Do You Speak Christian?

[Riverwolf]

I found this interesting.

Do you speak Christian? – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com Blogs

 

[WIP]

I’m actually not very good at that. To meet me on the street you wouldn’t find my conversation much different than anyone else’s except a little cleaner with less vulgarity. I sometimes wish I used more Christian undertones in my speech. I just hope that my manner is appropriate. <O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p
When I’m responding to some of the threads on this site I make references to Bible verses and use Christian words but of course the topics are Christian. One reason I try to make it a point to quote scripture on this site is because it helps me by forcing me to read the Bible sections involved. I rarely quote scripture without reading the text both before and after to feel confident I I’m using the verses in context. <O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p
I rarely know those specific quoted verses by heart. Well, I may know them or have a rough translation in my mind but I don’t always know them word for word or know which book and verse they are found so when I want to reference them I have to use my eBible or online Bible references to search for the verses I have in mind. Sometimes I don’t find them and sometimes I do. At any rate, I try not to "speak Christian" to draw attention to me.

 

[Rhea]

I’m actually not very good at that. To meet me on the street you wouldn’t find my conversation much different than anyone else’s except a little cleaner with less vulgarity. I sometimes wish I used more Christian undertones in my speech. I just hope that my manner is appropriate. <O:p</O:p

You should take a quick peek at the article. It suggests that your current way is the right of it, not

They say that many contemporary Christians have become pious parrots. They constantly repeat Christian phrases that they don’t understand or distort.

I know a lot of pious parrots. It is creepy to me. And also offensive. I remember one time when a person praised her godly blessings because prayers had saved her aunt during a heart bypass and how this was because she had good people praying for her. It was three days after my father had dies during bypass surgery (with all of my relatives praying for him). And even though I do not believe in prayer, it was a painful stab to hear her imply why she thought my father died - not enough good people in his corner.

She is a good person, but this "Christian Talk" led her to cause great pain. I don't blame her, she is doing what she was taught. I blame the teaching that these blessings should be crowed about without regard to human feelings.

I agree with the article, that "Talking Christian" is not a good thing, is not uplifting and is not very nice. It sounds more like bragging and is a poor substitute for just being nice and non-vulgar.

 

[WIP]

You should take a quick peek at the article. It suggests that your current way is the right of it, not


I know a lot of pious parrots. It is creepy to me. And also offensive. I remember one time when a person praised her godly blessings because prayers had saved her aunt during a heart bypass and how this was because she had good people praying for her. It was three days after my father had dies during bypass surgery (with all of my relatives praying for him). And even though I do not believe in prayer, it was a painful stab to hear her imply why she thought my father died - not enough good people in his corner.

She is a good person, but this "Christian Talk" led her to cause great pain. I don't blame her, she is doing what she was taught. I blame the teaching that these blessings should be crowed about without regard to human feelings.

I agree with the article, that "Talking Christian" is not a good thing, is not uplifting and is not very nice. It sounds more like bragging and is a poor substitute for just being nice and non-vulgar.

Point taken but in the right context I think "talking Christian" can be approprite. The way we talk, act, and live our lives is a reflection of our true selves and if we are true to what we claim to be, we would be reflecting the love of Christ. I thank God every morning for another day but do I thank Him in the way I present myself to others? I'm not so sure I do a good job of it and that is sad and something I need to work on.

 

[Pizzaguy]

I liked how that article ended:
For now, though, Borg and others are also focusing on changing how Christians talk about their faith.



If you don’t want to speak Christian, they say, pay attention to how Christianity’s founder spoke. Jesus spoke in a way that drew people in, says Leonard, the Wake Forest professor.

“He used stories, parables and metaphors,†Leonard says. “He communicated in images that both the religious folks and nonreligious folks of his day understand.â€

When Christians develop their own private language for one another, they forget how Jesus made faith accessible to ordinary people, he says.
“Speaking Christian can become a way of suggesting a kind of spiritual status that others don’t have,†he says. “It communicates a kind of spiritual elitism that holds the spiritually ‘unwashed’ at arm’s length."

By that time, they’ve reached the final stage of speaking Christian - they've become spiritual snobs.