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by Tanya Strydom

An euphemism is a trite word or phrase used to soften a hard or ugly fact; its primary purpose being to avoid causing offence. How relevant this is in a society where offence is so easily given and taken! It is no wonder that a competitive game of limbo is in full play, with each individual endeavouring to bend lower and twist more unnaturally to accommodate the demands placed on speech.

Under the magical wand of euphemism, theft becomes kleptomania, a drunkard becomes tipsy, lying is transformed into merely spinning a yarn, and killing is morphed into a basic human right.

Euphemisms tend to distort the meaning and lessen the seriousness of a grave danger. If we were to inform a passer-by that the rocks ahead were a little slippery, they may not heed us, but if our words were charged with anxiety as we warned them of the steep and treacherous cliff which had sent many a person tumbling to a terrifying death, our words would perhaps carry more weight.

When we allow terms like “abortion”, “termination of pregnancy”, “assisted suicide”, “health care”, or “dignified dying” to creep unqualified into our vocabulary and our conversations, we lose the meaning, the picture of what is truly taking place: the deliberate killing of a human person.

Indefinite language choice creates a fog, clouding judgement and sugar-coating evil. As lovers of what is right and as speakers of what is fact, we need to use the scalpel of truth to cut through those lies and uncover the heart of the issue.

Truth-Tellers

Words have power, and thus, when we speak, we should be determined to use the gift of language for good, for righteousness, and for truth. Choose the words you use. Call it what it is.

– Abortion is taking the life of a precious preborn child.

– Euthanasia is the killing of those most helpless in our community.

No level of virtue-signalling, no quantity of socially accepted phraseology, no number of rights paraded or dignity strutted can undo the fact that these blemishes represent the disintegration of rights, the demolition of dignity, and the degradation of the value of life. It’s an unpopular truth, but it is a truth nonetheless.

It has been said that a speaker of truth has no friends, but this further underscores the problem we face today. No one wants to hear the negative. Death and sin have been outlawed in polite conversation, like the religion and politics of the past, but we need to hear what God’s Word says in Proverbs 27:6. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” If all we ever do is idly kiss the scrapes of wounded feelings, we will never have the chance to address the true cause of a deadly illness. Our time and energy will be swallowed up in the superficial, leaving no room for the significant.

When our hearts are filled with true love and sincere concern, we should not be afraid to speak heavy words, clear words, direct words which may even cause offence. The mark of a true friend is a willingness to stand, even if it means standing alone, to say what must be said, even if no one wants to hear it. This is not to abandon gentleness and kindness, and it is never to be used for selfish gain, but at the end of the day, true love speaks out.

Don’t allow truth, however painful, to be hidden beneath a cloak of cautiously crafted propaganda. Rather than allowing it to fester in the darkness, expose it to the healing sunlight. Words matter. Truth matters. Life matters.

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Republished with thanks to Cherish Life.