dougjb
07-15-2006, 09:29 AM
As I was reading some of the threads like ‘Christianese Translator,’ Recovery: The ‘Third Wave’ and Post-Charismatic’s,’ and others, it caused me to do some reflect on the some of the causes of the spiritual fog and confusion that has afflicted so many of us in the church. Specifically, I was thinking how the use of language, or the abuse of it, has set in motion many of our present struggles.
Language is our primary means of communication. The words, phrases, and sentences we use, whether verbal or written are an expression of our history, culture, and faith to others. Since we need to communicate with one another, the words we use and the definition we apply to them will have an enormous impact on how we view and interpret our life and the world.
I believe the use of language, especially in relation to our Christian faith, is important because words and the definitions we apply to them will have a profound impact on the understanding of our faith.
The question I began reflecting is this. When people start meddling with language and its use by introducing new words, new definitions, and new concepts, what will be the outcome?
When I came to Christ, which was in a Pentecostal church, I knew little or nothing about the Bible or the Christian faith. Whatever religious language I learned reflected the distinctives the Pentecostal/Charismatic understanding of Christianity. As I began to grow in my faith, I started to recognize serious doctrinal/theological problems. This created a dilemma in my life. I knew that there were things wrong in the church but I did not know how to explain it because the only theological vocabulary I knew came from the Pentecostal/charismatic camp. Since their language was formulated to explain, affirm, and validate their doctrinal distinctives, I had no alternative way of explaining my concerns. I was going through enough mental gymnastics that I could have won a gold medal at the psychobabble Olympics.
Looking back at the first number of years as Christian, I realize that the power of language had in my life. The reason I was frustrated and befuddled centered on the fact that the Pentecostals/charismatic’s were controlling the language that was available to me. If they were controlling the language in my life, then they were to a certain degree controlling how I interpret my faith and life in general.
This whole thing got me thinking about language and the definition of words. I do not know how much people reflect on the power of language and its impact on our lives, but I believe that it may have more of an influence on us than we realize. Words communicate thoughts, ideas, and beliefs that interpret things, forms and direct our thinking, and provide understanding. When we start putting large numbers of words together, we begin to develop belief systems and worldviews.
The point is that words and their meaning have a profound impact on how we view the world, the church, family, friends, and ourselves. If the language is changed or the definitions of words are reformulated, then the stage is set for a breakdown of real communication. Can you imagine people coming into the fields medical, law, and science, and then arbitrarily redefining the language within those fields? There would be chaos. I believe that many [not all] of the problems it the church may have their origins in the area of language – the use of words and their definitions.
In order to have a clear understanding of our own Christian faith, there must be a coherent and consistent language to bring our faith to expression. What would happen if there were changes in the vocabulary with different definitions and new definitions are being applied to existing words? [I hope I am not sounding like some black helicopter conspiratorial theorist]. What I experienced in the Charismatic movement was a significant rewriting of language with an extremely high level of vagueness and ambiguity attached to it; at least I found it that way, so that I was never sure the meaning of anything.
This brings up another question.
How much of the language and the interpretation words within the charismatic movement comport with the Bible. In fact, how much of the Biblical language have these people redefined? If one looks at the phraseology; for example, in the Christianese Translator threat, I believe that the language in the charismatic movement reflects a serious misrepresentation of the language of Scripture. If they are creating a new language with new definitions or using orthodox language with new definitions, then what do you have, a cult, a new pseudo-Christian religion, a pagan religion, scheme of the enemy to entrap vulnerable Christians to shipwreck their faith, an out of control sect of Christianity, or maybe all the above? [I am being a little harsh and forward at this point.] It is hard to define what these people are because of the mystical nature of their beliefs; it is hard to define them.
I need to point out that I am talking about the Charismatic movement as a system of doctrinal/theological system of thought and not necessarily the people who embrace and perpetuate this view. I believe their complete theological system, as convoluted as it is, creates, encourages, and promotes the abuse that we see by keeping people off balanced as to the meaning of anything.
If the Pentecostals/charismatic’s, whether intentionally or not, are rewriting what constitutes Biblical language and its meaning, then they are in effect redefining the Christian faith into something other than what was originally intended in the Bible. Is there any wonder why people are befuddled, hurt, angry, confused, disillusioned, and distrustful? God is not the God of confusion. I believe that recovery from these groups could be really enhanced if we can get their language out of out minds and replaced with some more biblically orientated vocabulary.
