Have you noticed something missing from conversations in all forms of media- personal, electronic, written-about the debacle at Penn State? How about from the discussion of failed politicians, NFL or Hollywood celebrities, or riots or divorces in hometown America? Euphemistically entitled a condition, exceptionality, syndrome, genetic disposition, problem, societal ill, disease, tendency, aberration, failure, inequity, mistake, debacle, addiction, heinous crime against humanity, acting out to name a few, this banned word denies the similarities of the list above. These replacements share two qualities, one for most of the words in the list and a second for all of them. In the smaller group, including terms like genetic disposition, syndrome, and tendency, blame is shifted to a different cause. The similarity of all of the words is a denial of the real cause. Have you guessed the true identity and name of the banned word? Am I allowed to write it? The word is sin. The problem it so clearly points out is rebellion against God perpetrated by the sinner. Because of our pride resulting in selfishness we don’t want to admit to sin. But ignoring and denying the problem does not allow for the recognition of the solution, so we Christians must talk about it. But beware because you may talk about God and that He is love and that He is good and that we should act nice and so on but if you mention sin you will be shunned or worse. But since “through the Law comes the knowledge of sin,” (Romans 3:20) sinners will not recognize their need for a Savior or be saved if they are not taught that there is a righteous standard that all have failed to meet from a righteous God to whom they are responsible.
If you don’t believe me that this word is banned try bringing it up in conversation. You need not be so direct as to mention a particular sin or even a particular person’s sin. Just talk about sin in your community resulting in some ill like family break-up or eventual death or even flowers wilting and see how far it gets you. Why? “Let no one find fault, and let none offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend….” (Hosea 4:4) But be warned, “Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6)
If you can add to my euphemistic list it would be instructive as to the depth of our….. tendency.
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Banned vocabulary word
Posted in Cultural commentary, General, God's Word, tagged Cultural commentary, God's Word on November 14, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Have you noticed something missing from conversations in all forms of media- personal, electronic, written-about the debacle at Penn State? How about from the discussion of failed politicians, NFL or Hollywood celebrities, or riots or divorces in hometown America? Euphemistically entitled a condition, exceptionality, syndrome, genetic disposition, problem, societal ill, disease, tendency, aberration, failure, inequity, mistake, debacle, addiction, heinous crime against humanity, acting out to name a few, this banned word denies the similarities of the list above. These replacements share two qualities, one for most of the words in the list and a second for all of them. In the smaller group, including terms like genetic disposition, syndrome, and tendency, blame is shifted to a different cause. The similarity of all of the words is a denial of the real cause. Have you guessed the true identity and name of the banned word? Am I allowed to write it? The word is sin. The problem it so clearly points out is rebellion against God perpetrated by the sinner. Because of our pride resulting in selfishness we don’t want to admit to sin. But ignoring and denying the problem does not allow for the recognition of the solution, so we Christians must talk about it. But beware because you may talk about God and that He is love and that He is good and that we should act nice and so on but if you mention sin you will be shunned or worse. But since “through the Law comes the knowledge of sin,” (Romans 3:20) sinners will not recognize their need for a Savior or be saved if they are not taught that there is a righteous standard that all have failed to meet from a righteous God to whom they are responsible.
If you don’t believe me that this word is banned try bringing it up in conversation. You need not be so direct as to mention a particular sin or even a particular person’s sin. Just talk about sin in your community resulting in some ill like family break-up or eventual death or even flowers wilting and see how far it gets you. Why? “Let no one find fault, and let none offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend….” (Hosea 4:4) But be warned, “Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6)
If you can add to my euphemistic list it would be instructive as to the depth of our….. tendency.
Read Full Post »