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Calling Light Darkness – The Power of Words

I don't believe in magic, but there is a power that operates a lot like magic – the power of words.

Lemmesplain.

The book of James (3:3-5) compares the tongue (our spoken words) to a tiny bit in a large horse's mouth, and to a small rudder on a massive ship. Both are pictures of enormous power controlled by a small point of leverage.

Who hasn't seen this power on display? Who hasn't been stung by the acidity of the tongue? Who hasn't been hurt by the careless or vindictive words of another?

James goes on to warn that "the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell." (3:6)

Pretty strong words, those.

So I got to thinking about the power of the tongue in our society. If the spoken word is so powerful in the case of individuals, how much more so in our culture as a whole? What I see the most is the power of words to distort the truth, and to rename darkness as though it were light.

It seems to start with a little side-shift, a neat reframing of the perspective. You can't call black white directly, you must do it subtly over time. Here are a few examples I've observed. See if you agree with them, and comment with others you've observed.

1. What used to be considered rude is now renamed "candid." This makes it somehow seem noble to be crass and mean, as in, "Well, at least he's being candid."

2. A lack of self-control is now called being "passionate."

3. Selfishness is now called "independent" or "personal choice," or worse, a "right."

4. Arguing and interrupting (especially on the stomach-churning political talk shows) have now been renamed "debate."

5. Handouts and special deals have been rebranded as "funding."

6. Credentials have been renamed "education."

7. And amatuers, for a short time, were called "NFL referees." 

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23 responses to “Calling Light Darkness – The Power of Words”

  1. Robby Palmer Avatar
    Robby Palmer

    Lack of planning, called excitingly spontaneous, but that’s not anything to do with a tongue.

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  2. Cathy - Team Rascals Avatar
    Cathy – Team Rascals

    Chris,
    How right you are!! I have been noticing myself lately how much more careful I need to be with precision in my speech (and writing). Meaning what we say and saying what we mean is so essential!
    Political rhetoric is especially filled with examples of what you are saying. (IE “End federal funding for PBS” turned into “Killing Big Bird!”)
    We are in a culture that takes what is a lie and tries by repetition and noise to try to tell us it’s the truth. Thank you, Chris, for you and the PC holding firm and speaking out on what are really the true truths in the world.

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  3. Shawn Jaeger Avatar
    Shawn Jaeger

    Questions are no longer a sign of thinking but a sign of distrust and a lack of loyalty.
    “News” is more of a useless, biased, banter and shallow entertainment as opposed factual, objective information.
    Money is “evil” instead of being a stand in for chickens and goats.
    Financial success is luck, not hard work and sacrifice.

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  4. Marc Avatar
    Marc

    Reminds me of my youth, when literally bad was good and everything ended in “man.” For example, “That dude was baaad, man.” meaning the some person was exceptional.

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  5. Jeremy Pethke Avatar
    Jeremy Pethke

    College teaches “To doubt is considered to be intelligent”

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  6. Kristen Seidl Avatar
    Kristen Seidl

    Couldn’t agree more Chris! There is a lot of deception in the words that are spoken. Unfortuneatly people are believing their own lies which results in society as a whole believing the lies also. I choose to seek truth and am thankful I have leaders to follow that speak truth. Thank you! God Bless

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  7. Heidi Szymanski Avatar
    Heidi Szymanski

    TRUTH now seems to mean whatever suits the beholder of it instead of what God says it means.

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  8. Paul Bakke Avatar
    Paul Bakke

    The flip side is calling light darkness, e.g., calling those speaking God’s Law regarding sodomy hate speech.

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  9. Jeff Avatar
    Jeff

    Bad kids are said to just be expressing themselves. It’s said that they need to have a release. In my opinion, it’s called bad parenting. All under the guise of “I want my kids to have it better than I had it.”

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  10. matt mielke Avatar
    matt mielke

    On the political side of things, how about “Progressives.” One would believe to be associated with this group one would be moving forward or improving. Yet, the title is really a cover-up for a political agenda that has been tried and failed routinely throughout history.
    A cool name will not overcome a violation of principle no matter how cool it sounds. Perhaps a better word description for this group is “insanity!”

