Words Can't Hide It

I heard it said the other day that we, the citizens of these United States, have found ourselves in a state of “Constitutional Crisis” and if we don’t do something about it very soon 250 years of freedom fighting will be for naught. In the midst of the underhanded, deceitful, vengeful, deplorable, inexcusable actions being displayed by the “leaders” of this nation over the past week, my heart was so hurt I about broke down and cried to think these same “leaders” are plotting to overthrow the government and nobody is doing a thing about it! Just about the time I thought this sandbox war couldn’t get any worse, somebody went over in the corner and dug up some more cat poop to throw. I’ve been searching for a proper word to describe what I’ve been witnessing over the past ten years and it has to be, “chicanery.” According to Webster, chicanery is underhanded dealing, trickery; verbal subterfuge. “Subterfuge” is a trick employed to conceal something. So, every time they open their mouth to divert your attention away from the truth of what’s trying to be accomplished to protect the Constitution of the United States, they’re sending up a smoke-screen to cover up their real agenda, which is to destroy righteous living.

[Proverbs 12] I’m afraid that unwittingly, we have been a party to lessening the impact of sin in the lives of other people. How so? Through the use of euphemisms. Our society seems to want to dress up nearly every undesirable concept with “soft” and “friendly” words. For instance, getting fired from your present employment is called a “career change opportunity.” Students no longer fail courses in school – they “achieve a deficiency” (it almost sounds like something to be proud of). Everyone has been promoted to the highest standard possible. Underappreciated trash collectors are now referred to as “Sanitation Engineers” and who can stand the deplorable assignment in life known as a “housewife” when one can hold the status of “Domestic Goddess.” Actually I don’t mind the use of euphemisms being used in certain contexts, but I do mind it when we use them in reference to sin. When we lessen the impact of one’s sinful choice by referring to it euphemistically, we are contributing to the sinners escape from the reality of their sin. When we employ words that carry less guilt, we aid people in their attempt to escape facing what they don’t want to face, or that of which they are ashamed. Are we not guilty of doing that? Really? Well, let’s see how you fair with the following: When referring to sin, do you say... * “fib”; “stretching the truth”; “white lie”; or do you call it what it is – a lie? * “affair”; “fling”; or do you call it what it is – adultery? * “living together”; “in a relationship”; or do you call it what it is – fornication? * “gay”; or do you call it what it is – homosexuality? * “news”; or do you call it what it is – gossip? * “risqué”; or do you call it what it is – immodest? * “colorful language”; or do you call it what it is – cursing? * “a little too much”; or do you call it what it is – drunkenness? This is just a sampling of how we lessen the force of sin through the use of euphemisms. You can probably think of many more. I’m simply suggesting that we shouldn’t be a party to removing the guilt a sinner should feel for his sinful actions. We can still speak the truth in love without removing the guilt or shame a person should naturally feel. It’s the guilt and shame that aides one in repenting of their sin. Let’s do our best not to clutter up our nomenclature with post-consumer secondary materials... uh, I’m sorry! What I meant to say is, let’s do our best not to clutter up our language with garbage. Pray, and vote!