scripture study responses

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by pelagius

Suppose, I read the book of Jonah as satire (pretty cool satire as well). Also, suppose I believe the author of the book of Jonah intended to write satire. Is my reading literal?

That's why this venue is better as people will actually think of a response, instead attacking me for inadequate expressions.

An excellent question. I doubt one observes satire to be an accurate expression of reality, but that's not where you're headed.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by pelagius

Suppose, I read the book of Jonah as satire (pretty cool satire as well). Also, suppose I believe the author of the book of Jonah intended to write satire. Is my reading literal?

An interesting queswtion, but it avoids Arch's query, where literal was used in a specific context. If it is not historical, then it can't be literal as Arch meant it.

[pelagius]

Originally Posted by Archaea

That's why this venue is better as people will actually think of a response, instead attacking me for inadequate expressions.

An excellent question. I doubt one observes satire to be an accurate expression of reality, but that's not where you're headed.

Right, I don't believe that a prophet named Jonah was literally swallowed by a big fish. So in that sense, I don't read it literally. On the other hand, I don't think the author was making any such claim. The author writes in such a way that it seems to me the genre is clearly satire and not history or even a history with a theological viewpoint. One definition of literal is, "adhering to fact or to the ordinary construction or primary meaning of a term or expression." In some sense I think I am more closing adhering to the primary meaning or expression of the narrative by viewing it as satire.