Theos-Talk Archives (October 1996 Message tl00633)

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> From: Bart Lidofsky <bartl@sprynet.com>
> K. Paul Johnson wrote:
> >
> > In response to points made by Bart and Kym:
> >
> > I agree with you, Bart, that "nucleus within the universal
> > human family" weakens the object.  You don't say why, but to me
> > it loses the prescriptive quality, the idea of trying to
> > exemplify an ideal and be an evolutionary vanguard.  You also
> > don't say why "fellowship" weakens it for you; at least it
> > retains this quality of "should" rather than "is." Why is
> > fellowship weaker than brotherhood?
>
> 	Fellowship implies friendship; Brotherhood implies that we came out of
> the same womb, that we are all responsible for each other, that we are
> all responsible TO each other.
>
> 	Bart Lidofsky

Brotherhood is the state or relationship of being brothers - two or more
males.  A brother can be two males with the same parents or members of a
monastic order.  In the dictionary,
brotherhood is also defined as fellowship.(!)  and an association of men,
such as a fraternity or union, united for common purposes.  Seems to me
that even the dictionary officially
associates the word "brother" and "brotherhood" with something that is
exclusively male.

Seems like the times demand a better word.

-Ann E. Bermingham