Post by asaph on Jun 20, 2015 7:38:33 GMT -8
I like to write. Nothing big. A couple manuscripts, tracts, some past articles or current thoughts.
My father used to sit and read the dictionary. He was just a common laborer, basically. He and mom owned a couple restaurants, and he became a great short order cook. Mom was the "foodie."
Anyway, I could never understand my father sitting there and reading a dictionary. The simple idea for him was to learn, to better himself. Lo and behold, many years later, I found myself sitting and reading the dictionary. In writing I would employ "fifty-cent" words to juice things up. I'd do the same in public speaking.
After awhile though, I realized that just because I learned new words and their common usage, most of these words were not in common usage at all amongst those I spent time with, and created more problems than solved. I saw raised eyebrows in congregations. Confused faces. Each word that I learned had to be defined, every time someone heard them. Well, I might have considered myself in the role of an English teacher. Why not expand the minds of my fellow man? Simply because Jesus did not try to expand the vocabulary of His listeners. He spoke to both the common and learned of His day, and just spoke the common language(s) of His day. It just made more sense to use the words learned through education and learned through communication with my fellow man on a daily basis.
My point here comes to this, though. Anyone who has read comments at youtube, especially where the subjects of creation/evolution are presented, or just any kind of strongly contested matter like man-made global warming or hetero/homosexual marriage, Conservative versus Liberal/Progressive ... all the real pejorative subjects, it is astounding to read the comments and see the unmitigated hatred, the harsh, nay, battering ram attitudes written out. Recently, on my own youtube page, a commenter stated that whoever designed a certain logo should be shot. Shot! Well, someone says, that is just hyperbole. The guy is exaggerating. No harm done. In my mind I am asking myself how such a response can be formulated in a thoughtful mind.
Then we have just the listing of each video titled with "destroy" and "crush" and "owned" and "kill," as in, Watch so and so destroy so and so, or so and so gets owned by so and so. Everything has become battle and war. This is played out every evening on the news during the sports casting segments. Teams who win 'crush' losers and losers get 'pummeled' by winners. Apparently such words must be used to maintain the entertainment level of all media news when it comes to sports reporting. We cannot just say won or lost. "Beat" is too tame. We have to say DESTROYED.
I have become convinced the use of language, and just the use, or misuse of language, especially that which was always seen as uncivil language, is more the cause of the warfare between those who disagree on matters than the actual FACTS of an issue.
Yes, it is a true statement that 'figures do not lie but, liars figure.' It's an unfortunate reality sinful man gets into. Nonetheless, the way people are communicating to each other is an enormous problem. How ironic in such a politically correct age, and one where "hate speech" is not only demonized but, criminalized in some places.
I've come to see the use of adverbs and adjectives to describe things can be, and often is, the reason individuals and groups are far apart. Our ears get stung with over the top descriptions of things and retaliation instantly begins. In some cases no amount of calm and collected discourse will change minds. Still, calling people names is not only childish but, actually harms, not only people such barbs and epithets are aimed at but, solutions to situations facing all mankind.
My father used to sit and read the dictionary. He was just a common laborer, basically. He and mom owned a couple restaurants, and he became a great short order cook. Mom was the "foodie."
Anyway, I could never understand my father sitting there and reading a dictionary. The simple idea for him was to learn, to better himself. Lo and behold, many years later, I found myself sitting and reading the dictionary. In writing I would employ "fifty-cent" words to juice things up. I'd do the same in public speaking.
After awhile though, I realized that just because I learned new words and their common usage, most of these words were not in common usage at all amongst those I spent time with, and created more problems than solved. I saw raised eyebrows in congregations. Confused faces. Each word that I learned had to be defined, every time someone heard them. Well, I might have considered myself in the role of an English teacher. Why not expand the minds of my fellow man? Simply because Jesus did not try to expand the vocabulary of His listeners. He spoke to both the common and learned of His day, and just spoke the common language(s) of His day. It just made more sense to use the words learned through education and learned through communication with my fellow man on a daily basis.
My point here comes to this, though. Anyone who has read comments at youtube, especially where the subjects of creation/evolution are presented, or just any kind of strongly contested matter like man-made global warming or hetero/homosexual marriage, Conservative versus Liberal/Progressive ... all the real pejorative subjects, it is astounding to read the comments and see the unmitigated hatred, the harsh, nay, battering ram attitudes written out. Recently, on my own youtube page, a commenter stated that whoever designed a certain logo should be shot. Shot! Well, someone says, that is just hyperbole. The guy is exaggerating. No harm done. In my mind I am asking myself how such a response can be formulated in a thoughtful mind.
Then we have just the listing of each video titled with "destroy" and "crush" and "owned" and "kill," as in, Watch so and so destroy so and so, or so and so gets owned by so and so. Everything has become battle and war. This is played out every evening on the news during the sports casting segments. Teams who win 'crush' losers and losers get 'pummeled' by winners. Apparently such words must be used to maintain the entertainment level of all media news when it comes to sports reporting. We cannot just say won or lost. "Beat" is too tame. We have to say DESTROYED.
I have become convinced the use of language, and just the use, or misuse of language, especially that which was always seen as uncivil language, is more the cause of the warfare between those who disagree on matters than the actual FACTS of an issue.
Yes, it is a true statement that 'figures do not lie but, liars figure.' It's an unfortunate reality sinful man gets into. Nonetheless, the way people are communicating to each other is an enormous problem. How ironic in such a politically correct age, and one where "hate speech" is not only demonized but, criminalized in some places.
I've come to see the use of adverbs and adjectives to describe things can be, and often is, the reason individuals and groups are far apart. Our ears get stung with over the top descriptions of things and retaliation instantly begins. In some cases no amount of calm and collected discourse will change minds. Still, calling people names is not only childish but, actually harms, not only people such barbs and epithets are aimed at but, solutions to situations facing all mankind.
