Chaplain's Blog

Symbolism and signification 11/30/09

-Speech and communication

http://davis.foulger.info/research/unifiedModelOfCommunication.htm

-problem of ambiguity

Scenario:

-I’m speaking to the father of my date and I say wow you daughter is as beautiful as a cow

-I happen to be an Indian American that comes from a family that loves and worships cows

-Her father is an American that although loves to eat cows places no special aesthetic value to his   food and in fact is a little insulted that his daughter was just called an object, an object that alludes to food and reminds him of how boys have a distinct propensity to treat women like a piece of meat.

Clearly there is a problem here in regards to how we communicate. Audience what is this problem?

There are two parties responsible: the communicator and the receiver.

The communicator is responsible for what he says and is thus responsible for making sure the receiver receives the intended message correctly taking into consideration the receiver’s own beliefs about what the words mean.

The receiver is responsible for decoding the message honestly and properly in respect to the communicator taking into consideration the communicator’s own beliefs about what the words mean.

The result could be…

Being offended in such a manner he pulls out his sawed off shotgun and threatens the young boy who happens to know the martial art Kalarippayattu. The father ends up being injured and the boy without a head.

Every word is loaded and we have to make sure that the right message is being conveyed.

Gen. 2:19-20

We can see the importance of speech; we were spoke into existence and given speech, part of our image bearing opportunity.

“In the revelation of God’s law, words as well as actions are assigned moral values. Lying, blasphemy, taking the Lord’s name in vain, and cursing are examples of sinful speech forbidden in the Mosaic Law.”

The New Testament also commands believers to be pure in speech by controlling their tongues. James 3:9-10:“With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things should not be this way”

Christians should honor the purpose of speech by using our mouths to praise God and leading others to obey the Lord through faith in Jesus Christ.

Colossians 4:6: Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Christians are called upon to live differently and to act differently than the world of unbelievers. I do not need to speak profanity to win a cursing unbeliever anymore than I need to drink alcohol to win an alcoholic. The words of Scripture have all the potency and power we need to reach the heart of the lost.

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

http://erlc.com/article/christians-and-profanity-what-does-the-bible-say/

Ephesians 4:29: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Speech is a part of symbolism. Symbolism is a much grander theme.

Just as words and letters (and anything essentially) can have meaning greater than its own intrinsic seemingly insignificant existence we also as humans have meaning. What is that meaning?

I want to challenge us to think about who decides meaning? Who decides a cow = beauty?

Any thoughts?

God constructed vs. man constructed symbols

We are symbols for God. We are images of GOD, the invisible. We have meaning because God has meaning. But God exists without us giving Him meaning. If we all died God would still exist. We know that this is all true because he has changed us from who we want to be into something that contrasts who we were. Our testimony to faith is proof of his existence, of his objective meaning, and our meaning derived from God.

May not need to talk about that

Now, when we talk about symbols we need to distinguish between God and Man constructed. If a man thinks cow=beauty that is a construction built by man. If we say to that man that Cows are ugly he would be offended. It is our responsibility as Christians not to offend uselessly. It is useless to argue with this man or tell him that he is wrong because God has not informed us one way or another if cow=beauty. Therefore because it is not a concrete truth we do not need to be decisive and therefore should be cautious not to offend.

However there are situations were God does construct symbols via speech. In these situations it is necessary to maintain these constructions.

Matthew 5:33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' ³⁴But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; ³⁵or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. ³⁶And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. ³⁷Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Although he does comment on being honest with your words most constructions of symbols are in action.

God says do not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14 

 I’d like to admit that there are plenty other actions in the bible that God gives symbols to but I’d like to focus on this one for now. What is Adultery? How do we know that is what Adultery means? What is the translated word in Hebrew? When we figure out what all of this means and we have validated that we understand adultery we have an obligation to follow God in His construction of that symbolic act. We need to believe and practice that adultery is wrong. And, we need to tell each other that adultery is wrong and correct each other. If one of us commits adultery we need to keep him accountable with the knowledge that God states that adultery is wrong.

In conclusion I want us to realize that there are constructions of symbols everywhere. And that there is a difference between God’s and man’s.

In addition, you might be asking if explicatives are man constructed why does it matter to not say it? Because some men believe that it is offensive to say them therefore because we need to not offend in order to win over people in love we need to not use perceivably inappropriate words. We must give up some of our freedoms for the sake of others. 

-Chaplain Ibanez Z-205 

A Message from Humility to HIS Sheep:

A Prayer for Isla Vista

Ah, Lord—the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him and keep His commandments— we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from Your commandments and ordinances. We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, leaders, fathers, and all the people of the land.

Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but this day public shame belongs to us: those of California, the residents of Isla Vista, and all The United States—those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where You have dispersed them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward You. LORD, public shame belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against Him and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by following His instructions that He set before us through His servants the prophets.

All Isla Vista has broken Your law and turned away, refusing to obey You. The promised curse written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, has been poured out on us because we have sinned against Him. He has carried out His words that He spoke against us and against our rulers by bringing on us so great a disaster that nothing like what has been done to Isla Vista has ever been done under all of heaven. Just as it is written in the law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not appeased the LORD our God by turning from our injustice and paying attention to Your truth. So the LORD kept the disaster in mind and brought it on us, for the LORD our God is righteous in all He has done. But we have not obeyed Him.

Now, Lord our God, who brought Your people out from under the law that leads to sin and death with a mighty hand and made Your name renowned as it is this day, we have sinned, we have acted wickedly. Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, may Your anger and wrath turn away from Your people, may You adopt this city as You did me; for because of our sins and the injustices of our fathers, Isla Vista and Your people have become an object of ridicule to all those around us.

Therefore, our God, hear the prayer and the petitions of Your servants. Show Your favor to Your desolate sanctuary for the Lord's sake. Listen, my God, and hear. Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city called by Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You based on our righteous acts, but based on Your abundant compassion. Lord, hear! Lord, forgive! Lord, listen and act! My God, for Your own sake, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.