Howdy gang!
I was brainstorming parts of a book proposal on a recent train trip and need some help.
You know I’m a taken with “the language of Eden” and how it was supposed to be what flowed out of us, but instead we speak the language of Eden Lost.
In thinking of how we were supposed to speak and how we now speak, I’ve made a list of opposites. Do you think the opposites go together? And even if they go together, is there a better word or phrase that comes to mind?
Love …………… Fear (disconnection)
Faith ……………Disbelief (or disloyalty?)
Hope ……………Despair
Contentment …Discontentment
Unity……………Disunity
Blamelessly …..Blame
Belonging …….. Loneliness/isolation
Recreation……..Empty escape
Stewardship …..Living in extremes (hoarding or poverty)
************
Any I missed on my list? And as you can see, I need some help with the first two and any others that you can!
Thanks, Amy :)
Amy
Hey Amy, what about disengagement for the opposite of love? Or maybe even apathy? Those are both more on the disconnection side of things than fear, so maybe not exactly what you’re going for. Also, for recreation, maybe “empty escape” could be simplified down to “distraction”? That’s how I think of my own non-recreative attempts at recreation…
Perhaps faith….distrust? And Joy….apathy/futility?
I know “perfect love casts out fear,” but maybe indifference for love? Maybe acceptance would be the opposite of fear? Indulgence also comes to mind for an opposite of recreation. You know you’re going to have me thinking about opposites all day. Hope you’re happy! haha :0)
peace . . . anxiety
peace . . . stress
trust . . . worry
joy . . . depression
celebration . . . grief
pride/esteem . . . shame/embarrassment
generosity . . . greed
Hope these help :) Much love!
I’m thinking apathy for fear. Faith and unbelief, I think…I’m still thinking… :)
Insecurity the opposite of love if you are thinking of it in the “being” sense. Feeling loved is knowing security, and showing love gives security. How about the opposite of faith is distrust? When we trust Him and other people we believe they are who they say they are and will do what they say they will do. Would you go all the way to covetousness as the opposite of contentment? It certainly seems inevitable, but it doesn’t start with a “D” :o)
Great list to think about… what patterns am I following more?
What about joy? I know “contentment” is on the list, but “joy” seems even more superlative. Maybe disgruntled or unsatisfied for its opposite?
Ooh, and in honor of David (and the Macarena), what about dancing? Perhaps that’s stretching a bit too far, but I am sure that pre-fall Eve danced like no one was watching to praise the Father. Maybe rejoicing is really what I mean. I’m not sure how you would label its opposite… stubbed toe? :) Maybe shame?
These came to mind immediately:
Acceptance and rejection
Forgiveness and judgement
still thinking…..
Elation – indifference
Maybe acceptance and alienation? Respect and abuse or maybe use? Edify and belittle or build up and tear down. Bless and curse. Freedom and bondage. Purity and corruption. Sacrificially and manipulation. Maybe I’m getting off the topic of how we were meant to speak and how we do speak.
I’ve always thought the opposite of love as apathy.
Love – Pride
Faith – Misunderstanding
Hope – Suicide
Contentment – Puzzled
Unity – Discord
Blamelessly – Unforgiveness
Belong – renegade
Recreate – bored
Stewardship – unresponsible
These comments are so helpful! Thanks! Keep ’em coming :). Full of gratitude!
This really has me thinking. Language is so complex. Especially the language of emotions. I wonder what personal experiences makes one of us choose one word as an opposite and another person chooses a different word. Is the complexity a result of the fall or does it reflect the unfathomableness of God or the diversity of each of us as His creation?
Another pair: purpose and futility
peace……anxiety, althought contentment and anxiety may be opposites for me.
solitude……chaos
Thanks for asking.
One that jumped out at me is faith. I think that a good working opposite for it is “uncertainty” or perhaps “mistrust.” If I have a lack of faith in someone, it means I am uncertain of what they are going to do or I don’t trust how they will act towards me. If I have faith in a person, I know that I can be certain of him or her, I can trust him or her. I can see where “disloyalty” is coming from in this sense, but with the language of it, I like the idea of doubt, uncertainty and lack of trust. I as thinking of the Latin root of “fidelis” and “fidelity” — that is another slant. So perhaps faith vs. infidelity? (Again, I see the disloyal slant there!)
I love the “love vs fear” pairing. That one is so very true, I think.
Maybe with “blamelessly” the opposite is “shamefully”? I was trying to reach for an adverb+adverb instead of adverb+noun combination. As in: if I were making up a word “blamefully” what is that word, really? (lol) Blamelessly could also be ” exemplary” (adj) or “virtuously” and adverb opposites of those are erring (adj)/wickedly…
Are you wanting to stick with all nouns, verbs, adverbs? All of them are nouns, except for “blamelessly,” so perhaps change that one to a noun form? Virtue versus Dishonor?
Interesting stuff, chick! ;-)
xx
Karin
unity…. discord? (if you didn’t want to use ‘unity’ in the opposite word again)
recreation…. can it also be coupled w/ workaholism?
stewardship…. could waste also be here?
just snacks for thought (not worthy of ‘food’ =)
Me again.
God-exalting and self-exalting
purity and corruption
purposefully and futilely
restorative and destructive
with abandon and with reservation
extravagantly and sparingly
freedom and obligation
sincerity and deception
peace and chaos
stewardship and excess
submission and superiority
Sorry for repeating myself.
insight and ignorance
Joy ……………Despair
Hope………….Hopelessness
praise………..provacative display
satisfaction…..greed
acceptance……insecurity
love……..lonliness
The opposite of fear….. COUR GE =)