The Digitus Impudicus

 

We are far more connected to the ancient world than we understand or acknowledge. Many people seem to be unaware of anything more ancient than twenty years ago. They have no grasp of, or interest in, “history,” which they think is boring. This is not just the Bible or biblical history. Asking a history question of a random person on the street can at first seem humorous, and then astonishing, and then disheartening. They know nothing and do not care that they know nothing.

Our customs, traditions, fables, aphorisms, and even our insults, often have very ancient origins. What modern American English slang calls “flipping the bird finger” is an example. The Romans called it the digitus impudicus, the “shameless,” “offensive,” or “indecent” finger. It is intended as an expression of utter contempt for the targeted person or persons. The usage of the hand sign was ancient before the Romans mentioned it.

The middle finger is extended, with the first and third fingers curled towards the palm of the hand and held down by the thumb. The middle finger represents an erect penis and the knuckles of the curled fingers represent the testicles. The hand gesture is obviously a reference to a more overt insult, bending over and spreading the buttocks toward the one being insulted.

The gesture was obviously known at least as early as the 4^th Century BC/BCE in Athens, Greece, when Diogenes of Sinope publicly expressed his feelings towards the Greek orator, Demosthenes. The gesture was also mentioned in the 5^th Century BC/BCE by Aristophanes in his comedic play, The Clouds. Tacitus mentions that the “barbarian” Germans used the gesture to insult advancing Roman armies before battle.

The historian Josephus links the insult to a major event affecting the Jewish people about 50 BC/BCE. The Jews were gathered at the temple for Passover when “one of the soldiers, raising his robe, stooped in an indecent attitude, so as to turn his backside to the Jews, and made a noise in keeping with his posture.” This resulted in a riot and a panicked stampede when the Roman soldiers used force to try to stop the riot. Josephus says that at least 30,000 Jews died.

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/jesus/jesuschronology.html

Place Names of Religious Origin

Llanfair­pwllgwyngyll­gogery­chwyrn­drobwll­llan­tysilio­gogo­goch, Wales:

This 58 letter place name translates into English as “Parish [church] of [St.] Mary (Llanfair) [in] Hollow (pwll) of the White Hazel [township] (gwyn gyll) near (go ger) the rapid whirlpool (y chwyrn drobwll) [and] the parish [church] of [St.] Tysilio (Llantysilio) with a red cave ([a]g ogo[f] goch).” This is the longest place name in Europe but is only the second longest one word place name on Earth. The longest is an 85 letter Maori place name in New Zealand.

Judenberg,Austria: “Juden” in German means “Jews.” This name means “Jewish Mountain.”

Hissop, Alabama, USA: Hysoppus is a flowering plant mentioned in the Bible at Exodus 12: 21-22. It is a member of the mint family used in the Passover rites.

Lis Escop, Cornwall, England: “Escop” is the Cornish word for “bishop,” so this is the “court of the bishop.”

Donaghee, Northern Ireland: The name of this town reflects its origin as the Irish word “donhnach,” which translates in English as “church.”

When We Stumble

When Christians stumble, when we fall short, and we all do, even the Apostle Paul, God is right there, waiting to comfort us and set us on the right path again.  He knows what we have done, but He expects us to tell Him.  Once we do, He tells us to not do it again and then He “remembers it not” as if it never happened.  “for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34, also Hebrews 10:17)

Christians are covered by the Blood of Christ.  When God sees His people, He sees the Blood.  “… when I see the blood I will pass over you” (Exodus 12:13)

The Blood of Christ must be there and it is only there when we accept it as the gift that it is.

Can You Respond to These Criticisms?

Christian Apologetics is the study of defending the faith against intellectual attacks and explaining biblical truths and concepts to non-believers in ways which they can understand.  It also attempts to give believers a rational footing on which to base their faith.  Some of the attacks are quite harsh.  See how you would respond to these ten criticisms … if you can.  If you cannot, don’t expect that our critics will be swayed by “because the Bible says so.”

http://con-w.com/top-ten-signs-youre-a-fundamentalist-christian/