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When you use a foul word in another language without knowing what's behind it, is it still considered bad?
When a child copies an adult's use of a curse word without knowing what the word means, is it still considered bad?
Is someone who lives a sheltered life and is suddenly exposed to slang, racial slurs, deragatory words, curse words, and what some random person considers "offensive", and that person without any prior knowledge of the word or term uses it, is that still considered bad?
What we determine as something being offensive is completely our doing, not the person who used the term.
This past week I dealt with a situation in which an acquantance was offended by a word someone had thrown out. They came to me to complain, at which point I asked them why they chose to become offended. The word (which I won't repeat, due to the sensitive nature of some on this forum) to me was not offensive at all, but rather an almost humorous attempt at lightening the situation. Perhaps I didn't get offended because I had no prior background knowledge of the word. This person ended up calling me ignorant because of it.
How do you pick and choose what to be offended at? It almost seems as though our offense is heavily influenced by our culture, in which someone TELLS us we need to be offended at something. Had we not had this "education" those terms would be nothing but words.
Perhaps I'm not really asking a question here, but does anyone else have any thoughts about people that are easily offended? Are you one of them? If so, why do you allow yourself to be offended? Or, do you let everything roll off your back?
I must admit that I really do not like foul language and raised my children to understand that such language is used by those without the intelligence to make their point in other ways. However I wouldn't say it offends me personally. What does offend me is two things:
1. Someone using the name of my Lord in vain....this honestly hurts me deep inside.
2. Someone calling people racist names. I find this offensive no matter what the race is of the person using such language and no matter what race they are using it against.
I must admit that I really do not like foul language and raised my children to understand that such language is used by those without the intelligence to make their point in other ways. However I wouldn't say it offends me personally. What does offend me is two things:
1. Someone using the name of my Lord in vain....this honestly hurts me deep inside.
2. Someone calling people racist names. I find this offensive no matter what the race is of the person using such language and no matter what race they are using it against.
That's my point. How do you know know what those terms are? Did someone one day come to you with a list and tell you "these are racist terms, most people take offense to them, and so should you." What if you're new to the country and have never heard any racist terms spoken? Why should those words be offensive to you? Short of someone telling you they're considered offensive, you would never know. Are you considered innocent if you say one of them without knowing what it means?
That's my point. How do you know know what those terms are? Did someone one day come to you with a list and tell you "these are racist terms, most people take offense to them, and so should you." What if you're new to the country and have never heard any racist terms spoken? Why should those words be offensive to you? Short of someone telling you they're considered offensive, you would never know. Are you considered innocent if you say one of them without knowing what it means?
Well, clearly if a person does not know what those words mean and are simply parroting words they have heard others use then they are innocent. However, I would hope that some good hearted person would inform them how hurtful those words are and would suggest to them that they should not hang around people who would use such hurtful words or teach them such harmful language.
Well, clearly if a person does not know what those words mean and are simply parroting words they have heard others use then they are innocent. However, I would hope that some good hearted person would inform them how hurtful those words are and would suggest to them that they should not hang around people who would use such hurtful words or teach them such harmful language.
Would you call that person ignorant for not knowing what that term meant or for choosing not to become offended even if they did know what it meant and used it anyway? I guess that's the question I'm trying to ask here.
That's my point. How do you know know what those terms are? Did someone one day come to you with a list and tell you "these are racist terms, most people take offense to them, and so should you." What if you're new to the country and have never heard any racist terms spoken? Why should those words be offensive to you? Short of someone telling you they're considered offensive, you would never know. Are you considered innocent if you say one of them without knowing what it means?
How can you tell a person how they should react to hearing a certain word. I can't tell a person what should or should not offend them. It either does, or it doesn't (to varying degrees)
Perhaps I'm not really asking a question here, but does anyone else have any thoughts about people that are easily offended? Are you one of them? If so, why do you allow yourself to be offended? Or, do you let everything roll off your back?
Rarely if ever offended, especially when it comes to debate and discussion. The only thing that comes close is when people's sensibilities stifle the war between truth and falsehood.
Though all the winds of doctrine were let loose to play upon the earth, so Truth be in the field, we do injuriously by licensing and prohibiting to misdoubt her strength. Let her and Falsehood grapple; who ever knew Truth put to the worse, in a free and open encounter. -John Milton
The whole concept of profanity is ridiculous when I think about it. I mean, they are just words. They are sounds we make with our mouth. In most cases, it's not the meaning of the word but the specific word (arbitrary sound and string of letters) used to convey a meaning (a 'nicer' word meaning the same thing might have a lot less impact).
Censorship's main function (byproduct..?) is to keep "bad words" bad. If we heard **** and **** everywhere we went, they would become normal words like any other and there would no longer be an issue. It's just funny how crazy people get over arbitrary symbols.
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