In George Orwell’s classic novel 1984 , the government sought to limit freedoms, and influence thought, by introducing a variation of English called “Newspeak.” The idea was for the government to establish words with specific meanings, and to eliminate words that contained thoughts that were possibly antagonistic to the government’s purposes.
I find it interesting in our day that something similar is occurring. Definitions of words are being changed as a means of promoting new ideas and values while at the same time discouraging values that society no longer considers acceptable. Since those unacceptable values are often held by Christians, those who hold their faith dear are being marginalized by society. Let me supply a few examples:
Phrases such as “reproductive rights” and “abortion care” are all the rage. Men who have the temerity to object to the killing of unborn children are said to have a viewpoint that dates back to the 1950’s, and are accused of “misogyny” (a hatred or prejudice against women). Women who object to abortion are painted as traitors to their “gender” (oops, I mean their “sex”).
In all of this, it is difficult to see how the killing of a human being can be described as “care” and a “right”, and how positively advocating for one class of people automatically makes you guilty of disregarding the rights of another class of people.
In the immigration debate, the term “illegal alien” (a legal and common term used for decades) is no longer acceptable. Now, the correct term is “undocumented worker.” To use the term “illegal alien” is to open oneself up to charges of racism. An appeal to the actual law of the land is an indication of a lack of compassion and practicality, and the term “xenophobia” is often used (an intense and irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries). The concept of “nationalism” (patriotic feelings, preference for one’s own country, advocacy for political sovereignty) is spoken of disparagingly, and often used in conjunction with the aforementioned xenophobia.
Perhaps the most egregious example is found in the changed definition of “marriage” (the legal or formalized union between a man and a woman), and the accompanying muddying of the concept of “gender” and “sex.” The term “gender” (the state of being male or female) has been in this generation decoupled from a person’s biological sex. Now, it is believed by many that gender is inappropriately “assigned” at birth, and that in addition to “binary gender identification” (male or female) there are now many “non binary genders” to which an individual can choose for themselves, including the following: gender fluid, gender noncomforming, gender variant, pangender, transgender, transfeminine, transmasculine and two-spirit. ABC News recently reported that they have uncovered 58 different “gender choices” allowed by Facebook in their user profiles. A recent profile was done on a small group of people that identify as “transpuppy.” They feel most comfortable and whole when acting like and being treated as a dog.
It’s all bizarre, and indicative of a people “who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20). In the midst of such sinfulness, Christians must maintain their trust in God, and their faithfulness to His will for mankind.
