The current thinking in cognitive therapy is indeed about the power of words - and how certain words can effect our current thinking (and I cant resist: “effect our affect”).
I’ve read over the various other blogs dealing with “What do do About the Lord” - From Will S.’s interesting view that the translation should be “Dad” instead; to folks thinking that I (as someone with reservations about that L word) am trying to forbid them from ever saying it.
Hmmm… I have to be honest, someone saying “Lord” doesnt really push my button at all. They’re welcome to that word. However it doesnt ring my chimes either. And I confess: “Dad” doesnt either. Although I do respect Dad alot more than I do Lord.

Sure Jesus didnt say “Lord”, he didnt speak English (at least not that Ive heard about) and he didnt say “Dad” either - so what was the message that he was trying to say?

My personal desire is to find a suitable word or phrase that works - so I can understand the meaning, in a way that the writer intended it. Not to force anyone else to saying “Dad” or “Wonderous Spritual Parent”; but so I can hear the real meaning of the word… and easily move to hearing the next words…..

My mother-in-law, the rabbi, says that Adonai is just a convention to avoid saying the name of God. Perhaps at some point, the Hebrews meant to invoke all the meanings of “Lord,” but now it is hardly ever used that way at all. I mean, YHVH not only lets the Jews argue, but win! Hardly the kind of “Lord” the word invokes now.

It’s complex, and I guess that’s part of what makes it beautiful.

But that’s not good enough for this rich discussion…(btw we have had and continue to have a lot of this same discussion over the past 10 years online through the public UUCF-L email list that BITB set up, and I think you can access most of the archives for that still).

Just want to say that for me, as for Paul, using the term Lord is at its heart and soul deeply anti-Imperialistic (see the anthology Paul and Empire for one take, or Crossan’s latest on Paul). That is why he used it; to set aside Jesus and the God of Israel from Caeser. As others have said here, I find it increasingly important to remind me of the many Caesers in my life.

And like PB, thirty years plus ago as a UU with cross cringe I would have found it hard to take or imagine its central place in my spiritual life, so understand where others are coming from; just thank the Lord that others within our tradition were still using it then and have continued today so it is just one of the many rich words in our UU lexicon.

CC

But enough about such a heady theological concept…what I want to hear about, Peacebang, is your absolute favorite tapas dish at Mirasol.

I have nothing to add except to say that this is, once again, a lovely and informative conversation. PB, you should be proud!

I also wish that I was in Chicago today! Go do something cool for me…

Well, my dear PB–you have certainly created/generated a HOT Blog (congrats.–though I know that was hnot your intent) I suspect you have much wide council here.

Given your OWN statement above about YOUR beliefs–I wonder from an old Xian perspective–are you not creating stumbling blocks for your brothers and sisters?

Cheerfully, ROK
PS: I would also refer readers to Peter Berger’s books: The Divine
(Sacred Canopy) (???) and the Heretical Imperative).

Authority, maybe. Accuracy, not necessarily at all.