Swearing cont.
Some more thoughts about swearing. My previous conversation on the subject has led to more. One person commented that maybe the problem wasn't about swearing, but about swearing the context of religious discussions. (I know, it seems like an odd segue, but that is my fault. I will....well, you will see the connection later....Perhaps)

Some people see swearing the context of religious dialogue blasphemous. Remember the uproar over the West Wing episode where Pres. Bartlett swore in the National Cathedral? How dare he?

That is actually a pretty good example of what I am talking about. Bartlett was upset that God would allow his secretary to die. He was expressing grief, anger, dispair, and the focus of the discussion (IMHO) should not have been on Bartlett's language, but on the issue of how bad things happen to good people and what role God plays in that. Legit question, that.

I wonder if the problem with the swearing/religion connnection is some religious perspectives that sees religion as magical. You know, speak the word of the Lord and something happens. Read scripture verses and good things happen. Have a drug problem? Say the right word and SNAP,.... gone. Have a bad marriage? Word, and SNAP.

Maybe that is all true. I don't know. I think that those kinds of solutions require years of work rather than some magical incantation of an ancient scripture. But that is me, the modern skeptic. But I mostly struggle with the binary and rather simplistic view of language....Say good words and good things happen. Say bad words, and bad things, well... you know.

I think there may be more connection between the sacred and profane. Maybe that is the struggle the church has had over all these years. How to differentiate between evil and profane. Can we see profane and lusty and earthy as truly good and not separated from God?

For me, the words are certainly valuable. In case people here don't know, I have written a few pages in my time, even a book chapter (no, no, don't push, no need to rush out and buy it. Unless, you are in need of serious insomnia treatment). So, I certainly value the written and spoken word. But are they magical? Perhaps.

But I am not sure I see swear words or words of praise as magical. Just as quoting from the Bible doesn't make an evil man pure, saying the F-word doesn't make a pious man bad.

That is the issue--separating the difference between the trivial and the important. Seeing the difference between the truly dangerous things in this world and the swear words on TV.

Anyway.