Sir, The letter entitled 'The Strength of Seven,' printed on page 2 of last Friday's edition of your paper, was most refreshing. It expressed a viewpoint different from what is being aimed at us from the media including educational textbooks and, alas, from some pulpits. I suspect, like me, Miss Y. M. Nicholl thinks the time is over-ripe to change the portrait shown on the back of each £10 note! In my study of the English meaning of Hebrew words, I now understand the link between strength and the number seven. It was customary to say the same thing seven times to reveal its strength of truth. Anyone can read in the first book of the Bible - Genesis chapter 21, verses 22-32, of the way that seven is connected with a sworn oath in the formulation of that treaty between a Philistine King and the Hebrew Patriarch named Abraham. Therefore, whenever we say "I swear it is true!" we are really saying "I'll tell you seven times it is the truth!" From that connection spring these two ideas: 1. Repeating statements such as political slogans or religious mantras or even endlessly bombarding young and old with evolutionary interpretations involving alleged 'millions of years' of so-called prehistory is only an attempt to promote opinion to the exalted status of absolute truth. 2. By definition no-one can swear who is unprepared to repeat themselves. So next time you hear about people who boast that they can swear for several minutes without repeating themselves, just remind yourself how illogical it is to swear as in swearing an oath unless it is worth repeating again and again - even inside a court of law. Two final thoughts: I dare schools to teach alongside evolution the record of creation in six days as stated in Genesis chapter 1, for example God spoke and land appeared as easily as light - everything existed by God's word. Now that's what I call strong language! Also could it be that the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet divided by the six working days plus the seventh day of rest is why ? is valued as 22 + 7?
Gerald Duffett, M. Phil (Lond.), B.Sc. (Lond.), New Hedges.