In The Beginning Was the Word

[GeoFee]

It seems to me that language is the key opening the way forward. How we speak matters significantly in the shaping of our cultures. I have noticed three basic patterns in the language of our time. There is the language of unity, the language of accusation, and the language of division. The language of unity makes clear that we are all in life together, seeking to promote the common good. The languages of accusation and division are contrary to the language of unity. They have brought forward a diversity of alienations and antagonisms, now reaching a critical limit.

What do you think?

 

[Mendalla]

Are the languages of accusation and division really separate things? To my eye, lobbing accusations is part of the language of division. Think people trying to blame Covid on China and, by extension, Chinese people. Accusations but also creating racial/cultural division.

But, yeah, the language of division has become way too present in today's world, at least in North America and Europe.

Witness the fact that we can't even mount a unified approach to COVID as various factions (political ideologies, social groups like the anti-maskers, business interests, and so on) all try to get their interests put forward.

There are so many issues that could be resolved so easily if we would stop lobbing divisive language, like accusations, at each other.

And it's what lets highly polarized, or polarizing, figures like Trump into power. With people on all sides pushing each other to extremes with divisive language, leaders at those extremes naturally get attention and votes.

 

[GeoFee]

I have much appreciated this Cafe as a place to practice the use of language. I specially value those who question my perspective.

 

[BetteTheRed]

From the work I'm doing with Mrs. A in the peace skills workship, we'd describe three "power positions" that speak to these languages.

There's "power over", our most common power structure outside of the home. Think government, laws, police, etc.

There's "power with", a relationship we often have in families, and amongst co-workers.

Finally, there's "power within", whereby a personality has matured to the extent that they are largely unaffected by "power" positions, and/or have developed very significant communication skills.

 

[unsafe]

In the beginning was the Word and the spoken word (Rhema ) created unity -----The Word created all things to live and work in unity -----in the beginning there was no death just life ------man and God were in unity in both language and purpose ----there was no accusation language in place in the beginning and there was no division language in place in the beginning either ------

The accusation and division language came about when Satan entered God's united garden ---and got one of God's united persons to doubt God and in turn got the other united persons to God to disobey God -----

Eve brought in the accusations language when she said she was deceived by the serpent -(Satan )---and after she got Adam to take the fruit --Adam brought in the division language by saying to God --the woman you put here with me gave me the fruit and I ate it ---so Adam actually brought in big division here --with God and his wife ----

So these languages all came into affect in the beginning -----first was unity ---then when Satan entered ---came accusation then division -----

These 3 languages are still in affect today -------words are powerful -----words spoken have energy released and can create -----God said then God saw what he said ---God created this world by speaking faith words ----- Fear filled words are energy released and can create ------Unrestrained emotional words can create accusations and division -----

Proverbs 18:20-21 AMP​

A man’s stomach will be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth;
He will be satisfied with the consequence of his words.
21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.

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I say ---so language spoken can unify ---can accuse ---can divide in this world today -----and this is the way it will be until Jesus defeats Satan and creates the new earth where the unity language will be the only language spoken again like it was in the beginning ------before the enemy entered -----

 

[Mendalla]

Hint: Tomorrow's BPotW will likely open up to some reflection on this. And now that I think of it, I might have had this thread in mind unconsciously when I picked it. I'm betting some of you know which passage I'm thinking of.

 

[GeoFee]

Some years back I read Martin Heidegger’s “Language is the House of Being”. I take this to indicate that we inhabit the world of language. Each of us with our own vocabulary.

I was born in Friesland. I was speaking our language well before I was a year old. Then we emigrated to Canada. I was two years old on arrival. All at once my Friesian language was eclipsed. At home I had been considered brilliant. In our new home I was rendered ignorant.

My teen years had me buried in books. Being very shy, I had few social connections. So I immersed myself in the realms of literature. By young adulthood I had narrowed my focus, being mainly interested in existential language.

Fydor Dostoevsky’s “The Idiot” opened my mind to realize that I can only be who I actually am. Realizing that being has required patience and persistence. I am not there yet, but well on the way.