Some food for thought – and a little venting and decompressing going on here also.
Dougjb
Language is our primary means of communication. The words, phrases, and sentences we use, whether verbal or written are an expression of our history, culture, and faith to others. Since we need to communicate with one another, the words we use and the definition we apply to them will have an enormous impact on how we view and interpret our life and the world.
I believe the use of language, especially in relation to our Christian faith, is important because words and the definitions we apply to them will have a profound impact on the understanding of our faith.
The question I began reflecting is this. When people start meddling with language and its use by introducing new words, new definitions, and new concepts, what will be the outcome?
When I came to Christ, which was in a Pentecostal church, I knew little or nothing about the Bible or the Christian faith. Whatever religious language I learned reflected the distinctives the Pentecostal/Charismatic understanding of Christianity. As I began to grow in my faith, I started to recognize serious doctrinal/theological problems. This created a dilemma in my life. I knew that there were things wrong in the church but I did not know how to explain it because the only theological vocabulary I knew came from the Pentecostal/charismatic camp. Since their language was formulated to explain, affirm, and validate their doctrinal distinctives, I had no alternative way of explaining my concerns. I was going through enough mental gymnastics that I could have won a gold medal at the psychobabble Olympics.
Looking back at the first number of years as Christian, I realize that the power of language had in my life. The reason I was frustrated and befuddled centered on the fact that the Pentecostals/charismatic’s were controlling the language that was available to me. If they were controlling the language in my life, then they were to a certain degree controlling how I interpret my faith and life in general.
This whole thing got me thinking about language and the definition of words. I do not know how much people reflect on the power of language and its impact on our lives, but I believe that it may have more of an influence on us than we realize. Words communicate thoughts, ideas, and beliefs that interpret things, forms and direct our thinking, and provide understanding. When we start putting large numbers of words together, we begin to develop belief systems and worldviews.
The point is that words and their meaning have a profound impact on how we view the world, the church, family, friends, and ourselves. If the language is changed or the definitions of words are reformulated, then the stage is set for a breakdown of real communication. Can you imagine people coming into the fields medical, law, and science, and then arbitrarily redefining the language within those fields? There would be chaos. I believe that many [not all] of the problems it the church may have their origins in the area of language – the use of words and their definitions.
In order to have a clear understanding of our own Christian faith, there must be a coherent and consistent language to bring our faith to expression. What would happen if there were changes in the vocabulary with different definitions and new definitions are being applied to existing words? [I hope I am not sounding like some black helicopter conspiratorial theorist]. What I experienced in the Charismatic movement was a significant rewriting of language with an extremely high level of vagueness and ambiguity attached to it; at least I found it that way, so that I was never sure the meaning of anything.
This brings up another question.
How much of the language and the interpretation words within the charismatic movement comport with the Bible. In fact, how much of the Biblical language have these people redefined? If one looks at the phraseology; for example, in the Christianese Translator threat, I believe that the language in the charismatic movement reflects a serious misrepresentation of the language of Scripture. If they are creating a new language with new definitions or using orthodox language with new definitions, then what do you have, a cult, a new pseudo-Christian religion, a pagan religion, scheme of the enemy to entrap vulnerable Christians to shipwreck their faith, an out of control sect of Christianity, or maybe all the above? [I am being a little harsh and forward at this point.] It is hard to define what these people are because of the mystical nature of their beliefs; it is hard to define them.
I need to point out that I am talking about the Charismatic movement as a system of doctrinal/theological system of thought and not necessarily the people who embrace and perpetuate this view. I believe their complete theological system, as convoluted as it is, creates, encourages, and promotes the abuse that we see by keeping people off balanced as to the meaning of anything.
If the Pentecostals/charismatic’s, whether intentionally or not, are rewriting what constitutes Biblical language and its meaning, then they are in effect redefining the Christian faith into something other than what was originally intended in the Bible. Is there any wonder why people are befuddled, hurt, angry, confused, disillusioned, and distrustful? God is not the God of confusion. I believe that recovery from these groups could be really enhanced if we can get their language out of out minds and replaced with some more biblically orientated vocabulary.
Some food for thought – and a little venting and decompressing going on here also.
Dougjb