Language Fails -or- Thanks, College!

Q: Why do we pay so money much to attend institutions that only reccomend good books to read?
A: So we can come to the end of that education and realize that the books didn't really say thåt much.

This is coming from someone who is passionate about literature, who even teaches it. But let me let you in on a secret: language, all this writing and reading and stuff we do... it only takes you so far, and usually by way of a circle. The point may be walking the circle (that's my point at least) but it is fair to note that you end up in the same place you started, just with different words and worldviews.

I will not disagree that language is powerful. It is! I think it's the most powerful thing we have as humans. But that doesn't mean that language is successful. I think language fails utterly. The deepest ideas we can ponder, we assign goofy, short, awkward names for; infinity, God, space...

I would argue that in all of these cases, language doesn't do the concepts justice. It can't.

So now that my personal beef with language being outed for what it really is can finally be put aside, let me move on. I was prompted to write about this after an e-mail exchange with my good friend Jason, who lives in the best city on God's green earth, San Antonio.

For me, at least 80 % of the problems I have with Church today could be solved with language. I know this sounds messed up. But the people I know who mean really well, and aren't meaning to say over-simplifyed, cliche, or misleading things... do just that.

Can we be more thoughtful about what we say and how we say it? People are listening. And we're supposedly talking about the most important thing in life! Listen to a conversation between your average parishoners about matters of faith, and try to wade throught he cliche and metaphor and find out what is really being said... it's near impossible. I do this with my own language... I'll say something or (as Kyle pointed out) pray something, only to realize that i have no idea what I mean by that!

We can't use the same metaphors to describe God. We can't apply the same cliche sayings when describing how our faith is working out. When we do, we slowly chisel authenticity away from our faith, our message, and our God. Most of my energy now is placed on figuring out new ways to say things-- real ways. Most of my thoughts are about how can I, Matt Singleton, articulate my experience with God? For instance, I'm really big on describing myself and most UBCers as "over-churched refugees" as opposed to "burnt out" or "rebelious". Some more examples of changes I've made in my language (and subsequently my thinking) to be more authentic to what I believe are as follows:(notice that the new words have ENTIRELY different meanings as opposed to definitions... think about the connotations with the first words in our culture too)

"doubts" have become "mysteries"
"saved" has become "rescued"
"church" has become "community"
"non-christian" has become "someone outside of church"
and I feel like even "Christian" has become "Christ-follower"

I feel like these transitions in thought, understanding, and language help me be more authentic in my faith. I'd love to hear some, if any, of the changes any of ya'll have made on the language level.