Christianeze Revisited

Today, I continue to answer questions from the 2013 blog survey.

You can check out previous questions and my answers here:

The Rapture Question

Having an Instinct for the Cross

Someone else asked me to give some examples of Christianeze beyond what I’ve already covered.

In Revise Us Again, I gave two examples of Christianize, with a chapter devoted to each one. They were:

“Let me pray about it.” (which is Christian code language for “no”).

“The Lord told me.” (which is often a self-justification for an unpopular decision a person has made.) 

There’s are two more examples of Christianeze that I didn’t mention in the book.

The first is the word “we” . . . when used to represent all Christians.

Here’s what it looks/sounds like:

“We don’t know what sacrifice is.”

“We don’t understand the kingdom.”

“We don’t know what community is.”

Ahem (clears throat).

When Christians talk like this, they are — usually unwittingly — making something universal that happens to be true about themselves.

When a person says, “We don’t know what sacrifice is” what they’re really saying is,  “I don’t know what it is.”

If one is trying to say, “many Christians” or perhaps “I think that most Christians” … then that’s more accurate.

But the truth is, there are many Christians who know what sacrifice is and practice it regularly. There are many Christians who understand the kingdom and live in its joy, peace, and righteousness. There are many Christians who know what Christian community is, both its dark side and its glorious face.

The second is the (mis)use of the term “The Church” without defining what one is talking about exactly by that term and then when they make sweeping generalizations about this thing called “The Church.”

For example,

“The Church is backslidden . . .”

“The Church doesn’t give enough . . .”

“The Church is lukewarm . . .”

Really?

First, what “Church” are you talking about? The Roman Catholic Church? The Pentecostals, the Reformed, the Baptists? The Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints?

If you mean all the Christians in the world, then are you saying that every Christian is backslidden, doesn’t given enough, and is lukewarm?

If so, that would include you, which disqualifies you from making such a criticism.

Even so, the statement isn’t even true.

All Christians aren’t backslidden, lukewarm, or can be charged with “not giving enough.”

Now allow me to be a bit dramatic:

— a man walks up to his soap box.

— he picks up the mic and says,

“People, in light of the above, can you please … PLEASE … drop “we” and “The  Church” (undefined) from your religious vocabulary when you’re talking about yourself or what you think may be true for many?”

— he drops the mic and walks off soap box.

If you agree with me, you really should share this post with the next person you see Tweet, Facebook, or blog “we” in this manner or “The Church” (undefined).

The only way this is going to change is if the people who talk this way are challenged about it.

And I can assure you that most of them never read this blog and won’t see this post . . . unless it’s specifically shared with the folks who engage in this brand of Christianeze.

So it seems to me anyway . . .