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The Evangelical Press Association (EPA) website recently shared the following: Christianese is a language used in the Christian subculture and understood easily only by other practicing Christians. As Christian communicators it's important to avoid words in our writing that could be misunderstood or fail to communicate — terms that have meaning only in the Christian subculture.

As a public service, here are some common phrases used in the church, along with their English-language equivalents:

Christianese: "If it be God's will."

Christianese: "Let's have a word of prayer."

Christianese: "That's not my spiritual gift."

Christianese: "Fellowship"

Christianese: "The Lord works in mysterious ways."

Christianese: "Lord willing . . ."

Christianese: "I don't feel led."

Christianese: "God led me to do something else."

Christianese: "God really helped me with this test."

Christianese: "She has such a sweet spirit!"

Christianese: "I have a 'check' in my spirit about him."

Christianese: "I'll be praying for you."

Christianese: "Prayer concerns"

Christianese: "In conclusion . . . "

Christianese: "Let us pray"

Christianese: "You just have to put it in God's hands."

Christianese: "God wants to prosper you!"

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Cool Im banned TOO.
Enjoy it Holten and Company!

A lot of these made me LOL, but with a sense of unease!

It is problematic that we have this language of our own. It also, as I failed to finish, segued into an article about cliched faith, where instead of Biblical and real Godly responses, we have responses based on repititious cliche. Thats a bigger problem to me than just the Christianese.

But yea its funny. It ranges from the surreal to the archaic, as in "used OF God instead of used BY God....the former being archaic usage that conveys the thought, but is a "seperate-ish" manner, when its so easy to just say "used by God" and be perfectly clear.

They talk then about prayer styles too, and we all know how that can go with entire archaic language, as well as saying "Father" every fifth word...followed by "just ----------and just -------and then just ______"

 

Interesting stuff anyway

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Cool Im banned TOO.
Enjoy it Holten and Company!

JaneFW:

A lot of these made me LOL, but with a sense of unease!

Unease probably because of the bits of truth there are in those translations. At least that was the case for me.

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Chaz345

ditto

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"I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me"

"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her"

chaz345:

JaneFW:

A lot of these made me LOL, but with a sense of unease!

Unease probably because of the bits of truth there are in those translations. At least that was the case for me.

Ditto for me also.

BTW, there is a book called Growing Up Born Again that has similiar comments in it. Have any of you read it? It's a humorous look at Conservative Christianity, 1970's style. A bit dated, but still funny for those of us who remember that era.

 

 

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"More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection..." (Phil 3:8,10)

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*No opposite gender PMs, please!

There is the Chritian ese for the sake of jargon...which can be offputting, then there is are the words/phrases that intentionally mislead, or offer the speaker cover for something. We can all likely find times we've done that....used a phrase to mask the WHOLE truth about not serving, or gossiping or whatever.

But that masking etc. can happen even if you choose less cliche language....to me thats less about the specific words, than the intent. The Christian ese harming one's witness is an issue I am concerned about.

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Cool Im banned TOO.
Enjoy it Holten and Company!

.....and then there are those who use certain phrases to express their love of God and their trust in God and their concern and love for others.

I do know the phonies but I also know the genuine hearted...... it's not that hard to tell the difference, even if they use the same words.

The translations are funny, but while they are true for some, I can't mock those that use the same phrases with no falseness.

I don't think we need to come up with one more thing christians need to apolgize for.

Bob'sRib:

.....and then there are those who use certain phrases to express their love of God and their trust in God and their concern and love for others.

I do know the phonies but I also know the genuine hearted...... it's not that hard to tell the difference, even if they use the same words.

The translations are funny, but while they are true for some, I can't mock those that use the same phrases with no falseness.

I don't think we need to come up with one more thing christians need to apolgize for.

 

Im not sure anyone thinks there need be an apology. There was no accusation. In fact the phrases that are used "on purpose" as in the false ones, are not even phrases that , when used truthfully are phrases that express love of God or others. 'I dont feel led"...being used in place of a simple "no", doesnt express love of God or others even when its used genuinely.

 

The phrases that do express love of God and others, and can be used as cliche....in my opinion are not used falsely...intentionally....they are just used with little depth or thought. Its not intentional at all. I think the point is to stay sharp AND deep, and not give into reflexive reactions.

Im only saying this to be clear that I didnt post that to accuse folks of being untruthful, but rather to encourage us to all REALLY say what we mean, exactly, rather than rely on reflex that we pick up by repitition...AND to be sensitive to the listener.

It was a sad story that was related, about a young family who hosted a back yard party for the young kids on the block along with their own kids. This family was Christian, and living in an area where they were the "light" on the street...a secualr dominated area...so they intended to witness. This shows you who we are witnessing to. When the notion of Jesus raised from the grave was mentioned, and eternal life, the other kids had no clue how to process that the way it was presented and they kept getting off into the zombies of the video games.

It shows that simply stating "Jesus died for you, rose 3 days later....etc" even that, as straightforward as it is.....isnt catching some ears. Throw in some Christian ese and imagine what those kids told their parents.

"Hey mom, some guy dies and came back to life and the Johnson family said he was leading them around to make testimonies and led them to us where we could also be a witness and mommy Im scared cause he is trying to go inside my heart"  absurd but not so much

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Cool Im banned TOO.
Enjoy it Holten and Company!