Teach me about contradictions

[Ben Davis]

I accept that maybe I'm confused with what a contradiction is but to me if someone says "I do not _____" Folllowed by a separate sentence of "I do _____ in specific circumstances" that's a contradiction. Because you can't do something in specific circumstances while not doing it at all.

This seems like an obvious contradiction to me.

An exception to the rule isn't necessarily a contradiction as long as you state that the rule has exceptions. If you state that the rule has no exceptions and then make an exception, you create a contradiction.

So is the first statement an absolute? If not then exceptions are fine. I've had similar discussions because the qur'an is littered with rules which can be interpreted as absolute (but are not explicitly stated as such) but then are given exceptions later. IMO this is a deliberate mechanism of vaguary by the authors to allow rules to be inserted as required either through additional verses or official interpretation (e.g. the haddith and clerical mechanisms).