For many years I have described our transition from an event-based church to a discipleship-based church as a “top-down grassroots” movement. I know “top-down grassroots” is an oxymoron, but that’s how we did it.
A recent blog by my friend, Mark, further explains what a top-down grassroots oxymoronic movement is. . .
Mark says, “An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms. . . Interestingly, the very word ‘oxymoron’ is an oxymoron itself because it comes from two Greek words: ‘oxy’ which means ‘sharp’ or ‘pointed’ and ‘moros’ which means ‘dull.’”
So, this top 10 list was inspired by (and partially stolen from) markconner.com
My Top 10 Oxymorons:
10. same difference – is it the same or is it different?
9. second best – is it 2nd or best?
8. fun run – running is never fun
7. United Nations – bureaucracy at its absolute worst
6. hip-hop music – painful
5. ill-health – first step to #4 below…
4. half-dead – “mostly dead” is the correct phrase according to the Princess Bride lexicon
3. safety hazard – the UN probably created this one
2. Microsoft Works – mac rules
1. pretty ugly – lots of that going around
***NOTE: I’M STILL A YOUNG MAN IN MY 40s (is that an oxymoron?)—AT LEAST FOR TODAY***