U2 and profanity

[Thunder Peel]

If I change the popular profane phrase to "futhermucker" and use it all the time in the exact same context the original is used in, then does that become profanity for me?

My sense is that while there's nothing inherently profane about most profanity (with the exception of using the Lord's name in vain), using it in certain situations does violate societal conventions in ways that will be damaging to the offender. You're not going to get that desk job if you drop f-bombs in your interview, is what I'm saying.

The only profanity that I really don't like is using the Lord's name in vain. While I'm not a fan of swearing in general, I'm typically not bothered by it as long as God's name isn't brought into it. That's the only one I have really strong feelings about.

[Theophilus]

I had a kind of epiphany today on this subject as I was out walking in my neighborhood. At one point I wound up walking towards an older black man on the sidewalk, just about the time I was going to walk on the grass for a bit (as I think it provides a better work out for your leg muscles). But I quickly realized the impression that might give this man - he might think I was trying to avoid him because of his race. So, while it would have not been a sin (per se) to walk on the grass, I continued walking on the sidewalk and smiled at the man as I passed him.

The moral is this I think: even if you do not (like me) regard various words as being "filthy" (Ephesians 5:4) or "shameful" (Colossians 3:, then perhaps you still ought to regard their use in the presence of those who might be offended in the same way Paul regarded eating meat sacrificed to idols (1 Corinthians 10). Some year ago my wife and I led a Bible study group that had a reformed alcoholic in it. I never believed it a sin to drink alcohol in moderation, but we would hide any wine we had whenever Steve came over so as not to make him stumble.     

[Starman]

The only profanity that I really don't like is using the Lord's name in vain. While I'm not a fan of swearing in general, I'm typically not bothered by it as long as God's name isn't brought into it. That's the only one I have really strong feelings about.

Yeah I have a teacher who is a Chaplin in the army and he would rather hear the f word than hear a swear word or term that uses the Lord's name in vain.

[Tumbling Dice]

What about when chicks say "Oh My God" when they see a pair of shoes to die for?

[JTBaby]

Question for the christians : When your SO screams "oh god" when you're getting it on, is it a buzzkill ?

[Theophilus]

Question for the christians : When your SO screams "oh god" when you're getting it on, is it a buzzkill ?

And "How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?" (Proverbs 1:22)

[JTBaby]

So is that a yes or a no ?

[Theophilus]

So is that a yes or a no ?

Ask God when you meet Him.

[JTBaby]

So is that a yes or a no ?

Ask God when you meet Him.

[StickOnTattoos]

Faulty, ridiculous, popular saying among christians, worthy of condemning:
Love the sinner, hate the sin

Functional christian saying:

Love the sinner, hate your own sin.

[JTBaby]

Faulty, ridiculous, popular saying among christians, worthy of condemning:
Love the sinner, hate the sin

Functional christian saying:

Love the sinner, hate your own sin.

Yeah I always find it amusing when "christians" condemn Bono for smoking/drinking/swearing without the slightest hint of irony.

[Droo]

Looks like it's been an interesting few days in this thread.

The suggestion that one needs religion to explain why I shouldn't grab an axe and murder my neighbours is a bit of a head-scratcher in how far it misses the point. Whether there's a God or not should make no difference when it comes to something like that. My neighbours (and all humans at that) are thinking, feeling creatures capable of experiencing pain, suffering, and sorrow. I have a deep empathy for other human beings that isn't tethered or generated by a belief in a god, but in legitimately finding the implication of suffering on another person to be a reprehensible thing. It is inherently an evil thing to do.

There is an evolutionary basis for us to have developed empathy and caring for each other. If everyone was running around hurting and killing each other, our entire species would suffer. Collaboration and peaceful coexistence is vital to the establishing of a society. Chaos and war is bad for everyone. Look at the state of the Middle East.

As for the use of foul language, I curse like a sailor. I'm pretty notorious amongst people I know for having an incredibly filthy sense of humour. I also enjoy getting rip roaring drunk from time to time. Nevertheless, I conduct myself otherwise in a way that I consider to be relatively "moral", for lack of a better word.

If there is a God (and I'm inclined to believe there is some kind of force out there beyond just us and random chance), I find it difficult to conceive of it being concerned with my common dropping of F-bombs and lewd punchlines when there are other people out there raping, murdering, stealing, and generally making the lives of those they come into contact with miserable.

[Theophilus]

Yeah I always find it amusing when "christians" condemn Bono for smoking/drinking/swearing without the slightest hint of irony.

I find it both amusing and ironic when "atheists" and "agnostics" apply their acquired anecdotal understanding of Christianity or paraphrased passages of Scripture to situations when they know next to nothing about the Bible or Christianity. Kind of like a housewife talking about what it is like being a linebacker. Oh that they had better powers of discrimination - or any at all.

[JTBaby]

It doesn't take a religious scholar to know everyone sins. Maybe worry about your own sins rather than Bonos ?

[Theophilus]

I have a deep empathy for other human beings that isn't tethered or generated by a belief in a god, but in legitimately finding the implication of suffering on another person to be a reprehensible thing. It is inherently an evil thing to do.

I think you are going to need to bring a little more to the table than unfounded assertions. It is not "inherently evil" in a godless, evolutionary world for a lion to maul and brutally kill an antelope and it therefore cannot be so with humans, since they too are animals in such a world. It's is amazing to see people blithely assume things for homo sapiens they do not assume for other species without any real justification. 

There is an evolutionary basis for us to have developed empathy and caring for each other. If everyone was running around hurting and killing each other, our entire species would suffer. Collaboration and peaceful coexistence is vital to the establishing of a society. Chaos and war is bad for everyone. Look at the state of the Middle East.

And this statement is exhibit A for my claim. Why, pray tell, does this not apply to the animal world? Please...please try to claim other species do not kill each other. 

As for the use of fowl language, I curse like a sailor. I'm pretty notorious amongst people I know for having an incredibly filthy sense of humour. I also enjoy getting rip roaring drunk from time to time. Nevertheless, I conduct myself otherwise in a way that I consider to be relatively "moral", for lack of a better word.

I think you mean "foul" language (unless you like talking about birds).

If there is a God (and I'm inclined to believe there is some kind of force out there beyond just us and random chance), I find it difficult to conceive of it being concerned with my common dropping of F-bombs and lewd punchlines when there are other people out there raping, murdering, stealing, and generally making the lives of those they come into contact with miserable.

First of all, if you were dropping "F-bombs" and making "lewd" jokes in front of little children, then you and I would get into it. Secondly, from all I can tell, God is concerned with all bad behavior and not just the list you've formulated to conveniently exempt yourself from blame.