On Fri, Aug 12, 2005 at 08:22:58PM -0400, David L. Craig wrote: > On Fri, Aug 12, 2005 at 04:44:37PM -0700, Mike Jewell wrote: > > On Fri, 2005-08-12 at 19:21 -0400, ross@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote: > > > > > "The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who > > > make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the > > > mathematicians have made a covenant with the devil to darken the > > > spirit and to confine man in the bonds of Hell." > > > > Huh???!!! > > It's a quote that shows how even a man as spiritual as St. Augustine > can have blind spots that arise from ignorance. Ditto Martin Luther's > attitude toward the Jews, not to mention the Crusades, etc. Only God > Himself has the pure perspective on everything and we should be slow > to burn anyone at the stake. Actually, I'm a mathematician ::-) And some translators of St. Augustine prefer to use the word "soothsayer" to translate that passage. But I get a kick out of this way! -- Ross Vandegrift ross@xxxxxxxxxxxx "The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in the bonds of Hell." --St. Augustine, De Genesi ad Litteram, Book II, xviii, 37
