Titus 1:12One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”

[Athanasiy]

Titus 1:12One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”
13 This saying is true…

These words of the Apostle seem to impair the national nature of the inhabitants of Crete, don’t they?
Generally there is a human element in the reasoning of the Apostle. The Epistles of course are inspired by God, but there are also human elements in them, according to the infirmity of limited human reasoning, and not quite merciful reasoning about the Cretans proves it.
What do you think ?

 

[Athanasiy]

Cretan philosopher Epimenides in the 4th century BC formulated sophism:“All Cretans are liars”. At the same time he was a Cretan.
And the people get confused: if it is true, then the Epimenide himself lies, and therefore the statement that the critics of the liars are a lie. Ie, they’re telling the truth, but then He tells himself the truth. And so on to infinity.

 

[Athanasiy]

I used to work in tourism and in contact with people from different countries.
Greeks and Cypriots, people of course clever, and smart,(may be artful,shrewd) but about" liars" of Crytans - I don’t know.
Тhe saying is true - "Greek is hard to cheat."
I remember only that I put in the hotel a group of young people Cretans or Cypriots, and among them there was a very beautiful girl with big beautiful eyes.

 

[Genesis315]

It is merciful reasoning. You left off the part where St. Paul instructs Titus to save them–ie he is saying they can be saved despite their corrupt society. That is the definition of mercy He’s not saying their condition is permanent. In fact, the whole point of the letter is to advise Titus how to teach them virtue.

In fact, he is to compassionately remember this when bringing them salvation:

“[3] For we ourselves also were some time unwise, incredulous, erring, slaves to divers desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. [4] But when the goodness and kindness of God our Saviour appeared: [5] Not by the works of justice, which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us, by the laver of regeneration, and renovation of the Holy Ghost;”

 

[anon90438963]

I sometimes feel bad for the Egyptians, since they come off so bad in the OT.
I also sometimes wonder how Russians feel about the Blessed Virgin’s words about them at Fatima.

 

[Athanasiy]

What do you mean ?
What are the peculiarities of Fatima’s message to Russia?

 

[Athanasiy]

The Apostle’s expression of the Cretans is very suitable for the Russian elites.
Lies and laziness are their essential features.
If someone think that the process of consecration and sanctification of Russia to God is already successfully going on(if we touched on the Blessed Virgin’s message at Fatima) I would ask you not to consider spirituality solely in a narrow spiritual aspect.
Spirituality involves more than acquiring more and more power from one of the eclesiological structures.

 

[fhansen]

Cretan philosopher Epimenides in the 4th century BC formulated sophism:“All Cretans are liars”. At the same time he was a Cretan.
And the people get confused: if it is true, then the Epimenide himself lies, and therefore the statement that the critics of the liars are a lie. Ie, they’re telling the truth, but then He tells himself the truth. And so on to infinity.

“All Cretans are liars” does not equate to, “All Cretans never tell the truth”.

At any rate hyperbole was probably employed here, and such literary devices are common enough in Scripture.