I often find myself in a conversation where I’m really behind the times. People are talking a language I do not understand. Oh, they’re speaking English (at least I think they are) but I don’t understand what they are talking about. They’re talking about “blogging” and “Facebook” and “My Space.” Just the other day one of my friends said to another, “Yeah I’ve been blogging for a few years. I enjoy blogging but my new thing is to twitter.” They looked at me and I “knowingly” nodded approval though I had no idea what they were talking about!
While I was inwardly gratified that I was not a nerd, another part of me really wished I could join in the conversation. It made me think about the way I often discuss issues of faith. How often do I use language that “insiders” know well but the uninitiated haven’t a clue? How often have I caused those who do not know the language of Zion to feel excluded and unwanted? What I often assume is a lack of interested may be a lack of understanding. In fact what I take as hostility may be frustration. It just might be they would love to join in the conversation but pretty much shut them out of the conversation by throwing up a language barrier.
I’m not suggesting that we gut the faith of all religious language. There are great terms that must be retained. But we must be careful to draw others into the conversation and then teach them the wonder and the depth of the language of Zion. It’s just something I learned the other day when traveling through Nerdville.
I’ll see you Sunday.
Rod