I say this because every so often, there seems to be a subtle effort on the part of some of my readers to get me to cuss on this blog.
The most recent example was a comment left on my Caveman post:
“…you blew it with the “heck” at the end. Sigh…showing you still have much to learn.”
In response to this obvious breach of protocol on my part, I hereby refer to Rule #10 on the list:
“Break the rules occasionally just to show what an independent rebel-type you are.”
So leave me alone about the cussing, dag-nabbit.
Anyhow…this reminded me of a funny memory when I was a teenager attending the Christian school affiliated with our church. (Yes, uniforms and all. Forest-green corduroys and white button-down shirt, if you must know.) Our teacher had recently taught us about “euphemisms“, which are defined as “the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.” She made reference to some of the common words we substitute for profanity, like darn, dang, heck, shoot, fudge…you get the idea. We talked about how lots of Christians do this to try to keep from officially cussing.
So some of us were talking and laughing about this idea during a break, and I was trying to remember the word “euphemism”, and couldn’t think of it. So I called out to the teacher:
“Hey, Mrs. _________, what’s that word again? The one about the Christian cuss words?”
After she pulled herself off the floor, she reminded me the word was “euphemism.”
Oh yeah. Now I remember.
Wayward Son
Musician. Composer. Recovering perfectionist. Minister-in-transition. Lover of puns. Hijacker of rock song references. Questioner of the status quo.
I'm not really a rebel. Just a sincere Christ-follower with a thirst for significance that gets me into trouble. My quest has taken me over the fence of institutional Christianity. Here are some of my random thoughts along the way. Read along, join in the conversation. Just be nice.
View all posts by Wayward Son →
Our kids go to parochial school with their cousins – the same school my wife and her sibs and her mother before her went to. Anyway, Will, one of the cousins, one day while he was in first grade told his mother he knew the “F” word. Wide-eyed and a bit incredulous, not wanting her child to lose his innocence at such a young age, she asked, “Oh, really?” “Yeah,” he said, leaning in and whispering, “It’s ‘fart’.”
As you know, I swear. Probably more than I “should”, although there’s a part of it that’s just me, who I am. So the following may be just a bit of self-justification, but I’ve always thought that people who euphemize are still profaning in their heart, and as with all such things where we are guilty of the “sin” by thinking it as much as by doing it, then isn’t “goldurn” the same as taking the Lord’s name in vain straight up? Because to me intent is important. The only reason the F word is THE F word is because we’ve made it that way. If everyone replaced it with “fudge”, then THAT would be the F word.
Words aren’t magic – they are simply symbols of our thoughts and intentions.
Jim,
Actually glad you brought it up this way, bro. I was a little concerned some folks wouldn’t see my tongue in my cheek with this post.
I can joke about profanity b/c I am not really hung up over it. To me, it’s kind of funny that it is such an issue. Most of what we consider “profane” is a matter of culture, context and manners more than it is Bible, anyhow. And you’re right…some hearts that euphemize are just as dark and dirty as mouths that say the real thing. 🙂 Maybe more so.
I’m no goody-two-shoes on this one; I let loose occasionally when I’m really upset, but I normally control myself in a public setting for the sake of others. I suppose it’s because it was drilled into me as a kid not to do it, so it’s second nature now. I think I refrain here on the blog partly because it *is* a public setting, so it would seem almost out of character for me. Plus, I know some readers who would honestly take offense, and if I’m going to offend someone, I want it to be over something that matters. 🙂
So bottom line…I’m pretty relaxed with other people about this, and I don’t mind poking a little fun at myself for being straight-laced. 🙂
You *aren’t* the “Jim” I used to cuss with as a kid in school, are you? You never really answered that one last time…. 🙂
Sorry but I had trouble getting past the fact that you shopped in the blue box. Yiks! Orange is where real fixitalls go. Plumbing is a three trip job, you just never know what you might find. I could list other names of stuff in plumbing but some might think it vulgar and even though you wrote about Christian cussing I’ll not list them.
This frickin’ post really makes me darned mad. This kind of language will send you to H. . .E . . double hockey sticks.
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
Milly,
What can I say? Some shops orange; some shops blue. 🙂
Mark,
Pffft. Dang it. Dang it to heck.
Plumbing makes me cuss. Along with taxes.