political speak

 

News events of the past few weeks have provided me with some fertile fields to plow, editorially speaking. As we go through this little study today I'm sure you'll no doubt recognize some of them. The general theme of today's lesson centers around "political speaking" and "lawyers," who are mostly the ones that are either the subject of the event, or are the ones doing the "speaking."

A prime example of what's under consideration today is the daily news blather regarding former Presidential candidate, John Edwards, and his adulterous affair with a woman other than his wife. Why I'm citing this example to you is because it fits both categories - Edwards is a "lawyer" and he engages in "political speak."

As is typical in these types of news events, when first brought to the public, he denied that it ever occurred. Not long thereafter, when the evidence mounted and became overwhelming, he "fessed up." The Bible calls that a LIE and those who do such are LIARS. But politicians don't call them lies, they say that they "misspoke." And there you have another example of "political speak." Hopefully, by the time we get to the end of this missive, you'll realize that the Bible does not "speak politically" but rather calls it what it truly is.

Another example of "political speak" emanating from the mouth of politician/lawyer Edwards, is what he called his illicit and adulterous affair - a "liaison." Now you have to admit, "liaison" sounds a whole lot smoother and more palatable than "adultery," doesn't it? And keep "smoother" in mind for a few minutes.

It almost makes one think of a "luncheon" or a "business meeting" instead of what really occurred. It was just a "liaison." I'm reminded of the song Julie Andrews sang in the movie "Mary Poppins" entitled "Spoonful of Sugar." You remember how "it makes the medicine go down?" The use of "political speak" is like adding a little sugar in the form of words that don't sound so bad and thereby making the incident easier to stomach.

I'm also reminded of the story about a preacher who once preached a sermon on "SIN" and exactly what the Bible said about it. Afterwards he was approached in his office by one of the elders of the congregation who requested that he not talk so plainly about "sin" in his sermons. His reasoning was, that if the preacher talked so much about it the youth of the congregation might more easily become "sinners." The elder asked him if he could just use the word "mistake" instead of using the word "sin."

The preacher's reply addresses both the elder's request and the point of our lesson today. Here is how he responded to the request that he "tone down" the language of his sermons.

After thinking for a moment, the preacher walked over to a shelf and picked up a small, glass bottle of Strychnine. The word "POISON" was written on the label in big red letters. He said, "I see what you want me to do. You want me to change the label. To call this something like "Essence of Peppermint" or something equally nice sounding. But don't you see what will happen when you do this? By making the sound of it milder, you make it much more dangerous."

You see, calling something by a different name or word doesn't change the thing from what it really is. Calling an "adulterous affair" a "liaison" doesn't make it not "adultery." See, an "adulterous affair" is, in effect, a "liaison" of sorts, but a "liaison" can be something far different than an "adulterous affair," thus doesn't sound as bad.

The use of the word lessens the impact in the hearer's mind as to what truly transpired, thus "changes the label." And, therein lies the more danger - it's not perceived as being "sinful behavior," but just a casual event between human beings. Nothing to worry or be alarmed about. Nothing to worry our souls about.

I've got to hammer on lawyers for a moment, because, in my opinion, they are the authors of "political speak." Even clear back in Christ's days on the earth, they were engaged in this type of language. And, in the book of Luke, especially the 11^th chapter, we see Christ upbraiding them many times for their "mispeaking" of The Law. For their "misleading" of the people by their "interpretations" of God's Law.

And that, my friends, is exactly what a lawyer is - an interpreter. See, it's not the politicians that "write" the laws, they simply devise them. They are actually "written" by lawyers into legal language. And, since lawyers "write" them, it takes a lawyer to interpret them. The common people don't speak the language, thus the need for an interpreter. Think about it, in Jesus' day, the common people had to rely on the lawyers/scribes, who were in cahoots with the Pharisees, to tell them what the law said. And, according the Christ, weren't doing a very good job of it.

The reason was, that the scribes/lawyers had written so many "traditional laws" into the original, that a common person couldn't really know what was approved or not. Had to go to the "interpreter" to find out. What the lawyers had "written" and added in Christ's day was what we today call "case law." And we need an interpreter for exactly the same reason as the Jews of Christ's day did. Want another clue? - do you ever wonder why the "legal language" of the law today is "Latin?" One has to go to law school to understand the legal, Latin terms.

I've opined enough for one editorial so I'll dismount from my soapbox for a week, but please remember this if nothing else: changing the words to sound smoother, to speak politically rather than calling something what it truly is, doesn't change it one iota. A sin is still a sin. And this whole lesson is nothing new. I refer you to some words of Isaiah, found in chapter 30, verses 8-10 where God tells His prophet to tell the people what He thinks of their not wanting to hear what His Law really says. They didn't want to hear "right things" they wanted to be spoken to with "smooth and deceitful" words.

No, mincing words and smooth talking is not of recent invention. There were leaders clear back in ancient Israel who engaged in "political speak" and used verbiage designed to be easier on the ears of their listeners. God was not pleased with it then and I, for one, believe that His opinion of it hasn't changed.

Ron Covey