SOP wrote: when the person next to me insists on shouting out 'inclusive' words to replace 'He' and 'Him'
Don't tell me SOP, let me guess, there's a good chance she's a member of a religious order.....
........ but does what she shouts out make sense? Is it elegant English? Is it de fide?
...................................................................
Deus nobiscum, quis contra?
Ah Presbyter, you obviously know exactly what I mean!
No, quite often it does not make sense. The prayer can begin with or include "Lord ..."" but said person will then refuse to use he or him later in the same prayer.
What are they going to do if ever we start to use inclusive language? They seem to have become used to changing words to suit themselves - I imagine it has now become a 'habit'.
At times I get the feeling that in some places inclusive language is used instead of making the women of the parish feel fully included. I don't care that men, brethren etc are used as long as I feel a fully valued part of the community. Before using humankind etc (or even instead of using it) make sure you have no restrictions on what lay women can do. There are places where it seems that only men can take up the collection, men are chosen in preference to women as Ministers of the Eucharist and only a man can be the chairman of the Parish Council. This is not my own Parish I hasten to add. Here you're just as likely (if not more likely) to find a woman do any task that is required.
you don't mean the Lord is reduced to being an "it"