Yes, I think that CH found it enormous fun, as did I. It has been quite exhilirating.
I do not think he has tried to evade that he is NorthWesterner. I think he has tried to make you prove it, to play "turnabout". Similarly, I think he was just putting you through you paces to prove that he said it, and ridiculing you for taking so long to do it, as you have done others.
I blame Christopher for nothing, and I am sure that he will not blame me for working through last nights posts and responding to them as I happened upon things, first in my inbox, later reviewing all posts.
If you knew he was not a minister, why say that he was? And if you thought he was, why pretend that you had not been gulled? Regardless of whether it was a good joke or not, obviously, in retrospect, he was putting people on.
Actually, my guess is that it has been a conundrum all along. If I am right, and he is a Quaker, the more liberal branch believes in the ministry of all "friends", which means that he is both a minister and not a minister, since he is not ordained or the pastor of a parish. Furthermore, the most liberal branch doesn't insist upon identification with Christianity, but is verging on Unitarianism, and prescribes no test (say, a creedal affirmation) or ritual for membership. They do not even baptize.
I think I will look back at his dictionary definitions and see if there is any further clue. Granted, it is unkind to snicker at peoples' ignorance, that is, I think, the explanation of the "joke"....... |
