1851 Swear words

Friday, June 13, 2008

Ack! It's Friday the 13th! Just noticed.

Jon, over at Stuff Christians Like, has this to say about swear words, "They're just words that over the centuries we've given power to. We've assigned them strength and importance and of course a degree of crudeness. But ultimately, they're just words."

I think in a lot of cases he's right, like when you stub your toes and yell "Shit!", or "Damn it!" They are relatively empty. But not all foul language is so easy to forgive. There are some words that, used as swear words, betray an attitude. Like racial or ethnic terms, or words with sexual connotations, used as swear words or insults, or negative descriptors. I find those much more difficult to forgive. They betray an internal attitude I find much more offensive than the mere word.

An aside - I guess that's open to interpretation. Some people have been offended by my use of the word "cop". I call policemen cops. In some people's minds it shows disrespect. The vast majority of policemen are honorable, I respect them, and I'm happy to have them around, and let them know that whenever I see them. "Cop" is derived from the copper buttons worn by London bobbies. It's honorable and historic and not disrespectful at all. I think perhaps the people who don't like the term are confusing "cops" with the 1970s "pigs". Same number of letters, you know.
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