Challenging Christian Hegemony

[Donnachaidh]

http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/02/26/challenging-christian-hegemony/

“You’re either with us or against us.” – from Matthew 12:30

“Language is the perfect instrument of empire.”- Antonia De Nebrija

I recommend checking out the latest booklet from Paul Kivel called “The Language of Dominant Christianity” (available as a downloadable PDF for only $3.50 or as a book for $4.95.) It is a short (85 page) A-Z dictionary of common vocabulary words in the English language that reveal how Christianity has influenced our thinking. In addition to defining a comprehensive list of words (64 pages) Kivel provides a section on “word groups” and points out how certain terms are found within our criminal/legal system, notions of morality, racial understandings, educational ideals and political ideology. And in the first part Kivel provides the context of why it is important to analyze and examine the Christian roots of our language.

This booklet is one part of Kivel’s latest project to name Christian dominance as one of the many systems of oppression. Kivel is a well respected violence prevention educator who wrote “Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Social Justice” among many other books on oppression. If you haven’t heard of him or want to know more about Paul’s work including his videos and interviews you can visit his website.

And in the spirit of my post last week where I pointed out how atheists are studying to be religious leaders at Starr King I want to emphasize that there are Christians who are equally concerned about Christian hegemony and are dedicating time and resources to ending it.


more at the link --

[melm00se]

1. Christians

are the latest addition to the list that includes: the New World Order, Illuminati, Tri-Lateral Commission, Bildeburgers, Masons...

The Christian philosophy (and by that I mean the actual teachings of Christ, not the wacky interpretations by people who purport to be Christians) is a compelling and compelling philosophy. The vast majority of the Christian philosophy is the underpinning of progressive social philosophy.

[ret5hd]

2. but is it compelling?

[dmallind]

3. ...if only that were true

...that Christian influence was a conspiracy theory and that Christians were an imaginary, or heck even real, secret and secretive society.

When the Illuminati knock on my door on Saturday morning asking me to join, and hold parades in the town center telling me what I can do with my own genitalia, then you'll have a point. It will only be a valid one when 95% of elected national officials are open Illuminati who compete to get elected by yakking about their Illuminati values at every possible turn.

[Igel]

4. What a strange assertion.

That speakers actually shape the language that they use so that it expresses their intent and attitudes.

Amazing. It's not something that spontaneously forms and then controls us afterwards.

Sorry, the problem isn't with hegemony, I suspect, but with whose hegemony.

Lenin said it more explicitly: Kto kogo? (Literally "Who whom", but it means--because of use determined by the kind of people who speak the language and what they want it to mean--a lot more. The verb's ellipted, and it usually comes out as something like "Who is imposing his will on whom?" The point isn't that hegemony is wrong--that's a ruse until you can impose your own hegemony to privilege your own way of thinking. The problem is, most people consider their own way of thinking to be good, and just, and fair, and neutral, and therefore not a hegemony or imposition. At least Lenin got the last point right.)