Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Charity vs. Love

In places where the old KJV version used the word 'charity' newer versions now use the word 'love.' The word charity has, of course, changed meaning from 'a benevolent goodwill toward humanity' to the acts of giving which proceed from that goodwill.

The word used by the newer versions of the Bible, love, doesn't really work as well. Charity implied a lack of self-interest which the world love, as it is commonly used and understood in our society definitely does not imply.

And that's the real problem. We don't have a word commonly used in English which means what the old definition of charity meant: a focused goodwill toward others, with no self-interest.

And if we have no word for something, how far are we from having no concept of it either?

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