Because there was a bit of a dust-up this weekend over the, um, linguistic content of this blog, I wrote what I thought were my final thoughts on the subject. I have not, though, because I talked about it a bit yesterday with my wife, who's views I respect and try to emulate, but with whom I hold a fundamental disagreement on this particular issue. She has never said "Don't use bad words," but she does glance askance at me when I admit that I do, on occasion, use them. My discussion with her went like this:
"You use foul language?"
"Not usually. It does serve a good rhetorical function."
"What do you mean?"
"It's one thing to call someone a moron. But if you call them a fucking moron, you've really made your point."
Laughter from the good Reverend.
More to the point, (a) this is my blog, and I'll say and write pretty much what I want the way I want it; if your sensibilities are hurt because of it, the exit is a click away; (b) I assume that if you stick around long enough to actually read a post or two to be offended you are an adult. As an adult, regardless of how you were raised, or your own preferences, you have heard and/or seen a dirty word or two. Let us now act as adults, and stop pretending that it is somehow demeaning or distracting that, as adults, a word or two strays from our lips that is bluer than others. Seriously, if you are so put off by the occasional "fuck", "shit", "asshole", or whatever, I suggest the problem is not mine.
As a Christian, I see nothing wrong with the occasional bout of profanity. Indeed, I had a minister tell me, when I was in college, that if we have reached the point in our relationship with God that we can actually pray with profanity - in anger, frustration, grief, whatever - then we have arrived at a new depth of intimacy with God. Again, I do not advocate, and will not practice, endless profanity. I will not, however, censor myself because someone somewhere may write, "Ooo, he's a Christian and he said f--k! (or he77)" God, and I, are both bigger than that.
Because I am, as I told Neon Prime Time, a "sensitive liberal", I shall now flag, in the title, any entry that might contain a word that might cause offense or tears or eye socket flame-out.
I hope this is the last time I have to broach the subject. Can we all be grown-ups now?
Virtual Tin Cup
