Sunday Meditation: Words Mean Something

NO CHOICE FOR YOU!

My husband and I are reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. In the Preface, Lewis describes the problem of words losing their commonly-understood and clear meanings. Certainly, if that was a problem 75 years ago when Lewis gave the original BBC radio broadcasts on which the book is based, it is multiplied 100X today in our politically correct and politically charged world.

The degradation of some words is obvious. Gay used to be a term that celebrated joy. In high school I had a role in Our Hearts Were Young and Gay, a comedy about two young women, fresh out of college, on a European tour. It was a delightful romp. I can just imagine what a play of that title today would be. Just the thought of it brings X-rated images and dirty sniggers to mind.

The word "choice" is synonymous with ripping an unborn baby limb from limb in abortion. I can never hear the word in any context today without the chant booming in my head, "My body, my choice." But don't you dare make a choice that offends the liberal left! In their doctrinaire tyranny they scream, "No choice for you!" and mobilize their verbal weapons of mass destruction to annihilate you.