No 'sin,' 'altar' or 'minister'?
"Oxford University Press' latest edition of its Junior Dictionary includes some culturally relevant additions such as MP3 player, blog and biodegradable. But it's the ones these words are replacing that have academics and clergy alike up in arms.
"For its new release the British publisher omitted words such as minister, chapel, sin, altar, disciple and devil, as well as dozens of terms it believed were outdated because of their predominantly rural use. By nature of the product, the dictionary is restricted in size (10,000 words), meaning words are regularly being culled and replaced. The latest round of edits, according to Oxford representatives, reflect a modern, multifaith, multicultural society."
Comments (4)
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A sad reality to be sure, but when a culture looses its spiritual way, such is the logical result.
Perhaps the problem isn't so much the "predominatley rural use" but the inability to define it in terms that will accomodate, in an unoffensive way that is, a pluralistic culture.
Political correctness strikes again.
Tony
Posted on December 11, 2008 10:06 AM
As usual, "multifaith" includes everything except orthodox Christianity.
Posted on December 12, 2008 10:00 PM
"As usual, "multifaith" includes everything except orthodox Christianity."
Not so sure, Kuranes. I think its the fact that it DOES "include" Christianity that is the problem. It's status as just another kid on the block is INTENDED to diminish its uniqueness and truth, just as the exclusion of the words above is INTENDED to continue the worldwide humanist agenda to "force" Christianity into the shadows of history, while making way for the true religion of Secular Humanism.
If they can lump all the traditional religions into a faceless religious mob of lesser lights, they can then assume for themselves the title of "supplanter" of all those outdated, irrelevant and primitive vestiges of humankind's past: the ultimate "religion" if you will.
It's all fully intentional, an attempt at self fulfilling prophecy.
Posted on December 20, 2008 4:25 PM
I'm curious about something, while we're talking about definitions. I often hear "secular humanism" referred to as a religion, but since according to the Humanist Manifestos it specifically disavows any belief in supernatural powers, teaches no dogma, has no clergy, sponsors no worship services, maintains no buildings for that purpose, nor says or does anything generally thought of as religious, what makes it a religion rather than, say, a philosophy (which can address the "fundamental questions" of ontology and ethics without being religious)?
Since fewer than 15% of English people attend Christian worship regularly, why should the Oxford U. Press structure its dictionary to treat such a minority religion as the only true one? The book is, after all, an abridgement limited, by design, to the words most in circulation. If Christianity has become so marginalized, whose fault is that?
I'm also a bit worried about that paranoia of yours. Maybe you should seek counseling. That's a strong root of bitterness you're growing. And if Jesus really is ruling everything, do you think he would allow anyone to "force" Christianity into the shadows? Maybe you should trust that he knows what he's doing.
Posted on December 30, 2008 10:50 PM