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I was going to add this to an existing thread but it may have seemed a bit like thread jacking so…
In my years of working construction jobs I met a lot of people with different religions and/or religious views. Every so often I come across one that insist I respect their religion by not using profanity or ask that I not use certain words in my sentence because it offends them. At first (several years) I didn’t mind too much but now as an agnostic, when this happens, my reply is “sure, as long as it doesn’t infringe on my spiritual or moral beliefs”; which usually leaves them with a puzzled look. Sure, it’s a bit of a dig to them but why ask the world to change to suit them? I don’t ask my neighbors to stop any Easter egg hunts because I don’t believe in the holy resurrection, I don’t ask them to not say the word “amen” when they feel a Godly act was performed, so why ask me not to say a word that not only is in my vocabulary but usually quite fitting to the circumstances. Why is it that seemingly people who claim to be "God like" are the most judgmental of all?
I have learned that mutual respect has to start somewhere but the lack of respect doesn’t have to be tolerated either.
Anyone else have thoughts on this?
Last edited by mrmikeman; 02-13-2010 at 11:25 AM..
I never for a moment made a connexion between Easter egg hunts and the "holy resurrection". Of course, I was just a kid interested in candy.
I try not to offend people with my vocabulary, but at times entirely too much is asked. Most of the Christians I know swear just as much as I do, using the same words/phrases. Of course, they may actually be asking their God to follow through.
I grew up in Texas deep in the heart of Jesus Land, but I could usually get away with saying Goddammit if I smashed my thumb with a hammer. It wasn't until I moved to the deep south (Atlanta, GA) that I started hearing "Don't take the Lord's name in vain in my presence." Being the new guy in town I at first complied, but I eventually got tired of it.
Soon I began to retort "Your God is not my God and has no jurisdiction over me. Stay away from me if you don't like it". This of course made me about as popular as Madalyn Murray O'Hair, but I didn't care. Moderator cut: deleted due to offending others Besides, if you think about it how strong is their faith and how strong is their God if neither can't survive a swear word or two? It's just silly.
good thread!
I was told by my mother in law about the G and his vanity, that's after moving to the US and not really having any knowledge about the way things were there... I appreciated being told what was wrong or right..but then she tells me you can't say Oh G.. that's taking the lords' name in vain..I had no idea what that even meant so she had to explain all that too..I told her fine...and left it at that but secretly laughed about it because she was the most hypochrytical being I'd ever met till then...
I heard about that "vain" stuff several times and I still can't understand how me saying a word will offend this god so much...he needs to grow a thicker skin methinks..
and as far as cursing, I too have heard the biggest churchgoers say the worst cursewords..but then they go to church and ask forgiveness and all's fine Moderator cut: inappropriate word.
I try to not antagonize anyone by purposely cursing or using the deity's name in vain..but if someone or myself got hurt bad or I saw something that totally shocked me, I might say a few words...
Last edited by Miss Blue; 02-17-2010 at 08:37 AM..
When I was a Christian, I didn't particularly care to hear curse words, and hearing God's name in vain bothered me more. However, I would never ask someone not to say those things. I didn't use the more "colorful" language myself, and that was the only thing that concerned me. I still very rarely curse, and when I do it's when I'm alone. But now it doesn't bother me in the slightest when others do, and in fact I usually find it humorous.
You know, it's not so much what people say about not cursing, it's the way they just take it for granted that you are coming from the same place they are. They can't even concieve that that are are others that are good, functoning citizens of the same USA they live in that do not subscribe to their belief system. I have spent time in other countries and I have never felt the aura of moral superiority and godliness that I sense in many in the country. Perhaps in a fundamentalist muslim country it might be like that; I am afraid we are floating into a fundamentalist Christian society here. Any society that has its underpinnings hinged on a fundamentalist religion scares me. That is exactly what the Founding Fathers did not want to happen - I guess it just took us 200+ years to get there.
These sort of people are insecure in their beliefs and it's best to ignore them. Profanity doesn't harm anyone, so logically said people shouldn't be bothered by hearing someone using such words. No one's forcing them to use profanity. I don't get offended when religious folk say I'm going to hell. I just dismiss them as ignorant. Likewise, it is illogical for a religious person to get offended when they hear profanity.
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