Christian vs. Non-Christian Language.

[Liamson]

(not foul language)

Ever have that conversation that goes something like this:
Me- "Hey Biff, how did your dentist appointment go?"
Biff-"Ah well it went. My dentist thinks I'll live."
Me-"Good! My last one didn't go as smooth as I'd like it to, probably because I haven't been flossing as often as I should."
Biff-"Yeah, I got that lecture too. I guess it comes with the turf."
Me-"come to think of it there is a lot of stuff that I haven't been doing. Did you know I used to swim in the mornings?"
Biff-"No, I had no idea but, then again I used to run with you and we quit doing that last year too."
Me-"Yeah, I haven't really been praying as often either. I used be a real Daniel."
Biff-"Well brother, walk the straight path and lean not on your own understanding. The Lord may test you both in times of strength and in times of weakness."
Me-"Yeah......"
*long awkward pause*
Biff-"Hey call me later we'll talk about our plans next weekend."
Me-"Yeah, definitely. Peace!"

I see this so often that I'm left to wonder why I see it so often.

Sometimes people say things in pure Christianese and I don't have a problem with that as long as they are consistent. Like using it to the point of it becoming part of their personality but, with some people its like a switch they flip. Suddenly the person I was just talking to has gone 'Church Mode' on me. Now I'm left to ponder if this person actually believes what he is saying, or if its just an act, or is this just the way he does business.

Now maybe I'm the only one who has a problem with this. Maybe its sort of like my deal. Kind of like all the reasons I don't like Chris Tomlin's music. (sine mente )

I posted this thread because earlier we had a Poll called Senses and in that poll hearing was the clear winning category as far as determining initial attraction qualities. As it was my choice too, I wanted to elaborate on what I thought was clearly not attractive.

 

[Jullianna]

I think that many of us who've grown up in the church have heard certain expressions used so much that they become nothing more than colloquialisms. Perhaps we do toss them around carelessly. Sometimes though, we use them, especially here, as a reference to a particular scripture with which we think the reader will be familiar.

There's also that whole "holiness trigger" thing. We can be having a casual conversation with someone and suddenly the topic takes a bit more serious turn. The point where we realize that we are talking about the things of God now and should choose our words very carefully, because we're highly accountable in that area.

And then there are those folks that make you think of "Sister Bertha Betterthanu" from The Mississippi Squirrel Revival who toss that stuff out there freely in a flowery way that makes very little sense... When I see/hear that...reminds me a bit of the piety of the Pharisees...but that's just me.

 

[AnandaHya]

interesting topic.

i always thought words are just mental constructs to convey the inner workings of the mind and soul. they aren't as important as the relationship you have with the person which should mirror the relationship you have God. in addition there is a lot of communication occurring with body language and other unspoken means

A lot of the conversation you describe above sounds rather like skimming the surface. a relationship of doing things without much depth. to build a deeper relationship you would have to talk about your dreams, hopes, fears, disappointments, shortcomings, feelings, etc. Most people wear robes or mask and don't want to share that much about themselves.

Talking about God takes the mask off. Scripture allows us to open our hearts, minds and eyes to see as God sees, so if we are not comfortable with ourselves that topic is avoided. I will share with you a poem i wrote in high school and a song.

Aug. 22, 1998
"Everyone dreams and wishes. But no one knows what another dreams unless told. Right now my one wish is to better express myself. This probably sounds really dumb so I’ll stop soon. But first a confession:

I sometimes say things I don’t totally mean. I exaggerate or let people assume things. It’s a distraction tactic so I won’t have to say how I really feel, because I’m afraid they’ll laugh or won’t know how much it means to me and make fun of it. (sometimes I make myself sick and just don’t care)

I think other people do the same thing. Like a flag, silently asking you to be careful what you say.


I've come to terms with myself now, but it took me a while to learn courage and speak up and make those meaningful connections and get rid of the fear of ridicule.

 

[1still_waters]

Nothing wrong with speaking the native language with natives. We just gotta learn that not everyone is a native. So don't speak to them like natives. Gotta be all things to all peeps like Paul said in the ole Corinth book yo.

 

[Liamson]

interesting topic.

A lot of the conversation you describe above sounds rather like skimming the surface. a relationship of doing things without much depth. to build a deeper relationship you would have to talk about your dreams, hopes, fears, disappointments, shortcomings, feelings, etc. Most people wear robes or mask and don't want to share that much about themselves.

Talking about God takes the mask off. Scripture allows us to open our hearts, minds and eyes to see as God sees, so if we are not comfortable with ourselves that topic is avoided. I will share with you a poem i wrote in high school and a song.

I guess to me it feels as if it is the opposite. Agreed: Dreams, fears, hopes, expectations, etc are the deeper side of the tide pool but, I feel like when someone is leveling abstract biblical metaphors at me, they are doing it from behind the mask of being religious. Its like, 'Now you see me; now you see me as I want you to see me.' And it feels hollow, it sounds silly, it comes across as both condescending and disingenuous.

