So I was at my Aunt's the other day having dinner, playing cards etc etc since another Aunt was in from Edmonton visiting.
My little cousin was of course winning every hand and hoarding all the money, so my very lady-like response was "Jesus Christ Cousin! Will you bet something so we have a chance to win?"
There was a stunned silence, and even I realized that I perhaps could have admonished my 14 year old cousin a bit more gently. Anyhow, it was awkward for a few second, then we moved on.
Later on someone said something to which I responded "Jesus!" And my Aunts jumped all over me for it.
Now before all my readers jump all over me too, I realize that this is inappropriate. I have trained myself out of saying "Oh My God" etc because my father and step-sisters have asked me to. I am in no way advocating taking the Lord's name in vain. Not the point of this post.
My question is about the later part of the evening when my Aunts were playing Rock Star and dropping F-bombs all over the place. I had left by this point, but another out of town cousin pointed it out.
In general I don't swear. And if I do, it's to prove a point and I hear myself saying it. That's the difference I think. I don't hear myself saying "Jesus!" like I should. And because of that very fact, I have decided to make a concentrated effort to change this behaviour.
I do hate it when I'm around people and they're constantly swearing. To be honest I think it makes the person in question sound less intelligent. There are a million words in the English Language- could you not choose another one that isn't so offensive?
Do I say this aloud? For the most part no. At my old job I used to share an office with 3 men, and I would give them a hard time about it occasionally, but it became kind of a joke. I am a goody-goody, but I am not so ridiculous about it that I'm going to skip about scolding people for their coarse language. It's life-I can deal with it.
But my question to you, my darling readers is this: what do you think is worse? Blasphemy or profanity? Is one worse or are they equally bad? Or are people in general just too uptight?
I do have a poll (that looks wonky, I love this new layout but it makes all my "gadgets" a bit askew) on the side over there, but I would really like to hear some opinions on "why" people feel the way they do on the topic.
xoxo
Friday, September 26, 2008
OMFG!!
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19 comments:
I vote for people are too uptight. These are ancient words and expressions. People have been using them a long time and they're going to keep using them. Why upset yourself over something like that?
I voted for blasphemy but not because I am judging you. I have a foul mouth, unfortunately. But I have almost trained myself never to say "Jesus Christ!" or G-damn. It's my own personal belief though and other people should just chill out about that stuff.
Oh crap, Im one of your friends that swears alot.. oops
Im smrt really me am...
I find it interesting about the whole blasphemy thing, I mean I only really ever do it when Im um well... you know. wink wink.
See you on Sat!!!
NIck
I swear like a trucker when I'm upset, or I can't find a better word to express myself. Having a child around (and a foul language jar) has trained me well though. An interesting note about our 'swear' jar, is that we have to pay in for both profanity, and blasphemy equally.
Honestly though, unless you're crazy religious, I don't see how one is worse, or better than the other.
Ok I can swear like a sailor when I want to (In my defense I have 3 brothers, and have lived with 5 men) but I too tend to be a bit of a goody. I replace words with Frig ALOT, but when I do swear sometimes it just feels so good.
It sometimes bothers me when I hear them say Oh my god out loud. Not sure why...
I'm a dreadful woman.
I swear... although not as much as I did last year. Last year was bad. The moment I was out of the classroom I was dropping f-bombs all over the place. This year I'm living in close proximity to my mum, who is absolutely opposed to that word.
I blaspheme... I'm really aware of it this semester as I'm at a Seventh Day Adventist school and the kids look at me a bit funny every time an "Oh my Lord" or a "Dear God" slips out... which is way more than I realised.
But the thing is... I don't feel like I'm saying any thing bad when I do this... just don't ask me to use the c-word.
Sometimes you just gotta say what you gotta say. I try to keep both in check, but there are times when they are flung about.
I'm trying to replace "Jesus Christ" with "Cheese and rice." The husband was driving with me the other day and something with another driver occurred and I said, "cheese and rice!" The husband calmly turned his head to me and with a quizzical look asked me what I just said. He started laughing after I told him.
