0
NL888 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
Despite terrible suffering that in most instances they had done nothing to bring on themselves?
Does " despite terrible suffering that in most instances they had done nothing to bring on themselves" mean " despite in most instances they had done nothing to bring the terrible suffering on themselves"?
Context:
What struck me profoundly about my bedside conversations with these good North Carolina people was the spiritual aspect of what many of them were going through. I witnessed numerous cases of individuals whose faith provided them with a strong reassurance of ultimate peace, be it in this world or the next, despite terrible suffering that in most instances they had done nothing to bring on themselves. If faith was a psychological crutch, I concluded, it must be a very powerful one. If it was nothing more than a veneer of cultural tradition, why were these people not shaking their fists at God and demanding that their friends and family stop all this talk about a loving and benevolent supernatural power?
Context:
What struck me profoundly about my bedside conversations with these good North Carolina people was the spiritual aspect of what many of them were going through. I witnessed numerous cases of individuals whose faith provided them with a strong reassurance of ultimate peace, be it in this world or the next, despite terrible suffering that in most instances they had done nothing to bring on themselves. If faith was a psychological crutch, I concluded, it must be a very powerful one. If it was nothing more than a veneer of cultural tradition, why were these people not shaking their fists at God and demanding that their friends and family stop all this talk about a loving and benevolent supernatural power?
Top answer
No. Note the underlying structure of the original, as follows. I witnessed numerous cases of individuals whose faith provided them with a strong reassurance of ultimate peace , be it in this world or the next, despite terrible suffering ( that in most instances they had done nothing to bring on themselves ) .
- No.
- Note the underlying structure of the original, as follows.
- I witnessed numerous cases of individuals whose faith provided them with a strong reassurance of ultimate peace , be it in this world or the next, despite terrible suffering ( that in most instances they had done nothing to bring on themselves ) .
- The writer introduces the new thought of terrible suffering, and then adds a little extra information.
- Your version does not do this.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
3 Answers
0
No.
Note the underlying structure of the original, as follows.
I witnessed numerous cases of individuals whose faith provided them with a strong reassurance of ultimate peace, be it in this world or the next, despite terrible suffering ( that in most instances the
Note the underlying structure of the original, as follows.
I witnessed numerous cases of individuals whose faith provided them with a strong reassurance of ultimate peace, be it in this world or the next, despite terrible suffering ( that in most instances the
00
Thanks.
Failed to understand "had done nothing to bring on themselves." Does it mean "had done nothing to bring such strong faith on themselves"?
Failed to understand "had done nothing to bring on themselves." Does it mean "had done nothing to bring such strong faith on themselves"?
00
they had done nothing to bring such terrible suffering on themselves
ie they had not caused it to happen to themselves
Clive
ie they had not caused it to happen to themselves
Clive
0
Related Questions