tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post1944535246255338046..comments2023-11-03T11:37:04.473+00:00Comments on nothing new under the sun: Why Politics? Ibyron smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17938334606675769903noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-12956623381287413562007-03-20T03:19:00.000+00:002007-03-20T03:19:00.000+00:00I don't think you need to apologise, least of all ...I don't think you need to apologise, least of all to me. I'm just trying to be helpful. CheersMister Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08825856773085135599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-26642729183601608142007-03-20T01:40:00.000+00:002007-03-20T01:40:00.000+00:00Tim - yes, fair enough, I took a short-cut and per...Tim - yes, fair enough, I took a short-cut and perpetuated the etymological fallacy. Apologies. Thanks for the correction.byron smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17938334606675769903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-66555207568377021072007-03-19T23:34:00.000+00:002007-03-19T23:34:00.000+00:00Anthony - I understand the origin of the word Mini...Anthony - I understand the origin of the word Minister, particularly in relation to the way we use it in the church - i.e. our pastors minister to the congregation, or serve the congregation (and God, of course). <BR/>My point was that despite the origin of the word, that's not how our political system understands the term 'Minister': it understands it in the context of administering, or managingMister Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08825856773085135599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-19126604122884639352007-03-19T21:45:00.000+00:002007-03-19T21:45:00.000+00:00Sorry Tim, Byron's right. You've got to push furth...Sorry Tim, Byron's right. You've got to push further back than English tradition for the meaning of minister - Latin - and you'll find that modern dictionaries still define it in terms of service. <BR/><BR/>Yes, there was a time when offering advice was an act of service!<BR/><BR/>That doesn't mean that politicians are aware of dictionary meanings of words. cf. 'oversight'...Anthony Douglashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16277745466192451883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-27541320185107669632007-03-19T05:11:00.000+00:002007-03-19T05:11:00.000+00:00Actually, I don't think our politicans are often c...Actually, I don't think our politicans are often called public servants (unlike we who serve the Government of the day). And the 'Minister' in Prime Minister doesn't mean servant as much as advisor. In the English tradition (which we follow), Ministers were advisors to the crown and administered, or advised on, a portflio. The Prime Minister was (is) the Monarch's chief advisor. In fact, in the Mister Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08825856773085135599noreply@blogger.com