I will say that I never, ever say "G-d*mmit". I think we ought to not damn Him.
I have almost completely stopped using the "f-bomb", but I do fully believe it has its place in the English language. So, it's not quite gone.
I say "sh*t" a lot more than I should. And "a**".
I feel bad now. I think I'm hopeless. . . .
Meh. Neither really offends me. I use both plenty in my blog.
That said, I do try and be a bit judicious, because I agree that it can make someone sound ignorant if their language uses f-bombs in every other word.
I don't like when people blaspheme or swear around my kids. Other than that if it is all adults around it doesn't bother me. I think it shows a limited vocabulary and a lazy brain though if every sentence is littered with that stuff.
Wendy- I'm liking where you're head's at...
Hilly- I'm not hurt by it, I know it's a bad habit I need to get out of!
Anon- you're not nearly as bad as you think...
Shana- maybe I should start a blasphemy jar...
Random- Oddly I've never needed to replace the words much- I either say them intentionally, or I don't say them at all. (Swears anyhow)
MissE- I think most women are unanimous in our hatred of the c-word.
Jen- it always cracks me up whenever I hear someone say "Cheese and Rice" :P
Galoshes- I never really considered your blog that profane...perhaps I should start re-reading it...
James- it's because of the little ones in the family that I've really tried to clean up the blasphemy as much as possible...
I'm thinking profanity... it refers to something a heck of a lot cruder, in my book!
Jesus lady! I mean come on. Yeah I have a potty mouth. i can easily put a sailer to shame with my mouth.
Profanity is everywhere these days. Its inescapable. But blasphemy... that's different. I guess it depends on how you use it. If it just slips out, I don't think I notice it. But if someone deliberately blasphemes, in an aggressive way, I'm offended by that.
Basically, I don't really mind people swearing, using any words that they prefer, as a way of expressing anger, frustration, etc.
What I don't like is casual swearing where every sentence containts at least 2 used of the F-word.
For example:
"How many f-ing sugars do you want in your f-ing cup of tea?"
I did not make that up, BTW, it is something I heard my next door neighbour say recently. This is the sort of thing that makes me want to should "WILL YOU F-ING STUF YOUR F-ING MOUTH,please?" OK, I might not say "please".
Frankly, I think both blasphemy and profanity are neccessary in a democracy.
And I like swearing. I know a lot of words. Swear words are just words - as creative, expressive and amusing as the rest of them.
Puss
I don't find one more offensive then another, though I would certainly refrain from both as far as possible in houses of god/s and around little-ish children. It's all language, and there's a place for all of it, I feel. Some words are given more power by avoiding them, and really it's all just Things We Say - by minding context I think I do okay!
Yes I vote people are uptight. Jesus and GD aren't great words to say. The problem I have is how people react to it. I have my own relationship with god, one that I am sure allows for use of the above words from time to time. As far as profanity goes, I swear its not something I am proud of but yeah that is me, I guess I am going to hell. LOL
i have a huge potty mouth. my ex was a sailor and 18 out of the 25 people I work with are male...and in the construction industry. I have noticed that sometimes I have less decorum than I used to. I i say jesus christ sometimes when I am really frustrated and sometimes I think...god! i shouldn't have said that. see what I mean?
(Look at me, finally catching up on blog reading!)
To answer your question, um... neither. I have a mouth like a sailor, which I attempt to curb when around family members that I only see a few times per year, but the bottom line is I swear. A LOT.
On the other hand, when I heard a guy on his phone and literally EVERY OTHER WORD out of his mouth was an f-bomb, well... even *I* thought that was overkill.
As to blasphemy, well, being a non-religious person myself, I could care less whose name you take in vain... but I generally try to behave myself when around my more religious friends.
A hint: "Cheese and Rice!" is a fabulous alternative to Jesus Christ... and it makes even the most devout of christians giggle :)
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