Rev. Mark Sandlin, on April 18, 2026, published in his blog, Southern Fried Heresy, a blog entitled, “Church Words That Don’t Mean What You Think They Mean: A Southern Fried Translation Guide to Church-Speak”. It is very insightful because change the code and the truths still remains. It is not truth that is confined to Southern United States nor any other bible-belt. There are three of Rev. Sandlin’s deconstructions which I particularly like:
- “We just need to get back to the Bible.”
You feel the weight in that one, don’t you?
Truth is, what this often means is: We want things to go back to the way they were…when life was easier. Which means: back when we had more power over people not like us and it made us feel important and comfortable.
- “Let’s agree to disagree.”
Another classic.
Translation: Oh man, I am way out of my comfort zone right now. Let’s end this conversation before it gets any more uncomfortable.
- “You just need to have faith.”
Translation: Stop asking questions I’m incapable of answering.
Rev. Sandlin is a most perceptive Christian. He wrote:
But what would happen if we just said what we meant?
“I don’t agree with you.”
“I don’t think that will work.”
“I don’t know why this happened.” or “I’m not sure why this is happening.”
“I’m still working through my faith.”
“I love you. I really do. And I’m glad you’re here.”No code words.
No translations.Just raw.
Just real.
Just us being the community we say we want to be.
His words are a tonic to me after a personally attack upon on me. Thank you Rev. Sandlin for the healing in the name of Jesus Christ, the “liberal” Jesus of Nazareth.
Dr. Neville Buch, President, Sea of Faith in Australia Inc.
Related Articles:
https://southernfriedheresy.com/p/church-words-that-don-t-mean-what-you-think-they-mean?
https://drnevillebuch.com/compression-and-application-for-local-philosophy/
https://drnevillebuch.com/how-to-stop-reactionary-thought-uncoiling-the-reactionary-mind-historiography-and-cognitive-reform/
https://drnevillebuch.com/is-this-what-you-think-in-your-silence-bizarre-reactions-the-rhetoric-of-dismissal-defending-the-scholarship-of-neville-buch/
https://drnevillebuch.com/private-public-and-what-you-are-missing-by-no-reading-dr-buchs-work/
https://drnevillebuch.com/what-are-the-reasons-for-misunderstanding-systems-of-cognitive-pathological-misunderstanding/
https://drnevillebuch.com/tipping-my-hat-to-david-brooks-how-history-is-now-spiralling/
https://drnevillebuch.com/violence-fantasy-and-the-architecture-of-class-identity/
https://drnevillebuch.com/rebuttal-to-social-media-gross-social-media-misunderstanding/
Featured Image: An-empty-fridge-today-and-2018-10-30-Dr-Neville-Buch-with-Fryer-Manager-Simon-Farley-at-the-Geopoetry-Talk-UQ. Not much different today.
Neville Buch
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