Euphemisms - Using Words to Cover Evil

Hello, friends I am Pastor Calvin Lindstrom with Christian Liberty Academy School System. Welcome to There’s No Place Like Home. Today I want to speak about euphemisms. What is a euphemism? The word in Greek means well-speaking, but in English it means to use a word or expression for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing. Sometimes this involves using words in place of curse words. This is not what I am talking about. We should be careful about our language, but what I am speaking about is far more sinister and serious. What are some euphemisms in use today that distort reality and cover evil? The political commentator, Ben Shapiro, mentioned how the word abortion is really a euphemism. Instead of speaking about the unjustified killing of an unborn human, we speak of abortion. Even worse is when this unjustified killing is labeled as health care or a women’s right to choose. The word fetus, though it has a perfectly good origin, is today really a euphemism in that most people don’t understand what the Latin means and it can be used to ignore the humanity and personhood of the unborn child. There are many other euphemisms that are used today that conceal ideas that are very dangerous to our children and our culture. Now, none of this sadly is new. During the terrors of Stalin and Hitler as the historian Paul Johnson points out all sorts of euphemisms were used to mask murder and incredible tyranny. During the years 1929-36, 10 million men, women, and children met unnatural deaths through Stalin’s collectivization and “elimination of the classes.” In other words, at least 10 million people were murdered through Stalin’s tyranny, and that is just one facet of his reign of terror. Sadly, many well-known people in the west praised Stalin.  Hewlett Johnson, Dean of Canterbury in the United Kingdom, said that Stalin was leading his people down new and unfamiliar avenues of democracy.  And the American Ambassador at the time to the Soviet Union said ‘His brown eye is exceedingly wise and gentle,’ he wrote. ‘A child would like to sit on his lap and a dog would sidle up to him.’ So, euphemisms are not just part of 21stcentury America. So much of our language and praise today masks the true reality and horror of sin. Scripture warns about those who call evil good and good evil. As parents we have to try to understand these things as best we can and teach our children. Certainly, we cannot trust popular culture and most of media to do these things.  May the Lord direct us to understand and teach these difficult things. For Christian Liberty Academy School System, I am Pastor Calvin Lindstrom. To learn more about our education ministries please visit christianliberty.com