Thursday, 26 June 2008

  • What the bleep?

    mr pine by mr. pine

    "What the...."

    Which word you insert after those two words?  I usually say "freak" when I'm around people who've never heard me curse, but lately I've been using the word "crap" for some unknown reason.  What's bad is when I get caught in between the two and wind up saying, "What the frap!!" - like I got the wrong order at Starbucks or something.  I have a friend who used to combine "What the Hell!" with "Holy Cow!" to make the less offensive combination of "What the Cow!"  But there was a time in my life where I would have used the full-blown, high-octane words there without even a second thought.

    I've been thinking about this lately because this past Friday at work, the 'sh** hit the fan' with one of the projects and there was a possibility we might lose a very lucrative contract.  When people were calling me asking for an explanation, the simplest thing I could think of to say was... "the sh** hit the fan"... but I wanted to not be rude, so I'd say... "the crap hit the fan."  But I felt that these words fell short of describing the situation to the fullest extent.  So as the day progressed and ran deep into the night, my words migrated over to the the more profane words.  It just seemed more appropriate.bleep

    What's funny is that the day started with my father asking me to call a man with whom he had been arguing over not delivering something he bought from him on eBay.  My father had tried to talk with him the previous day but didn't get far because of the language barrier.  As the debate got heated he described the guy as being verbally abusive to him.  I believe my dad's words were, "He kept saying to me f***, f***, f***, f***!!!"  At first, the sound of my father trying to curse in his Korean accent was just too funny, but then I started getting a little angry that someone could be so disrespectful to him.

    So why do some of us curse?  Some people say that it just feels good.  I remember seeing something on TV where they actually took brain scans of people who were subjected to hearing a series of words with curses peppered among them.  They said that the curse words triggered a different part of their brain that was more associated with emotions and primal instincts.  I believe it.  I know that there is a bit of a mental jerk when I hear someone curse... especially someone I don't expect to hear that from.

    So what's so bad about cursing?  Aren't curses just words?  I'm not sure.  I think that people curse to elicit an emotional response.  So in a way, it's a little manipulative.  I know that when I do it, it's to add a little emphasis to it without having to use too many extra words.  But is it beneficial in the long run?  Is God glorified by it?  Obviously not.  In fact, Colossians 4:5,6 it says, Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.  Now, note here that it doesn't say "act fake or holier-than-thou with your words" or to "clean up your words so that people will know you have a pure heart."  It's not prohibitive.  It's proactive.  What it's saying is that you should be so busy blessing people with your words (and the Good News) that there's no room for the other stuff.  But if in your heart you wish harm on others or disdain them, the words you do or don't say are the least of your worries.

    Do your curse when you speak? Does it bother you when other people curse?

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Comments (63)

  • CancerAbuse@xanga

    I curse when injustice is happening to all Earthlings.. especially the Wolves.. and no it does not bother me that others do so... its an expression.. and sometimes it is deeply felt.. and somehow one has to release that energy within.. and sometimes that energy is negative.. and it is negative because of a deeply felt injustice.. negative energy is already set into emotions.. spirit.. and therefore a release needs to happen.. and it comes out.. there is a lot of cruelty in this world.. and a lot of injustice being served daily.. no matter what path one is on...
  • KechiNeko244@xanga

    I don't curse, and I don't like cursing. I know people who will drop f-bombs in any situation that is remotely stressful. I don't undertand it, because it's not like it solves anything. I find cursing to just be immature and unimaginative, and I let people know that I'm not imressed by it. I remember when my younger brother started cursing because he thought he could shock us. I told him to come back when he had thought of something more creative! For myself, I use "crap" or "son of a monkey" or "fudgesickle" when I'm frustrated.


    I guess I'm so used to hearing it that it doesn't offend me all the time, but it does offend me when people use Jesus's name as a curse, or when they say God d***.

  • WordFlyerJosh@xanga

    I don't curse, but it rarely bothers me when others do. People should learn to understand the difference between vulgar and obscene language and profanity. Profanity is taking what is holy and making it less - thus, G*dd*** is profane... using Jesus as a curse is profane.... the d*** by itself may or may not be... it's situationally specific....

    Vulgar or obscene language, however, is culturally relative. Things like @$$ or f***.... It's not a moral issue in itself... it's not truly a moral issue on it's own, but whether it is appropriate is the question. Should Christian's use such words? Well, it won't send them to Hell.. that's for sure, but does it live out Ephesians 4:12?

    One more thing to consider is whether you are attacking another person with the words you are using... "Go **** yourself, *****" is obviously worse than "What the ****?

