It IS what you say AND the way that you say it - because it's not neat being a NEET

The word semantics can be both a blessing and a curse for those seeking to implement change – when Housing Associations started to refer to their tenants as customers, a whole different culture of excellent services began to grow, because of the change from one symbolic word to another.  On the whole, employees of those same associations that sneered at the change, held attitudes towards people seeking social housing that were no longer acceptable or helpful; this is an example of how a change in language can usher in real change in people’s attitudes and actions.

So when we see the church responding positively towards the challenge of ‘Hungry Britain’ it is really important that we accurately reflect our compassion for those we are looking to show grace towards with the use of appropriate language.

The reason ‘semantics’ can be a problem here is that we don’t always give enough thought to what words (especially those that lump groups together) symbolise – we find ourselves being quite cynical at times – oh, that’s just semantics!  This is code for our disapproval of those (usually politicians) who would appear to be dancing on the head of a pin in their use of language to disguise their real intent or their lack of sincerity.

Semantics is...’the study of how meaning in language is created by the use and interrelationship of words, phrases and sentences’.

‘Poor’ is a highly complex word with lots of baggage – on its own, it can conger up all sorts of pictures in our minds, symbolising all sorts of people and situations, conferring little in the way of status and eliciting all sorts of responses; if today a word could be put up for the prize for being the most complex in its meaning, then this would surely be a strong contender.

Jesus understood poverty because he came to be poor – he was alive to the issues and so should we be. We should also be thoughtful in our use of the language we own, when describing our relationship with, and actions toward our neighbours.

On reflection, talking about ‘the poor’ may well be alienating the very people to whom we wish to show God’s love. Perhaps a working definition could be something like ‘neighbours going through a tough time’ – this was just off the top of my head, but I feel I can own it for now, as it refers to people just like us, experiencing what we all go through every now and then, and holding the hope of an end in sight.

Tiny Terrified Rightness

Using the Enneagram personality model I (and this will come as no surprise to some) was initially thought to be a Type 1 - I can't imagine why!

With each type come a set of behaviours that are 'grown' attributes and 'regressive' attributes - For a Type 1 the most 'grown' or 'mature' level if you like, is Level 1 - Ones at their best become extraordinarily wise and discerning. By accepting what is, they become transcendentally realistic, knowing the best action to take in each moment. Humane, inspiring, and hopeful: the truth will be heard.

Level 7 (however): Can be highly dogmatic, self-righteous, intolerant, and inflexible. Begin dealing in absolutes: they alone know "The Truth." Everyone else is wrong: very severe in judgements, while rationalising own actions.

Alarmingly there is a Level 9...you can only imagine!!

The point is, that for anybody who finds themselves viewing how they think the world is, and espousing this sure and certain point of view to the exclusion of all or any other possibilities, stepping outside of the cosy 'I'm right' place and in to the less certain place of 'wow, do you know, I'm not so sure' can be a defining and utterly freeing moment that leaves them unshackled and unabashed in their ability to experience awe once again

This one is for all those 'certainites' out there - it's a big red warning flag waved in a really humble way - Kathryn Schulz is just on the money

http://embed.ted.com/talks/kathryn_schulz_on_being_wrong.html

Enjoy the liberating possibility that you might only be seeing part of the picture

Gareth

To proselytise or not to proselytise - is that the question?

How do you spell proselytising?

Answer: A_N_A_T_H_E_M_A

It is at this point I should give a ‘RANT’ warning!

I should also prologue (is that a verb?) by saying that whilst my faith journey continues to challenge me, I believe it is worth doing and worth sharing, but above all demonstrating – the demonstrating thing is often quite a raw affair and sometimes even an open wound, but we confess the bad we have done and the good we have left undone, holding tight to grace and the spirit knowing we would otherwise sink without trace. There is still so much angst out there about the Christian’s raison d’être – much of it tied up in our interpretation of scripture. Among those who I journey alongside there is a spectrum of ideas about what it means to be church / to be a Christian even; is the question (and the context) not just the same for us as it is and has been for every human that ever lived? – HOW SHALL I LIVE!

Wikipedia has its detractors and no doubt faults, but I was delighted to read its definition and derivation for the concept of anathema; ‘something lifted up as an offering to the Gods’...later evolving to mean ‘set apart / banished / exiled / denounced / accursed’ Oh and how we have offered up our faithful attempts to persuade and argue people in to the Kingdom – attempts that I would love to see banished and denounced in order that we might be ‘free to live and breathe and have our being’ and that those around us might be free to respond to a God who is far able to represent himself in whatever way he sees fit. It is only in our blinkered estimation, that he has been somehow held captive by our meta-narrative, when in fact he has always operated far beyond our grasp – and although I say it myself...AMEN to that!