Some Fun on Quora, II

1) Some Fun on Quora, I · 2) Some Fun on Quora, II · 3) Some Linguistics on Quora (III, still fun) · 4) Creationism vs Evolutionism on Quora, IV, still fun · 5) Medieval Related, Mostly, on Quora (part V)

How widespread was celibacy among the Catholic clergy until the 16th century?

If you mean Latin Catholics, i e the ones where Pope is not just Pope but also Patriarch (as opposed to having an Eastern Rite Patriarch between the Pope and the clergy in question), celibacy had been imposed by Pope Saint Gregory VII more or less in all countries except Iceland, whereas the level of real observance contrasting with subterfuges and concubines would have varied from country to country.

J.R.R. Tolkien. He wrote a letter in 1972 in which he suggests that he feared for his life. Why?

You presumably mean in which he expected to be dead soon. I don’t think fear was his emotion.

He was old and sick and a sad widower and he died next year, not very unexpectedly.

If you mean any other letter than those published in the collection Letters, edited by his son, I haven’t read it.

Did rabbis bless meals in the 15th century?

Very probably practising Jews were blessing meals then, since one of the issues between two pre-Christian rabbis had been about what to do about the blessing of meals.

Hillel and Shammai had discussed the case what if one forgets to say the thank blessing after the meal and remembers it when one has left. I think Hillel said one should pray where one was and Shammai one should go back to the table and pray.

So, I suppose Judaism, like Christianity, has the custom of blessing meals from the OT religion, which was still going on in the days of Hillel and Shammai.

How was the early Christian Church influenced by Roman religions and customs before and after Christianity became the state religion of Rome?

I was going to say “by using Latin”, but actually Roman religion used Etruscan and Catholic Church used Greeks as long as Greek speakers were there.

How did the Romans pronounce their numerals? For example, IX is 9. Did they have a word for 9?

I Unus, una, unum (depending on gender of noun).
II Duo, duae, duo (depending on gender of noun).
III Tres, tres, tria (depending on gender of noun).
IV or IIII Quattuor.
V Quinque.
VI Sex.
VII Septem.
VIII Octo.
IX or VIIII Novem.
X Decem.

XI - XX : Undecim, duodecim, tredecim, quattuordecim, quindecim, sedecim, septendecim, duodeviginti, undevigini, viginti.

XXI Viginti unus, viginti una, viginti unum (depending on gender of noun, which is in singular).
XXII Viginti duo, viginti duae, viginti duo (depending on gender of noun, which is in plural).
XXIII Viginti tres, viginti tres, viginti tria (depending on gender of noun, which is in plural).
XXIV or XXIIII Viginti quattuor.
XXVIII Viginti octo (or duo de triginta?).
XXVIIII or XXIX Viginti novem (or undetriginta/unus de triginta?).

For XXI to XXIX, one can also use unus et viginti to novem et viginti (as in German, and singular for unus, and changes for gender as usual).

XXX Triginta.
XXXX or XL Quadraginta.
L Quinquaginta.
LX Sexaginta.
LXX Septuaginta.
LXXX Octoginta.
LXXXX or XC Nonaginta.

C Centum.
CC Ducenti.
CCC Trecenti.
CCCC or CD Quatracenti (?)*.
D Quingenti.
DC Sescenti.
DCC Septingenti.
DCCC Octocenti.
DCCCC or CM Nongenti.

M Mille.
MM Duo milia.
MMM Tria milia.

Etc, with some more quirks further up.

All of above are adjectives or nouns answering the question “how many”, there are other adjectives or nouns for the question “the how-many-eth”, and also adverbs for “how many times” and adjectives for “how many at a time” (which come in when you say a million, since that is “ten times hundred each thousands”, decies centena milia).

And I left out the parts of the nouns/adjectives where gender is supplmeneted by another factor, case, giving only nominative case (which is sometimes equal to vocative and accusative case too).

* CCCC or CD : actually it is Quadringenti, formed by analogy with following hundred, Quingenti. And I could have added, though Centum is undeclinable like Quatuor, Quadringenti (and the other multiples of hundred) are declined by gender. Ducenti, Ducentae, Ducenta. Here too I omit the cases.

How can Zoroastrianism benefit the human race in today's world?

By all Zoroastrians becoming Christians?

What was Pope John Paul II's policy and behaviour towards atheists and non-believers?

Antipope Wojtyla’s policy was one of appeasement, except to agressive secularists. In his attempts to appeasement, he committed acts of syncretism, which rule him out from having been a Catholic and a Pope.

How did the Catholic Church begin?

Christ founded it. See Gospels and Acts.

Are there any horror movies set in dark ages, middle ages or medieval ages?

The Hunchback of Notre Dame?

Compared to realities back then, it comes out as a horror movie!

Was Pope Linus considered to be an apostle like Peter?

No, he was and is considered to be a successor of the Apostles, as successor of St Peter. Unless you use Apostle like Orthodox do and speak of “the seventy apostles”, he might have been one of those, but not one of the twelve, like Peter was.

Can I give good book recommendations to people even if I haven't read the book?

If you know it is good for other reasons, yes.

If you are not sure, but think it is, you recommend it to a friend for reviewing and then go by his judgement, as long as you can’t read it yourself.

What books can help me become a genuinely good person?

Certain parts of the Bible, and certain books on moral and devout theology, I’d recommend “Introduction to the Devout Life” by St Francis of Sales.

Is Catholicism or Eastern Orthodox closest to ancient Rome's version of Christianity?

