Open Dirty Mouth And Insert Foot
Likely, with a recent post, I have revealed more about myself than is prudent. I told you that at a moment of high anxiety, frustration, and fear, I used a curse word. It is not something of which I am proud. Neither is it a habit. Most of my life goes along without the use of such language. And I choose not to be around environments or people who regularly use curse words. Still I said it. It is just a fact. My hope is for you to understand that the recent post was not so much a defense of what came from my lips as a condemnation of what I consider to be a much worse spiritual foible- the feigning of great offense and righteous indignation at the uttering of such a word in one’s presence- regardless of the otherwise character of the person or the circumstances surrounding the expression.
But this event, and the horrified response of some who now know of my potty-mouth-moment, has caused me to do some fresh thinking about the matter of cursing. I would like to write some stuff about the subject.
*How could such a word come out of the mouth of a “man of the cloth”, and will he do it again?
*What are the differences between vulgarity, cursing, and curse words?
*Why does much of society, even non-religious society, frown on the use of such language?
*Is the use of curse words a sin?
*What does the Bible teach about the matter?
So I will use this wonderful tool of blogging to explore the subject. The intent is for the process to help clarify my understanding, and of course your considered insights will be valuable. Mostly!
Oh, and watch your language, please.
03.09.09 (4:02 pm) [
edit]
posted by:
auntconi (
reply)
post date:
03.09.09 (1:46 pm)
"My hope is for you to understand that the recent post was not so much a defense of what came from my lips as a condemnation of what I consider to be a much worse spiritual foible - the feigning of great offense and righteous indignation at the uttering of such a word in one’s presence - regardless of the otherwise character of the person or the circumstances surrounding the expression."
WOW ~ that says a lot!!!
be back later...
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
03.09.09 (1:49 pm)
Reply to: auntconi
Yeah, as I read it, it says "This long running sentence should be broken up into about three shorter ones"!
posted by:
auntconi (
reply)
post date:
03.09.09 (3:34 pm)
Reply to: PastorDave
:)
posted by:
fractalmom (
reply)
post date:
03.09.09 (5:17 pm)
i know this is hard to believe, but i um, normally do not cuss much. i used to, and occasionally revert, almost always in type, in high dugeon LOL. however, in real life I am now known to say weird things like...
pork nipples.
dirty rotten dog earred brown bottles
nigerian tea loader
stink ladles
GOD !!! Bless America (can't do better than to turn a curse into a blessing....)
You no good dog eating piece of nail studded fabric
well, anyway, you get the drift.
I think cursing is a way to express extreme frustration and, well, I get that alot actually. Not wanting to drop the f'bomb around the kids, not wanting to even let the occasional H e ** out, I had to come up with alternative and somewhat socially acceptable ones.
Good luck!!
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
03.09.09 (7:04 pm)
Reply to: fractalmom
When I was twelve and then through my early teens, I became a tennis freak. I was pretty good too, or at least good enough to play on the high school team as a seventh grader - although it was a smallish school district. In any case, for my age I could play.
The singular reason I became so enthralled with the game was the cute blond sixteen-year-old who worked for the rec department in the summers and who taught beginners tennis at the new courts at my elementary school, built, thank goodness, the summer between my fifth and sixth grade years.
I was hopelessly in love with Carol. Oh did I mention that? Her name was Carol. Beautiful, warm, loving - and so far out of my league, it wasn't funny - Carol. Watching her, as she showed us the proper techniques for ground strokes, backhands, volleys and serves, in her perfect tennis whites (we all wore tennis whites back then) - her lithe figure straining to make each shot powerful and accurate - stirred me beyond all understanding.
When she missed a shot, as she occasionally did - (after all, she was human wasn't she? No. She was an angel), her "curse" - usually used at least a couple of times a day, was an emphatic, perfectly enunciated, "Oh SUGAR!"
