I'm exposing a misguided term of churchy people: "to love on"
Here, I'll use it in a sentence:
"We took the jr. high group to east L.A., had a carnival for the kids
and just loved on them."
I thought it was a southern thing, but I've found from living here, it's nationwide.
Why can't we just say "love"?
Why add the "on"?
It makes me think it's a different love. I can't find a verse in the Bible that speaks of "loving on your neighbor." I never hear it said "we loved on God" either.
The term makes me wince, it makes me think of uptight people trying to be nice to people they ordinarily wouldn't, with side-hugs and safe distances. Which is wrong.
So if you're reading this and you say love on, please just say love.
(And if you don't really mean "love" just say "we were nice to them.")
If you're not a Christian, and you hear someone say it, call 'em on it. :)
7 comments:
i'm going to start saying "we loved on God." that is freaking HILARIOUS.
you're right...this phrase is awful. i think it's your mission in life to guide church people in how to be cool & religious too.
maybe in the south that would sound so sweeeeet, but I feel your pain in Cali. Sounds a little condescending, but I'm sure they mean well :)
[sirens!]
Rollerskater, I gotta be fair, you said "religious!"
(I'm laughing while I'm typing this)
"Religious" means "wacko/irrational." It shouldn't y'know? But it does. Like how calling someone Oriental shouldn't be insulting, but it picked up a negative connotation somewhere along the way.
Also in the same category "born again" to refer to Christians. I mean, I'm not gonna get mad if someone calls me that, but it's like saying "they turned into a nutcase."
This is where the concept came from:
"Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.[a]"
4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You[c] must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
(Book of John Chapter 3)
I should probably make this it's own post, but oops, doin' it here.
Interesting post for a couple of reasons. First "loved on" is an odd way to say what you were intending to say. Second your example used the jr. high group, any reason you chose to use them?
by no means did i try to imply that you were wacko or irrational! i hope you didn't think that. what i meant is that you're fine with just being a christian. you're not out to convert the world by being a zealot...you're just you...nice, kind, fun, sweet, etc. and in my mind, that is what MAKES you a christian.
i have to spend way too much time with mean "christians", so i just want to say bravo to you for being truly what a christian should be.
No, Randy I have no ill will for jr high church groups, or east L.A. for that matter.. ;)
I just made it up.
It makes me imagine people pawing at poor, innocent children who just really would prefer to wave from a polite distance.
I've not heard that term here in The South. Thank heavens.
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