It comes to an even draw, if you look at it humanly.

Which are best books to learn about Sweden?

If you know Swedish, there are LOTS of books about Sweden in Swedish by Swedes and these are probably among the best.

What is the name of the fiction book about a man who, pre-Reformation, gets an indulgence from the Catholic Church for a future crime?

I don’t know the name of that fiction book, but it certainly sounds like fiction, if he gets an indulgence for a future crime.

Are there any identical silmilarity between gautama Buddha and other named prophet in Bible?

Do you consider this prophet to be named:

Deuteronomy 13:[1] If there rise in the midst of thee a prophet or one that saith he hath dreamed a dream, and he foretell a sign and a wonder, [2] And that come to pass which he spoke, and he say to thee: Let us go and follow strange gods, which thou knowest not, and let us serve them: [3] Thou shalt not hear the words of that prophet or dreamer: for the Lord your God trieth you, that it may appear whether you love him with all your heart, and with all your soul, or not.

[Of course, since Siddharta did not fulfil criterium "in the midst of thee", perhaps "identical similarity" is not correct.]

Is there any literary or physical evidence to prove that other Ancient Civilization's creation stories ideas were borrowed from the Book of Genesis?

From the BOOK OF Genesis?

No.

Creation stories?

Partly.

From events described in Genesis and stories about EITHER Flood OR a Flood reminiscent creation, yes.

Is the educational system unfair? What can you say to defend the current educational system? How would you change it?

It is unfair against parental liberties of education (most but not all jurisdictions) and against wellbeing of pupils held in schools where they suffer emotionally and socially.

END SCHOOL COMPULSION!

What Aztec or Mayan social, technological or scientific achievements were superior to the rest of the world in the 16th century?

Yes, what?

Oh, I forgot about Tomatoes, Vanilla and Chocolate!

What is the role of Ancient Greece and Rome (the Age of Antiquity), and the Middle Ages in the development of Western Civilization?

Oh, “ages” have their “roles” in the “development” of a present “civilisation”?

I would actually give another divide.

Up to Christ, the role was mainly fighting off worse enemies against the Faith (except Antiochus Epiphanes was once THE worst), like fighting off Hannibal. After Christ, it was converting to and integrating Christianity.

Why is it called Roman Catholic?

Because the Pope is the Pope OF the diocese of Rome as well as of the world and usually, but not always (and in the view of Pope Michael, for instance not now) resides IN Rome.

Which was the second democratic country in History?

Note that Athens and Sparta differed mainly not about Sparta being royal, but about Sparta being an aristocracy.

Now, when it comes to pure democracies, there weren’t all that many.

But when it comes to mixing the two, Rome did.

Were Byzantine civilization, military, and technology superior to that of Medieval Europe?

It certainly had a superior amount of paper work in the administration.

It probably had better medicine than the West in the earlier part of the Middle Ages, but in the later part, the West probably caught up.

As for military, well, the West DID beat Constantinople in the IV Crusade and even in the I Crusade. The West ALSO fought off the Turk, which Constantinople hadn’t. On the other hand, when the West fought off the Turk, the Middle Ages (in the usual sense) were already over.

How were people with disabilities such as Down Syndrome treated before the 20th century?

Much like now : like they were children, even when having grown up.

According to Catholic beliefs, how should you trust in God?

According to the FACT that He is all powerful and all wise, and FOR the kind of things one should pray for according to the petitions in the Father Our.

How do you know that the 5 points of Calvinism align with the Bible?

How do I know that 4+4=3?

The five points of Calvinism all contradict the Bible on some level!

[I hadn't noted the comment in which questioner asked specifically for responses from Calvinists, which I am not and never ever was, except perhaps 1/2 hour 1 point doubt at a time.]

Why were there changes in the Catholic liturgy of 2011? How did they affect Catholic followers?

Pope Michael started to say Mass, after being ordained and consecrated bishop?

Or were you referring to the Vatican II-Sect?

Why do they called it Sino-Japanese War?

If there was a war between China and Japan, it would normally be called Sino-Japanese war. Which of them are you referring to, or was there only one?

What was Constantine's role at the Council of Nicea?

He convoked it.

AND promised to abide by and enforce its decisions.

Why was Ethiopia supported by the Nazis and Japanese in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War?

When exactly was that?

How can someone believe in God when child abuse occurs regularly?

How can someone believe in God when He allows stupid atheists to make such stupid remarks?

Ever heard of free will, ever heard of how it was affected by the fall of Adam?

Which parts of the Bible were borrowed from other cultures?

First 11 chapters of Genesis was obviously borrowed from a pre-Flood, pre-Babel culture - except the last items of genealogy in Genesis 11.

Was that what the question referred to?

I hope I wasn’t dragged into answering a question involving the stupid Bibel Babel Theorie of Friedrich Delitzsch?

How can I post my book?

In paper version or on internet?

In the first case, depends on where you printed it.

In the second case, pdf and blog posts are both valid formats, which can be forwarded by email.

What do you think of the Norman North High School teacher's racism lecture on "To be white is to be racist"?

• 1 He should be demoted from teaching position OR
• 2 His pupils should have no school compulsion OR
• 3 both of above.

Why is the church against Dan Brown's "Davinci Code"?

Because it is false, false in a way easily accessible if you know some stuff, but false in a way NOT easily accessible if you have only learned badly what was taught in your school (or most of them).

Why do some Catholics in developing countries always impose their religion on others?

If by “imposing their religion” you mean proselytise, it is because it is a divine duty.

Matthew 28.