CHRISTIAN JARGON

http://ebook30.com/security/security/11848/encyclopedia-of-cryptology-re-link.htmlFew years ago, I’ve had the “pleasure” of going to church with a sweet old lady who was so spiritual she wouldn’t even go to the market unless the Lord told her to. I’m not exaggerating. She considered her daily routines as divine appointments that a lot of times, she simply sounded out of this world. When you ask her how she was doing, she’d say something like, “Oh hallelujah praise God for His unfailing love that enables me to blah blah blah…” At the end of the conversation, you don’t really know her answer, you just get a mini sermon full of high sounding theological words.

It is good to acknowledge God in our daily lives but it is another thing to hide behind Christian jargon when confronted with daily realities. For most “regular” people, over-spiritualizing everything is weird. How can you keep a conversation with someone who tells you about divine guidance when you were just asking for spaghetti recipe?

When Jesus talked about “deep” theological stuff, He illustrated His point with simple things like rock, salt, birds and mustard seed. For some weird reason, there are people who love to do the exact opposite. When they talk of simple things, they complicate their talk with theological words like propitiation, premillennialism,  or trinitarianism. My journalism professor had a point when he said, “Why write “conflagration” when you can write “fire?” Why indeed!

  • http://www.unsafechallenge.com Coenraad

    Great point. We as Christians must remember that although we are not of this world, we are still in this world, and that means that we need to relate to the Non-Christians on their level. How else are we going to get through to them and hopefully save them?

  • ryan

    Yeah, you’re right and i fully agree with you, Kuya Jo. However, note also that too much simplification of theological ideas is very dangerous. How many fell into error by basing thier understanding of the faith on paraphrased version of scriptures, the intention of which was to set the Word of God in simplest term possible for the common people to understand.

  • http://jojoagot.wordpress.com/ jojoagot

    Coenraad, thank you for bringing that up. What’s sad is that most of the time, these are really amazing people who may have just forgotten a little.

  • http://jojoagot.wordpress.com/ jojoagot

    Ryan, thanks for pointing that out. I agree that it’s also something that is worth considering. Now I don’t know which one is more dangerous, oversimplification or “overspiritualization.” I guess we can all fall on either side of the horse if we are not careful. Keyword is balance, as usual.

  • ryan

    Yeah, balance. Without it, one will be easy prey to tyranical fanaticism.

  • http://building-his-body.blogspot.com Anne Lang Bundy

    I appreciate the reminder. I sometimes use big words, poetic words, Christianese words, not because I’m trying to impress anyone or be overly spiritual, but because they’re simply the words that resonate with my psyche. Oops! Make that, I like the way they feel in my soul.

    Teaching elementary age kids helps me choose simple words. Then I sit down to my keyboard and go crazy. When I can corner her to proof my blogs, my 16 yr old is good at telling me when I’ve gone too far.

  • ryan

    Yeah, i agree. Just the same, I believe “hiding the reality of their lives under the cloak of verbose piety” is a form of fanaticism. I couldn’t help thinking about “someone” we know who exhibited somewhat the same behavior. You know who…uho.

  • ryan

    You edited it. hehehehe

  • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/jedcortes Jed

    You're right, kuya Jo. There is a danger in overspiritualizing things and decisions. Joshua Harris pointed this out on his Christian courtship book "Boy Meets Girl", but his focus was on choosing a life partner. But the principle is there.

    (On the other extreme, I'm thinking about "overcarnalizing", is there such thing? Nah, just a wild thought. Hehe)

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/jojoagot jojoagot

    Now that you brought that up, I think you may have a very valid point there! Maybe not overcarnalizing, but what about "watering down?"

    Interesting… thanks!

  • http://jojoagot.wordpress.com/ jojoagot

    Ryan, I think I have to point out that the oversimplification thing that you mentioned above only works for theoretical discussion. When it comes to the Word of God, obedience is still the litmus test of our understanding of theology. No amount of knowing can compensate for simple obedience. The original post above is more concerned about people hiding the reality of their lives under the cloak of verbose piety.

  • http://jojoagot.com/ Jojo Agot

    I’m just as guilty as you or anybody else. I also love to use big words but the reactions of the people around me hold me in check.

  • http://jojoagot.com/ Jojo Agot

    ouch! lol

  • http://jojoagot.com/ Jojo Agot

    Yup, sorry about that. Don’t want you to get into trouble, hahaha.