[continued from previous message]   
      
   things; best to keep them that way, at least for now.   
   >   
   >>>   
   >>>>But *my*   
   >>>>point was that I didn't comment about the content, only   
   >>>>about the meaning of "literal" (or, of course, "literally"),   
   >>>>and MarkE's assertion that "The measure of literalism is in   
   >>>>the *interpretation* of the text of  Genesis, not the   
   >>>>quoting of it.". I thought I made that clear with my further   
   >>>>comments made in reply to him and others. IOW, he misused   
   >>>>"literal", which is defined (OED online) as (paraphrased)   
   >>>>"exact or actual meaning, not allegorical or figurative".   
   >>>>"Exact or actual meanings" do not allow of interpretation,   
   >>>>regardless of how the word may be misused ("literally   
   >>>>Hitler"; "I literally died"). At least that's how I see it,   
   >>>>and the OED seems to agree.   
   >>>>>   
   --   
      
   Bob C.   
      
   "The most exciting phrase to hear in science,   
    the one that heralds new discoveries, is not   
    'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...'"   
      
   - Isaac Asimov   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)