Have you ever had one of those experiences wherein you got sick after eating or drinking something and then, even though you know that the sickness was probably not related to that food item, you just cannot stand to look at it or even smell it without getting nauseous?
Well I have. Nothing against Cracker Barrel, but I can’t go within 1000 yards without needing a barrel myself. Enough about that.
But I have also found that the same thing can happen with words. When I find words that occur in frequent proximity to things that make me sick, I find that I can no longer stomach the word anymore, even if used appropriately.
Much to my chagrin, I find myself facing this very situation right now. What is the word that makes me sick every time I hear it or read it?
Pastoral.
Pastoral used to be a fine word but it has been keeping some bad company lately.
A priest decides to give out communion to active and proud homosexuals and….
May 20, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Just so. In my giddy youth I was rather fond of guitar music, especially classical guitar. Because of a lifetime of folk / people's / gather us in liturgies I now believe that the best use for a guitar is as kindling.
May 20, 2010 at 3:17 pm
'Pastoral' is indeed a red flag, as are the words 'nuanced' and
'inclusive'. A sure sign that the expiration date on whatever
the writer is selling came and went about three decades ago.
One other sign that what one is reading is bilge is an aversion
to definite articles on the part of the author. What is it with
"we are Church"?
May 20, 2010 at 4:11 pm
A Pox on Pastoral Councils.
May 20, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Pastoral is one of those terms over which people are challenged to dialogue in their faith communities where all are welcomed to be channels of their peace. Perhaps if you flew a bit more on eagle's wings you wouldn't be so judgmental!
May 20, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Don't forget the overused "social justice" and "diversity".
May 20, 2010 at 5:43 pm
"A priest decides to give out communion to active and proud homosexuals"
Substitute "priest" for "bishop" and welcome to my pastoral world.
May 20, 2010 at 7:54 pm
I linked to this post at http://divine-ripples.blogspot.com/2010/05/godly-leader-is-like-granny-in-combat.html
I doubt if we can do away with this term which is used as a cop out by so many. But if taken in its original context and lived out faithfully then perhaps it still serves a purpose.
Tax collectors and whores were like lost sheep and Jesus went after them. He drank with Matthew and allowed Mary to touch him by wiping his feet with her hair. But after that, he asked them to change, “Follow me. Sin no more.” He didn't stop at the drinking and touching. This is his way of shepherding – his pastoral way. And while the first part is popular, it is the follow through that saves.
As you pointed out, some church leaders today get stuck in the first step – seeing, hearing and doing no evil. But they conveniently justify their inaction as being pastoral to the detriment of the sinner and those affected by his actions. Consider the 60 million children in the US who were brutally slaughtered in their mothers' wombs because, the supporters and legislators of abortion laws are permitted by their pastors to receive Holy Communion like gentle little lambs.
If these pols are ignorant about their responsibilities to defend life, how pastoral is it to tacitly look the other way? If these pols knew the errors of their ways, how pastoral is it to simply let them be? Either way is to grease the slippery slope to eternal perdition. And with the condemned will be their pastors who were too blind to see, too lazy to correct, too timid to confront or too scared to discipline.
Now to get on my soap box with borrowed thoughts.
The pastoral way of the Incarnate God is loving because it is real; and to be real is to be truthful. It does not call evil – good and good – evil. Yet, it proclaims the truth in love. To be loving without upholding the truth is to be like a dotting parent who spoils the child into a brat. To uphold the truth without love is to forget that the law was for man and not man for the law.
May 22, 2010 at 12:14 am
Seems like these 'enlightened','pastoral'types are ignorant of the instructions of the pastoral epistles.
May 24, 2010 at 12:17 am
One of my lecturers use to refer to "lurve" as his substitute for the counterfiet "love" which excused all evil in those we are supposed to "lurve". I propose changing the word to "Pestoral" (because I just couldn't bring myself to type the "i") and keep the REAL word fro the good guys!