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  11. Lori Pfister Avatar
    Lori Pfister

    Agreed!
    When words become so overdone they lose meaning too. We coached our boys to accept an apology you don’t say “it’s ok.” It wasn’t ok, instead we say “I forgive you” or “I understand”. When saying thanks say more; thanks that’s sweet of you, or that was thoughtful or helpful…. To identify why I’m thankful lets the full depth of appreciation be felt, not empty platitudes.
    God bless you; true words spoken.

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  12. matt mielke Avatar
    matt mielke

    “fruit snacks” Yeah right! There isn’t anything related to fruit in those suckers.

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  13. Rob Robson Avatar
    Rob Robson

    SO true! Our political choices are the biggest sign of how we have let evil be called good. We refer to one party that promotes 90% socialism and starts three new wars in the last three years as “Progressives” and the “Peace Party”. The other party promotes only 50% socialism and cries out at the very idea of not spending more money on our military than the rest of the world combined. They are the party of “freedom” and “respect for the constitution”. It’s all a bunch of “Malarkey”!

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  14. Peggi Avatar
    Peggi

    Just listened to a tobymac song “Speak Life” and then opened your blog on words. Our words are so powerful, compared to the rudder on a ship. Our words can speak life, hope and love, which will change our homes, work places, communities, etc. Thanks for the reminder!

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  15. Leslie Avatar
    Leslie

    My personal favorite misnomer has always been ‘Gentlemen’s Club’ Uh, really? No. And along the same line you have ‘mature audience’? Adult bookstores? I could rename all three more accurately.
    🙂

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  16. Bryan Vashus Avatar
    Bryan Vashus

    How about the tendency to call someone who stands on principles of unwavering character, integrity, and absolute truth as “narrow minded” and someone who believes in “many ways to the the truth” as “open minded.”

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  17. Claire Avatar
    Claire

    I.like this alot!!! What about all the things we justify? I could go on and on about what clients in my chair feel they can justify daily. Cheating, spending,faith,lies and all of the things listed.above!!!

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  18. SJ Barakony Avatar
    SJ Barakony

    Right on target!
    The examples you chose, Chris, are each spot on.
    The English language, has, and always will morph & change over the ages, yet some of what passes as change is most assuredly not 5-10% quality.
    Blessings from Claude’s Kaizen community of rascals 🙂

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  19. Christelle Vermeulen Avatar
    Christelle Vermeulen

    Calling genocide a right to choose.

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  20. Les Johnson Avatar
    Les Johnson

    Good one Matt!! How about ” a woman’s right to choose”
    as a euphemism for taking a human life??

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  21. Derrick Knoff Avatar
    Derrick Knoff

    A good example from Orrin’s book Resolved is when he talks about the “freakishness in the arts masqueraded as being ‘original’” (paraphrase).

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  22. James Harnish Avatar
    James Harnish

    This takes me back to philosophy 101.
    We were told to examine Truth vs. truth.
    Truth being external laws that govern nature, the concept used to be invisible to me. How was I ever going to get to a point where I understood the definite laws that I act within? I now feel as though I’ve seen this Truth.
    The answer lies in the truth, which each of us set up for ourselves, our identity is intertwined with this truth. It is simply our perception and shaped by the 95%. If measured on a graph, Truth and truth have no correlation when left alone.
    I’ve found by adding in the Association, Reading and Listening, the positive benefits of my job have lead me to believe I my truth is closer to the Truth than ever before.

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  23. Jonathon Montgomery Avatar
    Jonathon Montgomery

    I remember when President Clinton tried to justify himself explaining “It depends upon what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.”
    Don’t like the truth? No problem, just redefine it into something more palatable. This has become so pervasive in society today.
    “Truth is sweet to the ears,” while that which is not true lacks the sweetness of truth, regardless of how the truth has been manipulated.

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