View Single Post
  #154  
Old 02-13-2009, 04:31 AM
Steven Avery Steven Avery is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 462
Default Summary of Doug Kutilek scholarship problems

Hi Folks,

In summary, Doug Kutilek has three major blunders that effect the evidence evaluation in his short section on references. They are listed in terms of significance to his argument. And a fourth is included separately in this summary because it is so strange.

For more details on each one it is necessary to go back to the posts. Although I am not putting post numbers here, I plan to make up an index that can be bookmarked shortly.

=============================

SCHOLARSHIP PROBLEMS THAT AFFECT ARGUMENTATION

1) Rashi

PROBLEM
Doug Kutilek craftily misrepresented his position, and this gives every appearance of being a deliberate, conscious deception.

CONSEQUENCE
This was very significant since the only "commentator by numbers" argument of any real weight was the apparent agreement of Kimchi and Rashi against Ibn Ezra in terms of the ancient highly respected rabbinics, along with the related general "Hebraists" argument. (e.g. general Christian commentators often deal with the influence of the mistranslations of the Greek and Latin.) With Rashi seen to have been misrepresented, this ancient rabbinics evidence becomes essentially even. (With much modern religious Jewish interpretation emphasizing "words".) Thus the argument that "words" is somehow a strange or unusual or just a KJVO understanding must be seen as a fabrication of convenience.

Plus we learn that Doug Kutilek pulled a crafty deception / misrepresentation in one of the most vital commentators in the artic.


2) Neale and Littledale - (Michael Ayguan)

PROBLEM
This one shows that Doug Kutilek really cannot read without huge doctored glasses. To miss the 1400's writer, a solid Psalms commentator, who is very significant is rather amazing, especially as the information was right in front of Kutilek's eyes. This was combined with a puerile rant against -- the wrong people ! Amazing.

CONSEQUENCE
This was very significant to the argumentation since Michael Ayguan is an early "words" proponent for the first part of the verse. A highly respected commentator, who would be working largely with the Latin and Greek traditions of us-us.

Plus we learn a bit about the competence of Doug Kutilik.


3) Patrick Symon

PROBLEM
Misrepresented as simply a "persons" proponent. Placed in the the 1800s instead of 1600s.

CONSEQUENCE
The Christian Hebraist movement was very strong in the late 1500s and 1600s. Thus the handful of commentators from that period are of special interest, also as a window to the King James Bible understanding.

Plus we learn more about the superficial source management from Doug Kutilek.

=============================


4) George Murphy

PROBLEM
Did Doug Kutilek actually get a commentator's name completely wrong ?
If so, that tells us a lot about his competence and understanding of the works and men he is referencing. If not, we would like to know who is this commentator.


Bonus Scholarship Issue #5

Omissions.

Samson Hirsch and other rabbinics and Jewish translations shown on this thread indicate, especially after the Rashi adjustment, that the claim that top Hebraics supports "people" over "words" is simply not true. Historic Jewish exegesis tends to support the words of Torah being kept (Psalm 12:7a) with the split occurring more in the preservation for ever (Psalm 12:7b). While Historic Christian exegesis from the Hebraists tends more toward "people", yet also with the split.

There are also omissions throughout the thread of others who support the words for part or all of the verse. A list is planned shortly. Generally Doug Kutilek is not faulted on this account (fully comprehensive lists are very difficult) -- i.e. beyond the misrepresentations above and a lack of familiarity with the Hebraics.

=============================

Then we have seven other problems in spelling and dates and including a reference that simply quotes another reference without comment. Although these are minor they are rather an astounding number of errors in a short article for publication, However, like #4 above, these do not effect the overall argumentation. They should definitely be remembered whenever Doug Kutilek takes another writer to task on claimed minor scholarship problems. Ten errors in a short summary on a Journal paper still being presented to the public after 20 years is a bit mind-boggling.

This takes care of the scholarship problems that were shown by my research, now we can discuss more the actual debate and do some overall summary and reference posts as well. While always seeking to dig out more fascinating material, especially from the stronger Christian commentators.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

Last edited by Steven Avery; 02-13-2009 at 04:40 AM.