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Wednesday 17 December 2014

The Meaning of Reverence, or rather, of Irreverence

In the thread from which the contempt for his predecessors in the Faith below
is cited, one commentator has this gem:
the person who accuses other people, liturgies, etc. of irreverence is not being reverent.
So, if you object to the couple making out in the back of the nave, you are  being irreverent.
If you find someone reading the newspaper and eating Fritos during Mass it is you who are being irreverent.*
Have I got that right?
If I'm being all judgey I'm not being reverey.
'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.'
'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things.'
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master — that's all.' 

*Just to let you know- I'm not making these examples up. Alas, I don't need to.

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