Perhaps a controversial question (or statement)

[eHuman]

It comes down to the heart or motive behind speaking Christianese.

Amen = firm, trustworthy (statement), so be it or let it be so.
Hallelujah = hall + el + ujah = to God be praise.

In church, I will say hallelujah, as part of songs and every once in a while it is just what comes out when hearing a testimony from someone who's life has just been radically touched by God.

Normally and also in public? I just say Praise the Lord (or God, or Jesus). Thank you God/Father/Lord/Jesus.
But I do say amen in both cases (inside and outside of church), just habit?

Blonde mentioned that it identifies us with each other. I would add that it identifies us with God. How many devout Christians out there have days where you feel miles away from God?

Yes, there are plenty of peeps who seek to be "seen or known" as pious or Holy. Normally this is an inferiority complex, a pride thing, or both.

Some Americans get upset if a group of Hispanics or Japanese or French stand around conversing in their own native tongue. I think the discomfort stems from not being able to understand. As long as there was no mischief involved, it didn't concern them or was any of their business in the first place.

All to say, there are different motivations for why people talk the talk (check the walk though). And, regardless of what motivates an individual to speak Christianese; there will be as many varying levels of response and comfort/discomfort from those hearing it spoken.

Not everyone who speaks it seeks attention or think themselves better than others.
Some of the most genuinely loving firm Christians don't speak it much at all. But even the "English version" of Christianese sounds like a dialect of it (Praise the Lord, God bless you).

Don't seek to offend or do it just for others to hear, but don't be silent on account that the world doesn't love God. If it's time to praise the Lord and you are silent then the rocks might have to do your job for you.

 

[HyOnLyph]

Holier-than-thou is always derived from ignorance. Thanking God is respectful. Thanking the hands that prepared the meal is both respectful and wise especially if it is your mother or wife.

You sound like a man who learnd that from experience...
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Angelique.... very well said.
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I'm enjoying the conversation here. It's about the heart, isn't it? No Pharisees allowed.
I agree that it identifies us with each other... as long as that isn't the only thing... OK! But are we so concerned with being "Christian" that we forget to love those who are perhaps more in need of an expression of God's love than our fellow believers. Has it become more about OUR identity than HIS (Christ's). Are we so concerned with becoming something and acting like it, that we forget to BE who he has already made us? (hmmm perhaps that is another topic.)

Scripture tells us that we should be known by our love and the rest of the fruit of the Spirit. I'm more concerned with the image of Christ that I carry than I am being a part of the group.

I heard a speaker once say to a group of Pastors... "In the next 10 seconds X number of people will have died and gone to Hell... and you don't give a d---. [pause] What's worse, most of you are more offended by the fact that I just said d--- than you are over them going to Hell." It made quite an impact.

 

[lmrasch]

You sound like a man who learnd that from experience...
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Angelique.... very well said.
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I'm enjoying the conversation here. It's about the heart, isn't it? No Pharisees allowed.
I agree that it identifies us with each other... as long as that isn't the only thing... OK! But are we so concerned with being "Christian" that we forget to love those who are perhaps more in need of an expression of God's love than our fellow believers. Has it become more about OUR identity than HIS (Christ's). Are we so concerned with becoming something and acting like it, that we forget to BE who he has already made us? (hmmm perhaps that is another topic.)

Scripture tells us that we should be known by our love and the rest of the fruit of the Spirit. I'm more concerned with the image of Christ that I carry than I am being a part of the group.

I heard a speaker once say to a group of Pastors... "In the next 10 seconds X number of people will have died and gone to Hell... and you don't give a d---. [pause] What's worse, most of you are more offended by the fact that I just said d--- than you are over them going to Hell." It made quite an impact.

I totally get what you're saying...Love IS the command...I like what a speaker told that group of Pastors, they definitely needed to hear it and so do the rest of us...thanks for sharing .

On a side note, my hubby has always been more vocal publicly and will praise God where ever and when ever the Spirit moves him....that could be in a grocery store while walking the aisles....he'll just break out in a worship song. Now I'm going to be honest with the lot of you...sometimes this is embarrassing to me, lol! I'm like shhhh...However, I am the one convicted.....why would I want to interfere with my husbands worship of his beloved savior? Probably because of my pride, and wanting to be proper.

The thing I love most about my husband is his love and dedication to God, it has made him the man that he is. I know that he blesses others and many are drawn to him because of his openess, his openess to praise God has not excluded anyone...it has drawn others TO the Lord. Many a young man look up to my hubby as their earthly dad and are following the Lord because of his example. My hubby is who he is...it's not a show, he does what comes naturally to him....

I know that we are not to say our alms out in public for the world to see, but I think that is applied to the "works" part of religion....TRYING TO SHOW HOW HOLY YOU ARE...but if your worship, praise and words flow from your heart and you are following the Spirit, then more power to the Spirit...He is the one that can turn hearts.

Most of the time, I am encouraged by the Amens and Praise Gods Christianese...where I find it a struggle is when there is someone who is truly trying to grasp understanding and they're not quite there yet....someone will post a really good counterpoint and half the forum chimes in with PRAISE THE LORD, YOU ARE AWESOME, YADDA, YADDA...I can't help but wonder if the person on the questioning end is feeling a little isolated....We do need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit here too...

Thanks for sharing HyOnLyph