[WikiEN-l] Re: Arbcom has completely lost its mind

Thu Feb 9 07:28:06 UTC 2006

Peter Mackay wrote:

>I mean, the bible
>says it's adultery if you look at someone not your spouse with lust in your
>heart
>
Actually, for the excessively literalistic among us (that would be all 
of you, I expect), the text of the Bible only says looking upon "a 
woman". You're already adding your own interpretation by using 
gender-neutral language and adding the "not your spouse" bit, even if it 
can be inferred from the fact that the topic is adultery.

This makes a nice case study on how important it is to know the 
_meaning_ of rules, not just the _definitions_ of the words they 
contain. Deliberately ignoring the meaning when it's obvious, as in the 
example I showed, places you outside the law and risks losing its 
protections.

If people would work to *understand* rules instead of trying to lawyer 
them, they would find them much easier both to follow and to enforce. 
Those who are clearly trying to circumvent the rules, we can do without.

--Michael Snow