[sword-devel] Doctrinal Statement

[Derek Neighbors]

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> Doctrinal statements serve many purposes, not the least of which is to
> define the acceptable boundaries within a group. Boundaries, by nature, a=
re
> exclusivistic. Having an official doctrinal statement, no matter how broa=
d
> it might be, would imply that "this is what we believe and if you do not
> believe this and that, then you are not welcome to be included in our
> endeavor." I do not believe anyone here wants to do that. Doing so would =
run
> contrary to the "open" nature of the project IMHO. Even if we did, how wo=
uld
> we do it? The Sword Project does not even have an official membership, so=
 I
> am not sure how we would excommunicate someone even if we wanted to.

I rarely speak on this list, but I will pipe up that the SWORD project
to the best of my knowledge is a SOFTWARE PROJECT and not a 'group'.  It
is governed (last I checked though I know there was debate for change)
by a license called the GNU GPL.  That license specifically prohibits
'discrimination'.  The minute the SWORD project starts to dictate
doctrine and form 'groups' it starts as someone says here, a fostering
of 'exclusion'.  This very thing is contrary to 'free software' in
general.

I believe VERY strongly that doctrine is important.  I like the idea of
keeping 'questionable' texts listed as just that.  I think if one must
insist on a doctrine statement that it be from crosswire.org the parent
'organization' that works on SWORD.  That is SWORD itself has no real
business having a doctrine statement, but Crosswire an organization
does.

-Derek

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