Swearing or not.

I apologize for my "holier than thou" comment.

I have made what I thought were several thoughtful and learned contributions to this thread, not in defense of swearing, but to question the moral precepts that even define swearing, much less apply moral sanctions against it. No one has responded on any type of intellectual level. All that has happened is I've been attacked for been anti-Christian.

What really ticked me off just before I issued my "holier than thou" jab, was that I was red repped by someone who simply said "I disagree" and neither had the intellect to say why or on what basis, nor had the good manners to sign their negative rep.

 

Yeah, imagine that.

It's amazing how shocking it can be on the internet. So many cultures and religions and traditions that differ.

And then people judge you for it like their way is the only way. Go Figure!

We have created a pretty pussy world when one can't speak their mind and has to go along with the crowd for fear of offending another. If their way is so great, their faith should carry them securely when they encounter negativity and also prevent them from taking a jab back. So much hypocracy!

 

More on why I don't buy this "swearing is offensive" arguement.

I'm a strong believer that what offends one is a function of their cultural and environment. As we have already pretty well established there is no direct biblical definition of swearing in general and list of swear words in particular so the Christian support for non swearing grows out of the Christian culture not the biblical teachings.

Now let me give a couple of examples of the relativeness and existential nature of what is considered to be offensive. My Grandmother was born in England and her given name was Frances. Now in North America a common nick name for Frances is Fanny -- as in Fanny Brice. However this name offended my Grandmother, because in England, at least during her years growing up in England, the word fanny was not simply one of several words that referred to the buttocks, but apparently referred to the female genitalia. So the "coarse language", "bad manners", "insensitive" nature of that word was 100% cultural. It had nothing to do with morals or ethics or Christian doctrine.

Another example comes from a Jamacian friend of mine who I meet during University. We happened to be dating sisters during one of our summer breaks and he had told me that there was a Jamacian term for the same bodily regions as I spoke about in the paragraph above relative to "fanny" and the word was something like "boti". Of course this was totally non offensive to me and the next time my friend and I were together with the two sisters I told them about this word.

My Jamacian friend was embarrassed and appalled. Apparently the word had a very coarse and vulgar connotation in Jamacia, which was of course strictly cultural, but was so culturally ingrained in my friend that he would never have repeated it in mixed company.

So I have a problem with anyone who tries to apply moral absolutes about something which is so obviously culturally dependent.

 

I think Audrey's point was that she wasn't trying to impose her views on anyone else... she was merely stating her opinion. And for that, she was (like you, compar) red repped by probably the same person with an "I disagree" comment.

Why that individual couldn't simply have posted "I disagree" here in the thread is another question, of course...

 

I was the one who red repped her and I did it because I thought she had red repped me. I regret having done that. It was childish and impetuous.

The next time I'm allowed to give her more rep I'll green rep her to cancel it out.

BTW Minstrel how do you know she was red repped?

 

She made reference to it in another thread... the one called "Reputation?", I believe...

I have to say (although I've bitten my tongue a couple of times previously and inhibited the impulse) that this thread was a pretty trivial, even dumb one from the start. I'm amazed it's gone 11 pages... and even more amazed that people have become as upset about the issue as some apparently are...

 

*noppid passes out flame proof suits.

 

Well I think it is "dumb" for all the reasons that I've stated about swearing not being a moral or ethical issue. But from the point of view of apparently intelligent people making a moral issue out of it the thread is no longer trivial. It is a sad statement of our human condition, or maybe the US Christain condition, that people can major on such minors.

 

Thanks, Brother Nop.

That may save some epidermis in the coming days...

 

NP my friend. The least I can do.

I've never understood, even if I disagree with someone or agree, but especially when I disagree, why it matters so much? Why is it worth getting upset and still being a hot button the next day?

Cause people I gotta tell ya, when it comes to some of this stuff, I type cause I'm here. I could and do very often just disaprear in these type converstaions. Once my butt, see, now let's see who that offends , gets up off this chair, the internet is forgotten.

I'll argue if I'm here, but I hardly ever take it with me. However, if it affects my income. I may park my butt a few minutes more and have some passion.

I won't even get into how I think there are internet personalities and that in real life, most folks won't be what you expect. That's another thread.

Cheers

 

AAAAGGHHH!!! He said "b***"!

AAAAGGHHH!!! He said "b***" again! And this time he also said "p***ion"!

 

Gotta love the rightous..."They stick it in your face and let you smell what they consider wrong".

Hey man, nice shot.

 

On the subject of Butt, here is the approximate continuum of terms for that part of one's anatomy. Maybe the people who are so offended by "swearing" and "coarse language" can tell us where on this continuum we go from acceptable to offensive.

bottom
bum
fanny
rear end
derriere
butt
arse
ass

I may have missed some and not everyone will agree with the exact order, but I'd like to know where the almight steps in and declares that Christians should never say that word. I would like to know where the Editor who has never sworn in her entire life draws the line. Which words, in her now famous high school reading, would she have read and which words would have never issue from her saintly mouth?

 

OMG, I am so slow on the Passion thing! Went right over my head!

 

Geeze, Bob, what the hell did you eat tonight?

All the woman said was that she didn't swear. I don't see where she said that you shouldn't.

If you've never before run into someone who didn't swear, you must have led a sheltered life... or a decidedly unsheltered one perhaps.

Give her a break. Surely you are not now trying to argue that everyone should start saying "good fucking morning" to every one they meet... are you?

Live and let live...

 

That's one of those unfortunate side-effects of aging for some people, noppid...

Well, not me of course

 

We need a popcorn emoticon for us spectators.

 

<= this one looks a BIT like popcorn... the pink kind you get at county fairs sometimes...

 

IMO swearing is a load of pulses floating through the air, why the fuck would i get upset by a vibration through the air???

 

Come on Minnie, that certainly is the implication. "I did this wonderful thing and anybody who swears is inferior to me". All I've ever asked in this thread is for someone to tell me what is swearing?

I know people who rarely or possibly never swear, but they don't stick in people's faces all the time.

I don't think we need to worry. In another thread she seemed to have come to the decision that this forum was beneath her dignity and that she would not continue.

How can you possibly conclude that from what I've written in this thread? My language and elocution has been above reproach. I'm not asking anyone to swear. I'm simply questioning how ludicrious it is to be offended by "ass" but not "bottom".

I might offer you the same advice, only in this case it pertains to the constant criticism and put down you practice of almost everything I write or say.