Reflection - Doublespeak

By Steve Hall

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011621.cfm
Hebrews 4:12-16
Mark 2:13-17

“In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defence of the indefensible … Thus political language has to consist largely of euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness … the great enemy of clear language is insincerity. Where there is a gap between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms . . . “ (George Orwell, 1984)

“What is really important in the world of doublespeak is the ability to lie, whether knowingly or unconsciously, and to get away with it; and the ability to use lies and choose and shape facts selectively, blocking out those that don’t fit an agenda or program.” (Edward Herman, Beyond Hypocrisy)

Doublespeak is language that deliberately obscures, disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words. (Wikipedia)

All of this is spoken in the context of politics. You will ask, of course, what politics and doublespeak have to do with religion; but when you think about it, most everything said in the preceding quotations can readily apply as much to religious belief as to politics. That is true because both involve human beings and people have a way of reading or hearing and subsequently interpreting any communication according to their own agenda or preconceived notions. This was true even within the early Church as holy men struggled to understand the revelation which had been given them through the Apostles.

In our day, the issue is a matter of no small concern; for the powers of evil would readily pirate and appropriate for their use any weakness that can serve their purpose. Remember! Confusion always has its source in the enemy. Paul was well aware of he problem when he wrote different communities. Time and again we hear him say “hold fast.”

“Do not quench the Spirit,
do not despise prophesying,
but test everything; hold fast what is good,”
(1 Thessalonians 5:19-21)

“Do all things [such] . . . that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life. . . .”
(Philippians 2:14-16)

“Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast — unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received . . . .“
(1 Corinthians 15:1-3)

If we are comfortable dissecting moral issues according to so-called “modern” thinking, we will soon be comfortable dissecting dogma as well so that it too fits contemporary thought. In more than one of the Gospel accounts Jesus has this to say:

“But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.'
'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh. 'So they are no longer two but one flesh.
What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder."
(Mark 10:6-9)

The Church has refused to change its teaching on the matter, though it has been willing to examine whether or not there was a true marriage in the first place. But then the Church simultaneously refuses to examine its sacramental restrictions on those who have divorced. “Modern” thinking would simply brush aside such teaching as being irrelevant for people today, claiming: That rule was for then, this is now — as if the passage of the years has made a difference. Such logic will, in time, begin to muddy dogmatic thought as well and may, for example, dismiss the divinity of Jesus on the same grounds. Paul warned the Galatians, and n doing so also warned us: “. . . there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” (Galatians 1:7)

In religion, as in politics, men will employ euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness if it suits their purpose. In religion, as in politics, what is really important in the world of doublespeak is the ability to lie, whether knowingly or unconsciously, and to get away with it; and the ability to use lies and choose and shape facts selectively, blocking out those that don’t fit an agenda or program.” In religion as in politics Doublespeak is language that deliberately obscures, disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words.

Hold fast!
Hold fast to what is good. Hold fast to the Word of life.

In the end, as we know, no deception by others or from ourselves will excuse us for departing from the truth we have been given.

“The word of God is living and effective,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating even between soul and spirit,
joints and marrow,
and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
No creature is concealed from him,
but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him
to whom we must render an account.”