My precious grandchildren:
I’ve decided to do something a bit different this month. I’m typing this letter out after having taken notes in my journal because I’m still working out my thoughts. Sometimes I do that better on a computer where I can move whole swaths with a click.
This letter will mostly define some of the words I plan to use over the next few letters expanding on the idea that we can judge—and therefore accept or reject—individuals, ideas, societies, and political movements based on the fruits of their actions.
As you know, my thoughts and actions are rooted in my belief in a God of love and the desire to do God’s will (that is, to be God’s love for a very broken world). It’s a foundation that not only serves me by supporting my life in good times and in difficult times, it serves my family and my community too. Living by Jesus’ two great commandments—to love God with all your heart, mind, and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself—guides my every thought, decision, and action.
It sounds simple enough but discerning God’s will and then acting on it is a life-long process of learning to love better. At times, I was absolutely certain of God’s will in my life (raising my children, being present for my grandchildren) and other times I struggled (where is God when my grandchild dies and I can do nothing to ease my son’s or daughter-in-law’s pain?). Those are the easy examples. Harder ones are how to find the compassion to forgive someone when I was betrayed or how to forgive myself when I made horrendous errors that caused my painful circumstances or caused someone else to hurt.
It is a basic human need to believe in something transcendent, something beyond our own small self that gives our lives meaning—especially when life is difficult or confusing. If one does not believe in God, they will believe in another ideology that attempts to provide that thing beyond us that provides meaning. Both religions and ideologies have dogmas and doctrines.
Our present culture is a post-Christian culture. Interestingly enough though, Western culture has been so steeped in Christian dogma for millennia that we don’t realize how many of our laws, practices, ideas about justice, ideas about right and wrong are based on Christian precepts. We are like little tiny fish swimming in an ocean who have no idea what water is. As much as people hate to admit it, our water is Christianity.
So, before looking at some of that reality, I want to define some terms that I’ll be using so that I know we are on the same page. The words for defining are: ideology, doctrine, dogma, rhetoric, obfuscate (obfuscation), and euphemism.
Ideology (noun): 1. The body of doctrine, myth, etc., that guides an individual, social movement, institution, class, or large group. 2. Such a body of doctrine, myth, etc., with reference to some political or social plan, as that of fascism along with the devices for putting it into operation.
Doctrine (noun): A particular principle, position, or policy taught or advocated, as of a religion or government. Examples: Catholic doctrine; the Monroe doctrine.
Dogma (noun): 1. an official system of principles or tenets concerning faith, morals, behavior, etc., as of a church. 2. A principle or statement of ideas, or a group of such principles or statements, especially when considered to be authoritative or accepted uncritically. 3. prescribed doctrine proclaimed as unquestionably true by a particular group.
Rhetoric (noun): 1. The art or science of literary uses of language to influene the thought or conduct of an audience; making persuasive speeches. 2. the undue use of exaggeration in writing or in speech.
Obfuscate (verb); obfuscation (noun): 1. to make unclear or hard to understand, especially deliberately; to confuse or bewilder; to speak or write evasively or obscurely.
Euphemism (noun): The substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be harsh, blunt, or offensive. Example: “to pass away” instead of “to die.”
In following letters, I plan to connect these defined words to forming the moral and ethical principles all adults must discern. Cultures thrive or die based on whether adults in society express a cohesive or divisive set of principles. Each adult must discern for themselves how to act but if the water in the ocean for one side clashes with the water in the ocean of another side because of rhetoric, obfuscation, euphemisms, and divisive ideologies, dogmas or doctrines, life will be more difficult than it needs to be.
My hope is to help you clarify the principles by which you’ll live so that you can have fruitful and meaningful lives that benefit the society as a whole.
When I was in college, I vacillated between a degree in religious studies or in communication. As it turns out, courses in both have been enormously useful in my adult life. I hope some of what I’ve learned will be useful to you.
Until next time…