Paul Ponders Political Correctness Gone Mad

How is this for political correctness gone stark raving mad (I came across this in a Daily Mail article) - 'Church of England leaders warned yesterday that calling God 'He' encourages men to beat their wives.  They told churchgoers they must think twice before they refer to God as 'He' or 'Lord' because of the dangers that it will lead to domestic abuse.   They also warned that clergy must reconsider the language they use in sermons and check the hymns they sing to remove signs of male oppression.  The recommendations are fully endorsed by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams and they put a question mark over huge swathes of Christian teaching and practice.'

So will the Church of England be ditching the Lord's Prayer because it opens with the words 'Our Father' and what about old hymns such as Onward Christian soldiers?  And what about the very Bible stories themselves... will they be too violent, too uncomfortable, too old fashioned for our sophisticated, politically correct modern times?

Domestic violence is a gross evil... but its insulting and downright simplistic to claim that refering to God as 'Lord' or 'Father' is one of the major causes.

Seems like some church leaders have no problem ignoring the Bible and centuries of Christian tradition!  They're on a mission to create a sanitised version of 'christianity', a safe feminised 'god' who won't offend or upset anyone.  A 'god' on their terms, according to their agenda, ignoring the Truth... madness.   ...hum!?

Comments

[Rach]

Ok.. So, I started a reply and it turned into a long long reply. So it can found on my blog!

Rachxx

[notmyopinion]

After all the press complaints about politicians sexing-up dodgy dossiers and whatnot, I'm sure the Daily Mail wouldn't exaggerate or oversimplify.

Still, I wonder what the theologians actually said before it went into the instant headline machine?

[Paul]

Oh yeah I'm sure those kind journalists at the daily mail in no sexed things up to grab a few headlines (yeah right).
From reading the original CofE report... it is in all fairness more balanced (and some of it I welcome wholeheartedly) than the mail would have us believe. But my problem is with how these things eventually get themselves worked out in practice, how they are interpreted. What people say and what people hear are two different things. Perhaps the evangelical wing of the CofE are concerned about how such a report can be used by those coming from a more liberal position.

My concern lies with how such a report can be utilised by those who wish to see a more sanitised, safe chrisianity... a god who fits neatly in the box and who doesn't offend anyone.

[Graeme]

Screw the political correct thing!! This is just bizarre, not matter what they are saying, God is still God, Lord is still Lord. So what if the language is offensive to some? I hear people use Jesus Christ in a context far beyond the proper use... yet I don't hear people complaining about that... Enough of the chickifying of the Church!!!!!!

[Jonny F]

Man I could not agree more. I think we can all agree that the church does not have a perfect role in the respect of women through it's history but we have been making incredible strides. In fact I just heard a sermon preached on Genesis 2 tonight about how men and women are equal but different and that we were both created to need each other and to fulfill God's purposes for the church and our own lives. However nobdy wants these changes. They simply give an already eager press ammo to talk about how the old traditional church disrespected women and the claims about abuse are plain reidiculous. What's next Jesus was neither male or female because he was God. Although I suppose that would put an end to Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code lol

[Jonny F]

Not to mention does anyone actually believe that God the father has a sex. He is undescribable and we use language which fits and through the years that has been he because well it is better than it and surely we can't call him a she because that in itself is sexist and doesn't fit with an Asexual God anyway. We just don't have enough pronoun man I hate political correctness the gospel is what it is could people understand it or interpret it better for sure but it is what it is plaese please please please can we not dilute OUR SAVING MESSAGE ANYMORE please

[Jeremiah]

Paul, over here, the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (not to be confused with the Presbyterian Church in America) has started grumbling that the terms Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are to exclusively masculine and need to be changed. Their reasoning is that it needs to embrace the female leadership of the church and encourage them more. The PCUSA goes as far as saying that the words "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" be changed things like "mother, child, and womb." Our God is not a sissy, He is a jealous God, a powerful God. GIVE HIM THE GLORY THAT IS RIGHTFULLY HIS!!!! Stop treating Christianity like a religion and start living your relationships. The church universal needs to stop thinking of itself as god, get off His throne, and get on bended knee. We will be judged, know where you stand, and stand firm. Here is that link for the USAToday story http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2006-06-19-presbyterians_x.htm?csp=15

[willie]

i guess this might seem a little weird me saying something like this, since god is not high on my agenda of thoughts of the day. however, i read this here and found myself in a personal rant about politically correctness in general. I HATE IT!! call an apple an apple, call a spade a spade and if you believe in god then call him god, father, lord whatever!!

i hate todays chicken society, always thinking what others will think. always changing opinion around others not to offend. i think its offensive that we need to live in a world where freedom to do what we want is being taken away from us. If some people got there way we would sit at home eating apple pie and saying nothing as we dont want to cause offense.

I also hate todays world of editing other peoples opinions, watering down of others thoughts to make them seem more agreeable to thier own thinkings. I hate when someone changes there feelings to blend into the crowd. grow a backbone you hypocrite. i hate narrow minded people uncapable of respecting other peoples opinions and letting them think what they want. As i sit here, i myself find me subconciously editing what i am about to say. Involuntarily i am making myself into the person i dispise.

i don't believe in god, does this make me a bad person, does this mean i have no valid opinion in this topic, BALLS. i also believe christians are intolerant towards me and i am guilty of sometimes being intolerant towards them. i am not worried about being politically correct in saying this or even worrying about being politically incorrect. we all have opinions and options. you dont like what you see, look away.

but there are times when people do step over the line and political correctness is the last thing people worry about when this happens, its a thing called respect. i think when something is offensive then screw it, they will get over it, but when offense turns to bitterness and hurt. when your only thought is to lower someone to the point where they feel insignificant then your not being politically incorrect but rude.

I am guilty of that too, lowering how others feel to help me feel better and others do it to me. i think there are bigger issues today other than being politically correct and even bigger issues than if god exists or not. all that is left for me to say is i'm pissed off and i need either a taco bell or popeyes. oh another thing. GHOSTS AND WITCHES!! its halloween and people cant dress up as ghosts or flippin witches as its offensive to some. havent we got bigger fish to fry than deciding whats allowed.