The way she said it, that long hair flowing; perhaps wiping a tiny bead of perspiration from her forehead with her wristband; it was hands down, the sexiest thing I'd ever heard.
posted by:
emerging (
reply)
post date:
03.09.09 (9:28 pm)
As a nursing school student, there are a great many expectations placed on me - some of which I find to be quite ridiculous and outdated (like removing my nose ring and covering the Bible verse tattoos on my wrists). Others, I completely understand, even if I don't adhere to them "religiously".
Swearing is near the top of our "Thou Shalt Not..." list. I think "thou shalt not kill" ranks just above it, but I digress. One of my favorite fellow students found a rather creative outlet - Sugar Honey Iced Tea. Yes, it is a mnemonic, but it's cute and less obvious than some.
As I understand it, the particular words you choose to utter (though George Carlin might disagree) aren't nearly as significant as the motive behind those words. By that definition, every one of us is guilty - myself included. We can justify our profane utterances any way we choose, but it's still frustration we're aiming to express verbally, if not eloquently. I've heard all of the arguments. I've even repeated some of them - smart people have enough words at their disposal that they don't need to be vulgar. Maybe it's similar to the concept of beauty. Vulgarity is in the eye (ear) of the beholder.
Regardless, I still tell my kids they need to keep the potty talk confined to the bathroom. They're much less verbose when they realize they don't have an audience. I also try to curb my own tendencies around them. I still maintain that I can't possibly be held accountable for my self-diagnosed "Auto Tourette's", though thankfully it only seems to strike when I'm out of earshot of the kids (and other drivers). Sometimes, I think all of us adults could benefit from a session of sitting in the corner with a bar of Ivory in our mouths. Now, where the f@c% are my keys??
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
03.10.09 (3:37 am)
Reply to: fractalmom
Pork nipples?
It is a way to express frustration. It seems society mostly agrees with what would not be socially acceptable words to do such. It is interesting that the same "polite" people will let slide substitute words, even though they are used for the same purpose. Is the act of cursing confined to specific words? One says dam* and is met with scowls of disapproval, but says "pork nipples" and the same listener would smile. Seems inconsistent.
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
03.10.09 (6:57 am)
Reply to: emerging
Oh yeah, you never swear outside the car. What? Am I not supposed to have a Pavlovian response whenever I hear someone say, "Hey, A**hole!" I'm well trained. I'm so used to being beckoned that way by SOMEONE in my life, I always assume they're talking to me!
posted by:
bawdy (
reply)
post date:
03.10.09 (12:56 pm)
I use curse words on occasion when I get mad, and don't frown upon those who do likewise. But I have a problem when every fifth word in everyday conversation is a cuss word. Don't beat yourself up over a rare slip of the tongue.
posted by:
fractalmom (
reply)
post date:
03.11.09 (8:13 am)
Reply to: PastorDave
it does seem a bit on the inconsistent side doesnt it. still, one does what one must to get by.
posted by:
RebeccaNelle (
reply)
post date:
03.11.09 (12:39 pm)
PD, could you give us a scripture from the Bible that condemns cursing...NOT the one about taking the Lord's name in vain, but another one? I'm not taking issue, but it is something I've often wondered about. Words are just words, after all. Winnie Scott (remember her?) used to say that one shouldn't 'cuss' all the time, but sometimes a good 'damn' is the only thing that really applies to a given situation. I myself don't like to hear it constantly, but by the same token, I'm not offended by it. As Christians, I think we need to rise above such petty concerns and put our worries where the real problems are.
posted by:
RebeccaNelle (
reply)
post date:
03.11.09 (12:42 pm)
...After all, isn't judging others and self-righteousness perhaps at least as bad as cursing?? :)
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
03.13.09 (7:37 am)
So where's the new post?
posted by:
emerging (
reply)
post date:
03.13.09 (7:58 am)
Reply to: surrogate
Did it ever occur to you that, just because you HAVE one, doesn't mean you need to BE one? ;)
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
03.13.09 (8:20 am)
Reply to: emerging
No. No it didn't.
