What has Athens to do with Salt Lake?No no Jaxon, before you can understand the issue of Cassius you must be able to to comprehend the meaning of Mopologetics. Of course it is a real word. Jaxon, all words are made up. It was a neologism coined a generation ago to reference a specific activity and a specific class of individuals. It is an obvious amalgamation of “Mormon” and “apologetics” but if I am to explain why the amalgamation was warranted I’ll need to start explaining how apologetics came down to us. Now Jaxon, if you’d do the humble narrator a service, could you ever so kindly go to the west wall and pull the second volume of the Encyclopedia Britannica.
Handle it smartly now, that book is over a hundred years old. There now, find the entry for “apology” and read to me the second paragraph. Yes, copy that down, but stop after the word “beliefs”.
The word " apology " or " apologia " is also used in the sense of defence or vindication, the only meaning of the Greek ἀπολογία, especially of the defence of a doctrine or system, or of religious or other beliefs…
Well done. Now turn to the entry on “Apologetics” and start reading from the first Roman numeral. I’ll tell you when to halt.
The Word itself.—In Greek, ἀπολογία is the defendant's reply (personally, not through a lawyer) to the speech for the prosecution—κατηγορια. Sometimes defendants' speeches passed into literature, e.g. Plato's splendid version of the Apology of Socrates. Thus, in view of persecution or slander, the Christian church naturally produced literary "Apologies." The word has never quite lost this connotation of standing on the defensive and rebutting criticism…
That should do. I have no interest in making you Jabez of the Red-Headed League, so please return that volume to the shelf. If we are to have a discussion of apologetics we’ll need to clear away some historical debris. Simply beginning with the contemporary crisis of that most unfortunate of industries would be folly. The 1911 hinted at Athenian influence, but it didn’t say enough. Let us supplement it then.
Athenian citizens (males) spent much of their lives being involved in the civic life of his πόλις (polis) by spending time in the city’s army or fleet every season during his physical prime, participating in legislative affairs of the council of 500 called the βουλή (boule), or a subcommittee of the βουλή made up of Presidents called πρύτανις (prytaneis), but every citizen was part of a General Assembly called the ἐκκλησία (ekklesia)...what did you say?
My eyes may no longer function but I can assure you my ears still do, did you think I wouldn’t hear you heave that sigh? This is most assuredly not about historical trivia and has more to do with your weekly experience as a Mormon than you realize. Do you not think there are parallels to be seen or comparisons to be made? A population of adult males meeting basic criteria being used as extremely cheap labor to staff all the necessary positions to make the group function. Bodies of men being identified by their number, men being identified as Presidents because of the executive duties? In fact Athenian citizens were so put off by the idea of the General Assembly that when it was to be called, 300 Scythian Warrior-Slaves were deployed to the marketplace to herd citizens towards the assembly with a red rope. Do you not think that our own inspired leadership would similarly compel the Saints if they could do it with no consequences?
Yes that is what I’m saying, our common faith took the vocabulary of Greek civic life and put it to use in our spiritual life. Recite for me 1st Corinthians, chapter 14, verse 12:
Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
And what word do you think we find being translated as “the church”? Yes ἐκκλησία (ekklesia). Now read Titus Chapter 1, verse 5 to me:
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee
The word for elders there is πρεσβύτερος (presbyteros) and did you know that 5th century Athens had πρέσβεις (presbeis) who were emissaries that acted on behlaf of their city? [FRAGMENTARY] fetch Koltyn, the numbness has spread from my toes up to my knees. I need another blanket. There is no need to snarl at an old man!
SITREP #926535
Offender#17724’s condition has worsened with temporary loss of fine motor skills and numbness of the lower extremities [FRAGMENTARY] was upset by CPL Jaxon’s attitude and called it a demonic manifestation, Offender#17724 refused all food and liquids until provided with a homeopathic dose of of lice bane [FRAGMENTARY] complaining of hand cramps and fears carpal tunnel [FRAGMENTARY]
OIC MISSIVE # N/A
Authorization for recording and later transcription is authorized.