Bill Clinton and the Meaning of "Is"

Bill Clinton and the Meaning of "Is": Bill Clinton and the Meaning of "Is" - http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/chatterbox/1998/09/bill_clinton_and_the_meaning_of_is.html

"Bill Clinton And The Meaning Of "Is"". 2017. Slate Magazine. Accessed August 3, 2017. http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/chatterbox/1998/09/bill_clinton_and_the_meaning_of_is.html.

Blogger's Take:

It's a challenge that requires a great deal of slight of mind and words.

I got an answer for that Clinton word trick that comes out of a comeback used by the movie fictional character Forrest Gump when someone called him stupid.  He said that "Stupid is as Stupid Does."

Now, How does Someone Analyze a Comeback like That?

He, Forrest Gump is counter-challenging the insulter by saying that a person displays intelligence or lack thereof by evidence of overt behavior. It's the conduct of the stupid person in open view of others, who shows before the world of others whether the actor is using intelligence or even possesses intelligence. 

Now if by acting stupidly before others the actor is showing stupidity or sound judgment in dealing with a scenario, the world around this actor or actress is getting a glimpse into that actor's inner person.  

Had the guy, who called Forrest Gump stupid, personally, witnessed Forrest Gump behaving or acting stupidly?  I personally don't know for I didn't see the movie.

But then, I saw the tv ads for the movie and some showed this scene.

Now, when you put in front of me a replay of Clinton's comeback regarding the word "is," I'd borrow from that Forrest Gump scene but with some change. 

Ready?

Is is As Is Does.

I definitely have some explaining to do if I'm going to get you to understand this.

I'm going to borrow a little bit from the Bible to make this understandable.

John 10:38Amplified Bible (AMP)

38 But if I am doing them, even if you do not believe Me or have faith in Me, [at least] believe the works [that I do—admit that they are the works of God], so that you may know and keep on knowing [clearly—without any doubt] that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father [that is, I am One with Him].”

When I read a verse such as this from the Lord, I understand this statement to constitute a counter-challenge from Him to the doubters, those persons who see Him but still don't believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. 

In effect, Christ is saying,  "If you don't believe me when I tell you who I am, then judge me by my actions, my behavior. Judge not my claims nor who I say I am. Instead, judge me then but my deeds. What sort of actions, what pattern of behaviors have you seen me engage in from the beginning to the present?

How do I apply all this to the above, to Clinton's challenge to the jury regarding the word "Is?"

He's using language entanglement tactics. 

He said he was being truthful when he denied that he was having sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky. 

It turned out to be a lie that came out and exposed him when the dress was tested and showed that the semen on it was matched to Clinton's DNA after he submitted to a DNA blood test.

To be honest with you, when someone starts using word tricks on me, I smell a cheater trying to entangle the conversation and I have no patience for tricks like that.

A person in front of me does not show what's inside his/her heart. But that person's behavior, if I see or witness, reveals what's inside that person.