Shady Language in the Pulpit

"Plains Baptist Challenger" ^ | june 03 | E. L. Bynum

[RMrattlesnake]

Shady Language in the Pulpit

By E. L. Bynum

There is a growing tendency among some preachers to use shady language in the pulpit. Some of the synonyms for shady are "dark," "dishonest," "dishonorable," "dubious," "questionable," and "sleazy." Webster's Dictionary gives the following meanings of shady: "of darkness, secrecy, or concealment; of questionable character or honesty." Lest there be any doubts what I am talking about, let me explain in as simple terms as I can. Preachers tell stories or use illustrations that could easily have a double meaning. They skate just as close as possible between what is proper and what is not proper, and between what is clean and what is dirty. In fact, they sometimes seem to be straddling the line.

There is a phrase that perfectly expresses what I am trying to say and it is "double entendre." According to Merriam-Webster, the etymology of this phrase is "obsolete French, literally, double meaning." It means "1) ambiguity of meaning arising from language that lends itself to more than one interpretation 2) a word or expression capable of two interpretations with one usually risque." This means that it can have a dirty, indecent or lewd meaning.

Of course when someone like me objects to such language, I am accused of having a dirty mind. If I was just more holy, then I would not put an unclean interpretation on it. These people know exactly what they are doing, but they will never admit it. I am extremely reluctant to walk out of any preaching service, but on a very few occasions I have. It might impress some of these people if we all got up and walked out.

The World Has a Dirty Mind

The unsaved world thinks nothing of such shady double-meaning speech. That is what they are used to in the world. Television and the movies make millions feeding people on garbage that has a double meaning. Of course they go further than these fellows do in the pulpit. There are many unsaved church members, and they enjoy this because they are of the world. Many saved people have so much of the carnality of the world still in them that they see nothing wrong with shady language.

When I hear preachers grinning with glee as they tell some shady story, it makes me wonder how they would really talk when they are out of the pulpit and in the world. What do they watch on TV, or what do they read that feeds this tendency?

Fortunately, most Unaffiliated Independent Baptist preachers do not talk this way and do not approve of it. There are some that want to bring this kind of junk in among us, and it is about time that someone spoke up against it.

What the Bible Says about Unclean Speech

There is no example of Christ, Peter, Paul, or any of the apostles using shady speech in the New Testament. All of them seemed to be able to get the message over loud and clear without such tactics. In fact, questionable speech is strictly forbidden in the Bible.

"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21). Superfluity means the "residue, remains: the wickedness remaining over in a Christian from his state prior to conversion." We have to recognize that there is a lot of "residue" that is left over from our condition before we were saved. We are supposed to get rid of it, and not feed it.

"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice" (Eph 4:31). One of the meanings of "evil speaking" is, "impious and reproachful speech injurious to divine majesty."

"Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities." (Jude 1:8). The metaphor for "filthy dreamers" is "to be beguiled with sensual images and carried away to an impious course of conduct."

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." (Eph. 4:29). Corrupt means, "rotten, putrefied, of poor quality, bad, unfit for use, worthless."

As Christians we should heed what the Scripture says. "Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks" (Eph. 5:4).

A Closing Word

I am no prude, nor am I a little goody two shoes. I grew up in a farming community where it was normal to hear filthy talk, but it was never in the presence of ladies. More than once my mother washed out my mouth with soap, and sometimes it was the old country lye soap. I spent two years in the United States Army Air Force, and you could hear all the filthy conversation that you could imagine. In addition, I worked in an aircraft plant where more than 30,000 men worked on three shifts. Most were on the first or second shifts. During that time I often had to ask men to stop using language that was dirty. There was only one man that did not respect my wishes, and I had to work with him on some occasions. Nothing would shut him up, and he was the filthiest mouthed man that I ever met. You did not have to wonder why they called him Frenchy. I witnessed to him, tried to shame him, and plead with him, all to no avail. There is one method that might have worked, but I knew I would lose both my job and my testimony, if I engaged in a fist fight. I sure hope that old Frenchy met the Lord somewhere later, but I have no way of knowing.

I like a clean joke as much as most people. My sense of humor may be well above normal, but I do not think there is any place in the life of a Christian for off-color jokes or stories with double meaning. Here I am not talking about in the pulpit, but anywhere that we go. A little humor in the pulpit may be alright, but it is too bad that it is often carried to the extreme. It is my conviction that God calls men to preach the word, but not to be comedians or clowns in the pulpit.

I just wanted to get this off my chest.

[Revelation 911]

a swearing man has a misdirected passion. Pray for these people

as for this author - the biggest turn off for new Christians are old Christians

Fortunately, most Unaffiliated Independent Baptist preachers do not talk this way and do not approve of it.

.....and other Christians do?

[Support Free Republic]

"Please contribute to FreeRepublic and make these posts go away"
	Donate Here By Secure Server Or mail checks to FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794 or you can use PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD- It is in the breaking news sidebar! Thanks Registered

[maestro]

The unsaved world thinks nothing of such shady double-meaning speech. That is what they are used to in the world. Television and the movies make millions feeding people on garbage that has a double meaning. Of course they go further than these fellows do in the pulpit. There are many unsaved church members, and they enjoy this because they are of the world. Many saved people have so much of the carnality of the world still in them that they see nothing wrong with shady language.

Media T.V.,....movies etc.

So called, goy 'talk' shows (goy audience mob shows)......dirty goy 'pigs & hogs'.

(Romans 1)

Not to forget,.....'church'......groupies.......'praise band' trash.

Matthew 15:8-10

[LiteKeeper]

SPOTREP

[newgeezer]

Fortunately, most Unaffiliated Independent Baptist preachers do not talk this way and do not approve of it.

.....and other Christians do?

Since the piece appeared in the Plains Baptist Challenger, I took him to mean he wanted to make sure the reader didn't assume the problem is a big one in their Unaffiliated Independent Baptist denomination. I certainly don't take it as finger-pointing at the rest of us.

Then again, perhaps his operative term was "most." Maybe he wrote the article to shed some light on the issue before it becomes a larger problem among his UIB brethren.

[editor-surveyor]

I concur with your perception geezer.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Commander8]

Great Article.