Local Church Double-Speak

zeek · 07-19-2011, 02:24 PM

Wikipedia defines Doublespeak as "language that deliberately disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words. Doublespeak may take the form of euphemisms (e.g., "downsizing" for layoffs), making the truth less unpleasant, without denying its nature. It may also be deployed as intentional ambiguity, or reversal of meaning (for example, naming a state of war "peace"). In such cases, doublespeak disguises the nature of the truth, producing a communication bypass."

Witness Lee used terminology that became the doublespeak of the daily "church life." It might be beneficial to identify and thus hopefully to demystify as many of the doublespeak terms as we can. For example, the term "follow your spirit" was a common phrase in the church at one time. The whole idea of being and doing in spirit seem to me to be a cover for the fact that the behavior of the rank and file members was tightly controlled. if you didn't call on the Lord when you supposed to you were looked at with suspicion. Can anybody relate to what I'm talking about?

07-19-2011, 02:24 PM	#1
zeek Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 4,223	Local Church Double-Speak Wikipedia defines Doublespeak as "language that deliberately disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words. Doublespeak may take the form of euphemisms (e.g., "downsizing" for layoffs), making the truth less unpleasant, without denying its nature. It may also be deployed as intentional ambiguity, or reversal of meaning (for example, naming a state of war "peace"). In such cases, doublespeak disguises the nature of the truth, producing a communication bypass." Witness Lee used terminology that became the doublespeak of the daily "church life." It might be beneficial to identify and thus hopefully to demystify as many of the doublespeak terms as we can. For example, the term "follow your spirit" was a common phrase in the church at one time. The whole idea of being and doing in spirit seem to me to be a cover for the fact that the behavior of the rank and file members was tightly controlled. if you didn't call on the Lord when you supposed to you were looked at with suspicion. Can anybody relate to what I'm talking about?