Letters

Use and misuse of language

Anne Lastman

Contents - Oct 2014 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Let's help desperate Middle East Christians - Peter Westmore Pope Francis' pastoral focus in visit to South Korea - AD2000 Report News: The Church Around the World Do we construct the Church in our own image? - Fr Ken Clark The implications of Anglican women bishops - Fr Dwight Longenecker Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint: What's the difference? - Andrew Sholl Art: Sacred art: window into eternity - Tommy Canning Dissent: Bishop Bill Morris: gone but not forgotten - Peter Westmore 'The Mother of Jesus' in St John's Gospel - Anne Lastman Students: Young adult ministry on Australian tertiary campuses - Br Barry Coldrey Letters: Using the missal at Mass - Charles M. Shann Letters: Use and misuse of language - Anne Lastman Letters: Evangelii Gaudium speaks to Victoria - Pat Shea Support: Support the Fighting Fund! Books: INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIANITY, by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI - Helena Pasztetnik (reviewer) Books: PRAYER FOR BEGINNERS, Peter Kreeft - WAYS OF PRAYING, John Edwards SJ - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Books: A POSTCARD FROM THE VOLCANO: A novel of pre-war Germany, by Lucy Beckett - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: The Lord hears the cry of the poor - Fr Paul Glynn SM

Audrey English's article in the August issue of AD2000 is good and affirms what many of us, including Mr Westmore have been harping on for a long time now, that is, that the language we use is important, and terms used constantly become part of the norm.

I personally don't like the term "same sex marriage" because what we are doing is linking marriage as it always has been (man and woman) into a different context and even in some ways legitimising it.

Every time those of us who speak in public or write publicly and use these terms are, in effect, affirming them until they soon become synonymous with marriage. I would use "unities", "unions" or even relationships – but not marriage.

We know that the abortion industry sabotaged the meaning of conception so that today it has attached to it "wantedness factor", "tissue", "cells", "conceptus", "products of conception", even "embryo". All in themselves acceptable words but rendering the conception of a child invisible.

No longer is it "baby" bringing to mind an image of a baby, but imageless and thus easier to dispose of.

Language had to first be manipulated before action could be sold to the unsuspecting public.

I am also reminded of the term "post birth abortion", using the word "abortion," not infanticide, because society has become desensitised to abortion but not infanticide.

This ploy is used because society has still not become acclimatised to the murder of children ex utero, which is of course what "post birth abortion" means.

So Audrey thank you for your article on this matter, but I still do not agree with you or Mr Westmore about Apps or even missals being used during Mass.

Because missals are too heavy for you carry how about attending Mass and giving the required responses which are known by heart now, and for the rest close your eyes and rest in His presence.

Remember not one of the Apostles had an App or missal during His first Mass or even when they shared a meal at Emmaus.

ANNE LASTMAN,
Melbourne, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 27 No 9 (October 2014), p. 15