If we really care and love one another, we need to get serious about it.

This clip is exactly what I'm talking about.

YouTube - A Powerful Lesson From ER

If we are going to talk about God, let us be honest with ourselves and each other.

I think that many of us who've grown up in the church have heard certain expressions used so much that they become nothing more than colloquialisms. Perhaps we do toss them around carelessly. Sometimes though, we use them, especially here, as a reference to a particular scripture with which we think the reader will be familiar.

There's also that whole "holiness trigger" thing. We can be having a casual conversation with someone and suddenly the topic takes a bit more serious turn. The point where we realize that we are talking about the things of God now and should choose our words very carefully, because we're highly accountable in that area.

And then there are those folks that make you think of "Sister Bertha Betterthanu" from The Mississippi Squirrel Revival who toss that stuff out there freely in a flowery way that makes very little sense... When I see/hear that...reminds me a bit of the piety of the Pharisees...but that's just me.

I agree 100% Jullianna and that to me is my struggle. I would say most of the people I encounter have no clue even what the word HOLY means. I don't mean what the Oxford English Dictionary definition of Holy is, I mean what does the word mean to YOU and to ME. I feel like I just want to SHAKE people and say, "Do you have any idea what you just said means?!" Until people realizes that God, and what they are saying, is more than just a string of abstract concepts and metaphors, I always prefer that anyone uses their own words to describe everything.

I don't want to act like a Christian, I want to live as one. I don't want to memorize my lines, so that I don't look like a fool in a local Bible study. I want to be a Christian, not just play one for the Internet or my Sunday School.

 

[Jullianna]

I get what you're saying. You want to be the real deal. You want to live for the Lord 24/7..that's what He wants too. We're not to be Sunday AM christians only...or play one on the Internet or anywhere else... To me, that's mocking God. And it's a very dangerous thing. This reminds me of what the scriptures have to say about not standing on the street corner and reciting flowery prayers for the world to see. The holy things of God are not intended to call attention to us, but to HIM.

There are a couple of thoughts that come to mind...

1. Personalities are multi-dimentional. We have our fun sides (and I like to think that God has a sense of humor since laughter is such good medicine ), we have our serious sides, we have our reverent sides, and so on.. It's reflected in life, in chat and in these forums. Sometimes we discuss some pretty heavy stuff, sometimes we need to take a few minutes and laugh with one another, sometimes we rejoice over blessings and answered prayers, and sometimes there's a critical need we need to listen to...and most importantly, there are times when the Lord may want to tell us all something and we need to be reverent and attentive.

2. Not everyone is at the same place in their walk with the Lord. Some of what you are seeing may simply be spiritual immaturity.

3. Not everyone who says Lord, Lord truly knows Him and, as you say, would not have understanding of the holiness of God.

As stilly said, Paul teaches us that we are to meet people where they are. That's what God did with each of us. And I do indeed think that when we spit out metaphors from our high horses, those who really need to hear the truth will stop listening. The bottom line is this though, when it comes to living for the Lord and being a witness for Him, what we DO is so much more important most of the time than what we say, you know?

 

[zeroturbulence]

(not foul language)

Ever have that conversation that goes something like this:
Me- "Hey Biff, how did your dentist appointment go?"
Biff-"Ah well it went. My dentist thinks I'll live."
Me-"Good! My last one didn't go as smooth as I'd like it to, probably because I haven't been flossing as often as I should."
Biff-"Yeah, I got that lecture too. I guess it comes with the turf."
Me-"come to think of it there is a lot of stuff that I haven't been doing. Did you know I used to swim in the mornings?"
Biff-"No, I had no idea but, then again I used to run with you and we quit doing that last year too."
Me-"Yeah, I haven't really been praying as often either. I used be a real Daniel."
Biff-"Well brother, walk the straight path and lean not on your own understanding. The Lord may test you both in times of strength and in times of weakness."
Me-"Yeah......"
*long awkward pause*
Biff-"Hey call me later we'll talk about our plans next weekend."
Me-"Yeah, definitely. Peace!"

I see this so often that I'm left to wonder why I see it so often.

Sometimes people say things in pure Christianese and I don't have a problem with that as long as they are consistent. Like using it to the point of it becoming part of their personality but, with some people its like a switch they flip. Suddenly the person I was just talking to has gone 'Church Mode' on me. Now I'm left to ponder if this person actually believes what he is saying, or if its just an act, or is this just the way he does business.

Now maybe I'm the only one who has a problem with this. Maybe its sort of like my deal. Kind of like all the reasons I don't like Chris Tomlin's music. (sine mente )

I posted this thread because earlier we had a Poll called Senses and in that poll hearing was the clear winning category as far as determining initial attraction qualities. As it was my choice too, I wanted to elaborate on what I thought was clearly not attractive.

