• Everyone Is Familiar With Shakespeare's Romeo And ...

  Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Dec 5, 2006 (message contributor)

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  Denomination: Methodist

Everyone is familiar with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet are star crossed lovers. Their families are bitter enemies. In Act II, Scene Two is the famous balcony scene. Juliet laments:

Jul. ‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy;

Thou art thyself though, not a Montague.

What’s a Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,

Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part

Belonging to a man. O! be some other name:

What’s in a name? that which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet;

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,

Retain that dear perfection which he owes

Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name;

And for that name, which is no part of thee,

Take all myself.

[Act II, Scene 2, ll42-53]

In the realm of faith this is not true. Personal names carry much weight and express deep meaning and significance, especially the Names of Jesus.