On Citations

I do a lot of citing the words of others in my writings. I do this because very little is original with me and I find that oftentimes others have said what I want to say and have said it much better. So, I cite others, although I do often add comments to the citations, a kind of commenting on the comments. I also do it because it saves lots of time, especially now when I can copy and paste from on line works. It often takes longer to put things into my own words for I have to think about what to say, how to say it, what words to use, and involves sometimes proof reading drafts and changing sentences. 

There are some people I know who can rarely cite from another person without giving a caveat, without saying that they do not endorse everything the person being cited believed. I do not do this. It is laborious to say, every time I cite someone, that I do not endorse everything he or she says. I think of a few times in the bible where an apostle cited from the works of others and it was clear the apostle was not endorsing everything that the writer of the citation said or taught. 

The Apostle Paul in writing to Titus used a line of the poet Epimenides, saying "The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies." (Titus 1: 12) In another epistle Paul seems to be quoting a line from Menander, saying "Evil communications corrupt good manners." (I Cor. 15:33) Also, when he is arguing with the Athenians upon the Areopagus he calls Aratus as a witness citing from him the words "For we are also his offspring." (Acts 17:28) In none of these instances did the apostle Paul feel a need to say "by quoting these words I do not want to be understood as accepting all that the person said or believed." Nor do I. If I cite, for instance, Thomas Aquinas, I do not need to give such a caveat. Of course I don't agree with all that Aquinas said. I quote Baptists all the time, but that is not to be understood as endorsing all that a particular Baptist believed or wrote. 

I also do not believe in plagiarism. Even when I am citing the sentiments or views of another, without citing verbatim, I believe the writer I am summarizing should be given credit.