That sounded like a blow-off of the subject to me, but maybe he didn't feel like addressing your concern right then. If it was me I would have said, "why not? (why are you not praying as much now)" Then I would have tried to help you figure out what has been impeding your prayer life. But that's just me.

 

[Liamson]

That sounded like a blow-off of the subject to me, but maybe he didn't feel like addressing your concern right then. If it was me I would have said, "why not? (why are you not praying as much now)" Then I would have tried to help you figure out what has been impeding your prayer life. But that's just me.

That was what I was shooting for and the kind of encouragement I like receiving, accountability.

 

[Jullianna]

I misunderstood your post entirely. I didn't realize it was a real conversation. I thought it was just an example. DOH! Sorry...

 

[NukePooch]

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

YouTube - BADD: Christianese

 

[Maddog]

Sometimes people say things in pure Christianese and I don't have a problem with that as long as they are consistent. Like using it to the point of it becoming part of their personality but, with some people its like a switch they flip. Suddenly the person I was just talking to has gone 'Church Mode' on me. Now I'm left to ponder if this person actually believes what he is saying, or if its just an act, or is this just the way he does business.

I know what you mean. I know some people who seem to speak as though they have failed in some way if they don't manage to sllip Jesus into a conversation.

I don't doubt the sincerity of their faith as a whole, but I do doubt the sincerity of the 'stock Christian soundbites' they'll manage to force into a conversation about the weather or the bus service. To me they come across as salesmen.

I also think there's something of a 'hive' mentality, especially among evangelicals. I sense that a lot of them will drop certain evangelical buzz words or phrases into a conversation because they feel that they have to, as that's what all the other evangelicals do. And I speak here with some experience, as I have been guilty of the same thing.

 

[arch]

Hello everyone. I am new to this so not sure how it works

 

[Liamson]

I misunderstood your post entirely. I didn't realize it was a real conversation. I thought it was just an example. DOH! Sorry...

It was just an example.

Don't be sorry, I should apologize.

 

[Jullianna]

Hello everyone. I am new to this so not sure how it works

Welcome to CC, arch! Just jump in, brother

 

[zeroturbulence]

That was what I was shooting for and the kind of encouragement I like receiving, accountability.

Its hard to find people with a genuine, caring heart these days. Seems to me that most people are too caught up in their own lives that they don't have time or inclination to lend an ear to a friend unless its an emergency. Everyone's busy making plans, doing stuff, texting, blogging, facebooking, etc.. Everyone seems to be craving attention and wanting more and more out of life.

It is exactly as the end times are described in Timothy:

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

2 Timothy 3:3-5 KJV

 

[Jullianna]

excellent point, zero

 

[zeroturbulence]

excellent point, zero

Thanks Julianna, and the one part that really stands out to me from that scripture is where it says "despisers of those that are good". I am seeing this more and more in the comments that people post online in news articles and stuff. The only exception is when a disaster strikes like in Japan.

A good example is a few days ago there was this homeless man standing at an intersection with a cardboard sign saying he was homeless and that he would work for food for his family. There was a line of maybe 10 cars at the light. When the light turned green, the 4th car in line slowed down to give the man some money and someone behind me layed on their horn for like 3 seconds. I slowed down and gave him money too and at first I was really disturbed that someone would be that lacking in compassion, but then I realized that who ever did it is going to have to answer to God for what he/she did.

By the way, I usually don't ever see anyone else giving homeless people money around here. They say that if you do, they won't go away or they'll spend it on booze, but that may have been true 10 years ago, but now there are many who have lost their jobs. I've seen homeless people here that look like they could be your next door neighbor. Its really sad.

 

[Breelynn]

I don't know if this helps or not but a wise old cowboy told me " what i do daily is what i believe and everything else is just religious talking"
This includes your words as much as your actions. If you believe what you say and live by what you say then people won't clam up on you because it's who you are. They will know that it's not mask you only put on for Sundays and Wednesdays. I hope I wasn't too confusing have a great day !!

 

[zeroturbulence]

I don't know if this helps or not but a wise old cowboy told me " what i do daily is what i believe and everything else is just religious talking"
This includes your words as much as your actions. If you believe what you say and live by what you say then people won't clam up on you because it's who you are. They will know that it's not mask you only put on for Sundays and Wednesdays. I hope I wasn't too confusing have a great day !!

Thats awesome!

 

[Jullianna]

I don't know if this helps or not but a wise old cowboy told me " what i do daily is what i believe and everything else is just religious talking"
This includes your words as much as your actions. If you believe what you say and live by what you say then people won't clam up on you because it's who you are. They will know that it's not mask you only put on for Sundays and Wednesdays. I hope I wasn't too confusing have a great day !!

Let's hear it for cowboys Love it!