodomy is named after Sodom, an actual city in the Bible.

There is a crime (Hint: it's an impeachable offfense in the A.M.E. Church) that is named for an actual character in the Bible. Can you

a) Name the crime
b) Define the crime
c) Tell who it is named after?
d) List the Scripture?


-- Anonymous, November 10, 2004

Answers

OK, now this is what I really like, brain-teasers. Since the act is a crime that narrows the list of Biblical personalities to include only bad and nefarious characters. Let me see........some notable repugnant characters cited in the Holy Writ are: Haman, Jezebel, Ahab, Manasseh King of Judah, King Saul, Goliath, Cain, Judas Iscariot, Annanias & Saphirra, Herod the Great. Now who can it be???? Goliath was leader of the Phillistines who David and the Jews often criticised them as being "uncircumsized Phillistines" suggesting they were carriers of syphyllis (which I suppose is a crime of sorts). Errol Flynn starred in a movie called "Cain Mutiny" but I guess all rebels can't be considered criminals. I'm stumped for now. I got to think about this some more. QED

-- Anonymous, November 11, 2004

Is the offense SIMONY, the act of buying power or position from the authority? I have to get back to you on the the Scripture, but I think it's named for Simon Peter.

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2004

We have a winnah! Simon Peter, AKA Simon the Sorcerer, tried to buy the powers given to the apostles. He wasn't successful, but a number of men and women were throughout the ages, leading to corruption of several denominations, as well as causing the laity to lose face and respect for not only those who bought their way in, but the ministry at large.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2004

Paarson Harper -

This was a great trivia question, many thanks for the experience. If it's OK with you I would like to use it for a future Church School or Lay Meeting Session. Congrats to the pride of the 7th District Myron Hill for providing the corect answer. I could put forth a case that I should receive a consolation prize since I was "warm" when I narrowed the list of felonious characters to Annanias & Sapphira. I could borrow a familiar line from my 9 year old and complain that "I wasn't treated fairly". I could pout like Kobe and insist that I'm the man and not Shaq :-) I could do all these things but no one would believe me (LOL). The full story of Simon the Sorcerer and his remarkable conversion is located in the Book of Acts 8:9-24. Now let's be real, do we really prosecute members guilty of simony? If that was the case candidates seeking elected office would not need the "walking around money" you eloquently described a year ago. When is the last time the AMEC revoked clergy credentials of a minister found guilty of simony? QED

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2004

Please do............

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2004

Nice, but Simon Peter is not the same as Simon the Sorcerer. This was Simon Magus.

Regarding "faginy" - was it named after Fagin or was Fagin named after the act of faginy? "Fagin" as a noun is an adult who leads young folks in crime. Which came first?

Perhaps Dickins (Charles, not Bill) was aware of this. Of course, Dickins also gave us "Scrooge" as a miserly person - capitalized upon by Disney for Donald Duck's rich and miserly Uncle.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2004

That's what I get for reading posts at midnight...I stand corrected.

As to the etymology of Faginy:

fagin

n : a villainous Jew in a novel by Charles Dickens; "Fagin was a fence who trained boys as pickpockets" [syn: Fagin]

Source: WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University

So it looks like the name came first then the crime....

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2004

Larry opines -

"Of course, Dickins also gave us "Scrooge" as a miserly person - capitalized upon by Disney for Donald Duck's rich and miserly Uncle."

Just so that the record is also clear it was my British namesake and not the AME Dickens who gave us "Scrooge" :-) Although it is true I have been known to be somewhat parsimonious in my handling of finances, I like to consider myself frugal not stingy. Many can attest that I "liberally" share my resources, provided of course I'm in a good mood :-) QED

-- Anonymous, November 15, 2004