The Tower of Babbling and Blunt Frippers 8-8-15

1^st Corinthians 1:17 “… not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.”

1^st Timothy 6:20 “… avoiding profane and vain babblings and oppositions of knowledge so called.”

2^nd Timothy 2:16 “But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”

It seems my clarity is lacking most of the time and I have true empathy for those of you trying to read this confusing blog. Abba knows it’s been confusing to me to try and order it in some coherent train of thought that might make sense to someone. Seems this would make me a perfect candidate for Congress and maybe I should seriously consider adding my confusing voice to the clamor coming out of Washington, DC.

CS Lewis has a great passage regarding the clarity of speech from That Hideous Strength which seems perfectly appropriate in describing the difficulties we have in communication. If it hadn’t been written in 1946, you would think it’s a direct quote from an American politician’s speech. In a prepared speech, the Deputy Director of N.I.C.E. states:

“Tidies and fuglemen – I sheel foor that we all – er – most steeply rebut the defensible, though, I trust, lavatory, Aphasia which gleams to have selected our redeemed inspector this deceiving. It would  - ah - be shark, very shark, from anyone’s debenture ….”

One of the leaders, sensing a need for calm in the following uproar, sent a note to the Directory of Security. The note clearly stated:

“ Blunt frippers intantly to pointed bdeluroid. Pugent. Cost.”

Now this communication was caused by a babbling spell which Merlin had placed on the august gathering – but we can’t use that as an excuse for the failure of clarity in our times.

I was associated for a time with an individual who could talk for 45 minutes and give a presentation like no one I’d ever met before. We were hired into a company at the same time and went through orientation the same day. After spending that day with this person, I went to the guy who hired me and said you’ve made a terrible mistake. If this is the kind of expertise you expect then I am sorely lacking. He smiled and asked me to hang for a while. After attending several of his presentations, I realized I was no better off leaving than when I arrived. It was all empty speech.

I have great respect for writers. Dickens can bring tears to my eyes, I wish I better understood CS Lewis, I like Stephen King (especially since he’s moved beyond the macabre to writings such as The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile), Grisham, Archer, Follet (especially The Pillars of the Earth), and numerous others. Movie and TV writers have great talent as well and I think they’re often not appreciated as much as they should be. People can tell when the writing drops off in a TV series for example.

Some of my favorite movie lines are from:

Absence of Malice: Wilford Brimley is a no nonsense, special prosecutor who clears up a revenge scam perpetrated by Paul Newman’s character. In one of the final scenes he tells Bob Balaban’s character, “Eliot, you ain’t no presidential a-point-tee, you got 30 days.”

The Verdict James Mason is a defense attorney objecting to some testimony and tells the judge is should be “disallowed”. The way he delivers the word is one of my favorite parts of the movie. I’ve mimicked his delivery a hundred times with my kids.

Unforgiven One of Gene Hackman’s deputies is saying Gene isn’t scared but that he doesn’t have a straight line anywhere in the house he’s building. “He’s not scared boys, he just ain’t no carpenter.” I used to work for a guy named Carpenter. You can guess what I said when someone asked me about his replacement.

Wondrous Spirit

Who inspired the Holy Scripture.

Bless our communication

In written word and speech.

Allow us clarity and truth

As we submit to Thee.

Deliver us from vain babblings

That do not edify others.

May our work be as yours,

To point people to Christ.

The author and finisher of our faith.

In His name we pray.