Opus 2025-175: What Did You Call Me?

My sensitivity was first roused when a friend called me names during a discussion of eschatology.  I think the first time it went over my head but he kept repeating it until it registered.  It registered that I was being labelled and put in a box and I didn’t know what the box was.  I still don’t.  I think I just laughed at him.

If you are in a graduate level theology debate using some of the big words might save a lot of time.  When you are a normal person seeking understanding of another normal person’s crazy ideas they only confuse the issue.  Do you know the difference between modalism and molinism?  I do but not under those names.  I would need to look them up.

My friend likes to accuse me of spiritualizing.  My feelings were hurt.  That had to be something really bad.  When he explained what he meant by it I began to see it everywhere.  When I looked it up I started to realize he meant using allegory or any kind of figurative interpretation.  Once I understood that I embraced the term and now when he uses it I just say, “Thank you.”  Politically I have learned to treasure the moments people call me a Fundamentalist, a right winger or narrow minded.  They bring a smile to my face.

A book I read recently liked to accuse people of Latitudinarianism.  Again it has a range of meanings.  The author meant it to be anyone who had any flexibility.  To him it meant such things as accepting people as Christians who don’t believe in the trinity.  Even worse, someone who did not use the KJV.  That second thing I made up, I think.  By his definition I would be a latitudarian because I accept people into the fold who eat fish on Friday or baptize infants.  I am willing to give people latitude on things I don’t see as essential or that are not addressed in the Bible.

Be thick skinned.  Be patient.  Don’t be afraid to ask, “What does that mean?”  You will be surprised to find out that a lot of times people use terms and don’t know how to define them.
Above all, be kind.  I don’t think there will be a vocabulary lesson at the final judgement.

homo unius libri