[Vision2020] An Apology for Mr. Stile

[Nick Gier]

Dear Mr. Stile:

I'm sorry I assumed you were a Kirker, but those on V2020 who defend Wilson 
& Co. should make a proviso such as "I'm not a member of Christ Church, but 
I . . . ."

In addition to the moral virtues, there are the intellectual virtues and 
intellectual honesty and integrity are way up there on the list, as well as 
willingness to debate fairly and stick to the point. I've phrased my 
questions to you very specifically, so it will be very easy for you to 
respond, and of course on your own time.

By the way, the questions are not silly, but very serious, and if they are 
a trap, it is a trap that sloppy readers of the Bible have laid for themselves.

For your convenience and to refresh the memories of fellow visionaries, I 
have appended my questions below.  Fellow visionaries can also judge 
whether or not they are silly questions.

1. I'm very suspicious of the quotation from George Washington, and I would 
like for you to locate a reference in his own writings. I don't think you 
will find it there.

2. I would like to find for us any mention of God's laws in the U. S. 
Constitution. This, not the sayings of famous Americans, is the law of our 
great nation.

Assuming that you believe that Paul wrote 2 Timothy, then I submit that the 
following are indisputable facts.

1. The New Testament did not exist at the time that Paul wrote this (early 
50s), so it cannot be part of the scripture that he says is inspired. 
That's 27 books of the Bible that are not included!

2. Paul says nothing about history, geography, or science.

3. There is no indication whatever that Paul thought that his own letters 
were God-inspired.

I challenge you to answer these three points.

I also have two other questions for you:

1. What constituted the Old Testament for Paul or Jesus for that matter? 
Remember, it was not yet canonized. Was it the very poor Septuagint 
translation in Greek, Targum paraphrases, or was it Erza's 24 books and 70 
additional esoteric books? See I Esdras 14:1-48 for the last one. Lots of 
weird stuff was circulating in the First Century CE! Pick your poison!

2. Are all of Paul's letters in the NT? There seem to be pieces of four 
letters in I and II Corinthians, according to good Pauline scholars anyway.

Yours for careful and accurate Bible reading,

Nick Gier








Nicholas F. Gier
Professor Emeritus, Department of Philosophy, University of Idaho
1037 Colt Rd., Moscow, ID 83843
http://users.moscow.com/ngier/home/index.htm
208-883-3360/882-9212/FAX 885-8950
President, Idaho Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO
www.class.uidaho.edu/ngier/ift/index.htm