    I think I'm going to write a post on this soon...
  • quiet_strength

    I was thinking about the verses in James about taming the tongue, where it says, "Out of the same mouth comes blessing and curses...my brothers, this should not be so." I realize that here he is probably referring to what we speak over people, but I think obviously there is something to this issue if whenever people curse even in passing it hurts and offends some people.

  • mikare@xanga

    Usually, if I do use that phrase I say "What the heck!" but occasionally I slip up - rarely. But I can understand how "crap" just doesn't work the same as "sh**". I think it's from listening to other people curse and swear so much. It has the same feeling, but that emphasis just isn't there. And like the phrase you were using... Face it. It just sounds rather funny like that.


    As for other people cursing... Yes and no. It really bothers me when people use the f-word like every 2 or 3 words into their sentences... Like those "What the F-?! Those F-ing b--tards are just so F-ing stupid I could F-ing... blah blah." You get my drift. I just don't understand how people can use it in an everyday type conversation. But if it's the odd occasional use, it's not as bad. I don't like it, but it doesn't get on my nerves AS much.
  • drama_momma

    When I get angry I tend to let some inappropriate word slip. When my son (4) hears he is sure to remind me that, "Jesus does NOT like it and that I need to say sorry". It's cute but also a reminder to consider those that don't want to hear it.


     As for hearing other swear and cuss, it sounds rather childish to me..... 
  • WordFlyerJosh@xanga

    Also... "feces hit the fan" sounds way cooler. It's alliterated and more accurate.
  • death_by_chocolat@xanga

    I guess I find it more funny that anything....  When people use curse words in stressful situations, occasionally it is understandable, because saying them does relieve a lot of stress (for me, at least- if 'fudgesickle' is allowable as a way to vent anger, then why not the f bomb?)  I'm not really sure as to how I stand on this issue.  I have a couple friends who use curse words in primarily humorous ways, and man, it can be really funny.  I guess the real problem goes back to "Is this honoring God?" not "Can I biblically get away with this?"
  • shanella

    I say what the heck ... or freak. I don't curse when I speak though I think I use the word "bloody" a lot and I found out that that is a a swear in England, so maybe I do curse, yet for some reason the world "bloody" really amuses me.

    I try not to curse because I was always taught that "cussin only shows how uneducated you really are because of your limited use of the English language". I also try not to because as a PK I don't want people thinking my dad is a bad father and thus a bad preacher (people think a lot of weird things!!!!). Above all though, I try not to curse because I don't think it reflects well on me as a christian.

  • shanella

    @WordFlyerJosh@xanga - lol i like that one or "oh excretes!"
  • TiRocKiinPiinK@xanga

    I don't curse,I said my first & only curse word around 8 when mocking my mother and she smacked the mess out of me. I was the only one in my family going to church faithfully and I just learned not to curse. It doesn't do anything for me. I say "Well this just sucks duck butt" It doesn't bother me too much when others curse, but I don't like hearing the f bomb AT ALL. It just seems so harsh.
  • haemina@xanga

    @shanella - haha yeah, "bloody" is pretty bad in the UK, but it sounds funny to us Americans.


    in general, i try not to curse, but certain things do trigger it in me (office stress, bad driving, my dad).  i'm more careful around people i know it will offend, but honestly, it feels good to do it sometimes.  i don't think it's the actual cursing that is so bad, but the trigger/underlying feeling.  it's usually because i'm angry - and that's ok - but what am i doing to deal with the anger? cursing and feeling bitter? or giving it to God and really figuring out the source in order to overcome it?


    unfortunately, it's very rarely the latter...
  • breakingthesilence08@xanga

    Well, normally, I don't curse but lately my language has become more colorful that I would like it to be and I have been under some major conviction there. 


    Does it offend me when other people curse?  This is probably bad to say but it depends on who it is and what they are saying...
  • wherestherum_17@xanga

    I find myself cursing a lot, mostly around people I'm at least conmfortable taling to, and I feel more comfortable with people who curse than those who say "heck" all the time. I've never seen a problem with profanity, and I've never gotten what makes a word so bad in the first place.
  • le_meme_chose

    i try not to swear because i think it sounds kind of unintelligent. anyway, sometimes it seems that there are certain situations in which nothing will suffice except a cussword. similar to your example, i think saying, "poop hit the fan" would sound funny. no excuses, cussing shouldn't happen, but at the same time, if i could think of a better word, i'd have used it.

  • MoBunshin@xanga

    I know a lot of people who DO NOT like cussing/cursing in any way (and trust me, that even means saying the word butt. o-o;) so I avoid that. But I won't completely adjust it. And I only cuss if I am by myself or really angry. What's funny about this is that this week I have been thinking about that more (a friend of mine came over for a week and she cusses. Her excuse is that she's chinese and they cuss a lot over there but it isn't a problem so she thought that naturally it would be the same here...?) and I just posted a comment on TheTheologiansCafe saying WTH, only spelled out. :P I was really angry.


