In a recent sermon at our church, a pastor student said to us that we are no longer able to say that Jesus will make his disciples fishers of men. Rather, she suggested, we should use the politically correct phrase fishers of people.

There is always talk of gender-inclusive language when it comes to Bible translation. But this one seems a little too far. Or it doesn’t feel right.

As I have been thinking about this, I came across other things we say that that are sexist in this way that don’t seem to bother anyone.

• Watch any detective show and without fail, the perpetrator or killer will be called he and him. Women never kill.
• Within the committees of our church, we longer say chairman but chairperson. If we were to follow that same logic, we should refer to snowmen as snowpeople.
• The other day, my family visited my mother-in-law while she was selling her home & gift products at an event. At one point, she said “… I can’t I’m manning my table.” Was she really? Shouldn’t she have said womanning?

A little absurd.