July 21, 1965

Peeves

While visiting a friend’s church recently, I endured a sermon in which poor old Adam and Eve were given what - for in a manner surprisingly prevalent among many people professing to know the Bible.

The incident reminded me of several pet peeves I have accumulated over the years wherein sloppy word usage has greatly altered originally intended meanings.

In the sermon just mentioned, the world’s first man and woman were accused of an illicit sex experience that resulted in the eternal punishment of mankind.

This is an entirely erroneous account that completely obscures the penetrating psychology of the famous biblical story.

Some of the confusion, perhaps, comes from the two different versions of the creation of man. The first chapter of Genesis (verses 6-28) has God creating man and woman at the same time and commanding them, “Be fruitful and multiply.”

The second chapter of Genesis (verses7-23) recounts that man is created from dust and is told by God not to eat of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil.” Then woman is made from one of Adam’s ribs as a companion to man.

The temptation was to attain the knowledge of God. The act leading to banishment from the Garden of Eden was disobedience to God. It was not until after these events that nakedness was perceived BY MAN to be evil.

So much for the biblical details. The great truth of the story is that mankind strives for Godly knowledge, knows the difference between good and evil, and suffers a life of labor and pain in his quest.

To me there is much food for thought regarding the nature of man in the brief verses of Genesis. To warp them into a denunciation of sex is a narrow and worthless exercise.

* * *

Another biblical phrase loosely quoted is that “Money is the root of all evil.” The real quotation, from First Timothy, is, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” Thus we see that the cause of evil is not an inanimate bit of metal or paper, but the greed in man’s heart for material gain.

How much more meaningful it is for us to contemplate the problem of our own cupidity than the manufacture and management of coin.

* * *

We have just gone through our annual epidemic of “graduates” -- which irritates me, from the professional journalistic standpoint, more than any other faux pas.

Only schools graduate. Students are incapable of taking any action regarding the conferring of degrees. It is proper only to say, “The high school graduated 400 students,” or “He was graduated by Ohio State University,” or “She is an alumnus of Community Junior College.”

Alumnus is a member of a class that has been graduated and does not, therefore, refer to students still working toward a degree.

The biggest offenders of this usage, unfortunately, are newspapers. About one in ten publications use the word correctly. Proper usage would establish the important relationship of student to his alma mater. The pupil attains achievement only by sufferance of the school. He cannot by his own power obtain learning or recognition of his knowledge.

* * *

I wish well-meaning admirers of beautiful women that photograph well would stop referring to them as being “photogenic.” The right word is “photographic.” Photogenic is a technical word used mainly by scientists to describe the self-glowing characteristics of fireflies, swamp fire and electric eels.

The radium face of the bedroom clock is photogenic but hardly the face of Carroll Baker, Kim Novak or Cona Williams. The thought of photogenic women is spooky.

* * *

Not so long ago I was asked to speak before a group when the scheduled speaker was suddenly taken ill. I understood that I was a “substitute” for a nationally recognized lecturer of far greater ability, and so did the audience.

However, I was introduced as “pinch hitting” for Mr. Expert. As a former sports writer, I smiled inwardly at the phrase. A pinch hitter is someone sent into a critical situation who is a better batter than the player scheduled at the plate, and who is expected to do a better job.

Ball players are insulted when someone pinch hits for them.

By Lindsey Wilger Williams, retired newspaper publisher and syndicated columnist