    I will absolutely never say F*** or D***. I find that the f-word is very very vulgar, if you know where the history of the word and it's origin, and the Bible says to not damn someone, so I won't say it. o-o; My job as a christian is to lead them away from damnation. xD


    I don't think you should cuss for the sake of cussing, but you shouldn't feel bad doing it anyways. For some reason the culture here has developed this weird thing for cussing. o_o I don't really know why, but hey. Individual rights, yo. B)
  • Elly_Merbobber_La_Dorko

    most of the time i don't but every one i a while one will slip and theni feel pretty bad about it as for hearing it it will usually bother me but with some poeple it just doesnt because i expect it from them 
  • alynn89@xanga

    i curse in my head sometimes.. i try not to out loud, mainly because the bible (in philippians or ephesians maybe...) says to avoid outbursts of anger. which includes yelling "dang it!" or "crap", too.. i think. it's not about the words, it's the attitude
  • alisaleanne@xanga

    When my emotions get ahead of me, I do have a tendency to curse. It is something that has been a struggle to me and progress to stop is pretty slow. After a person hears something so negative repeatedly, I believe that they will inevitably end up saying those things themselves.

    Profanity in itself doesn't bother me as a whole, but it does bother me when hearing it from someone who I least expect it. My mother, for instance, has been one who has helped me the most with acting "more like a lady", if you will. The other day she went on a rant so vulgar, I had to do a double take on the entire situation.

    Everyone will curse at some point in their life. I think it's most important to be able to realize that it isn't attractive and it does tend to make others extremely uncomfortable.

  • Romans_837@xanga

    More than I should, but I try not to in church or in front of my children (4,5,6,8)
    (Although, my by-myself 40 mile commute between work and home are sometimes peppered with profanity with me swearing at the issues in my life.  Or an intersection that's taking forever for a left hand turn. Or gas prices.)
  • hubbaduh@xanga

    I'm surprised that something that markets itself as overtly Christian would use language like this.


    To often it seems like these "revelife" posts are all about being non-confrontational with non-Christians...it's like you guys want to to try to be "hip and cool" to relate to non-Christians instead of simply telling the truth.  I'm not saying that I'm some "perfect Christian," but it just seems like if you're going to make such a huge deal about being a Christian thing, that your posts shouldn't be poking fun at Christianity (which many do).  Just my two cents.
  • mileyfan08@xanga

    Finally, someone who didn't use that verse to say "You should never say those words because they are bad and God forbid us from saying those, so we should use other words in place of them." I agree, sometimes it is better to clean it up in certain settings, but they really are just words. It's the thought you have behind them that are bad, not necessarily the words themselves.

    And, for the record, my YP uses the word "crap" at church and in his sermons, and it never bothers me because it's not used in a mean-spirited way.
  • perDeus

    "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." --Eph. 4:29
    "...Bless, and do not curse." --Rom. 12:14
    based on these verses, we are not to speak "corrupt"ly, and we are not to curse.  so when we do curse... well, that's a sin, isn't it?


    so yeah, it definitely bothers me when other people curse, and 99.9% of the time i don't curse. (that .1%, well... im not perfect haha; praise God that He forgives!)
  • beachblondie711@xanga

    I "curse". I never got why it was called that. They are just words. They don't have meaning or power until you give it to them. Some words are labeled as offensive and I'm not sure why, unless it is used as a personal attack. Then again, ANY words used in a personal attack would be considered offensive.


    Of course, I too have my boundaries. There are definitely things I won't say. And there is a time and a place for it... and for it's exclusion.
  • abhorrentphantasm@xanga

    As I've gotten older and met more people, my language has become more colourful. When I curse, it's usually because I can't think of anything that would better describe the situation. Like our Mayor. He's nosy and keeps whining about our dog and the chopped up tree in our ditch that the county should have taken care of, seeing as how it fell alongside an electric pole. However, whining is not the best term to describe the situation with -- I'm sure you can guess what is.

    Cursing is something that is actually kind of pushed out there today -- some words have even slipped into PG movies. Like Madagascar, when they spell HELP. Part of the P falls down. I was always taught that hell was a bad word, but Hell wasn't.

    If I get frustrated, cursing tends to help lower it. I don't know why. Maybe it's just the vicious sounds the words tend to have, or the fact that they seem to be "forbidden" words. Either way,  I don't see them as anything more than that. Everyone I know curses -- even the pastor's daughter. It's just part of my every day life.

    I don't believe in overusing the word, though. Saying it just for the heck of it really gets annoying. If you get what I mean.

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    • From: revelife
    • Posted: 6/26/2008 10:51 AM

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