Salty Language
Do you remember the case a few years back when parents and community alike were offended when a teacher used the word, “niggardly,” which means stingy, and was asked to publicly apologize. Now, there is sensitivity and common courtesy—which are cool—but then there is also flat out ignorance.
Once, in a sermon, I commented that I used to be very anal retentive. I got an email that week which informed me that it sounded as if I were saying I was a “tight ass” (his words). After sighing profusely, I wrote him back and explained the psychological roots of the term and the fact that just because it used the word “anal,” it didn’t mean that it was a ‘bad word.’ I went on to ask this guy if I should stop using words like “assume” or “diction” because they sounded like bad words, or perhaps they would conjure unwanted images in the minds of the poor folks attending the service.
It’s like we’re always looking for a way for something perfectly normal to be evil. Isn’t there enough evil in the world without us having to make innocent things sinister? What have we become? Why do I have to waste brain space, as well as precious words, of which there are quite few, to talk about such drivel?
Why is it that I can say the word ‘crap’ or maybe ‘poo,’ without so much as a flinch from the listener, but I can’t say that dreaded “s-word?” What is the difference? Seriously? Why have we created degrees of correctness for words. Words are, in and of themselves, amoral. As is music, art, the internet, the human body, literature, etc. Is it not the heart of what is said that matters more?
Aren’t my words just as evil if I say that someone is useless or stupid as they are if I throw in a so-called expletive? Isn’t the heart intent the real root of the problem? We whine and gripe about the random grouping of letters making such a blasted difference to us, and then hate in our hearts those for whom Christ died. We arrogantly brag that we don’t say certain words, or that we’re only guilty of the occasional lapse, and for that we are very sorry, but we don’t love our neighbor. What the hell’s more important?
Sometimes the weaker brother deserves deference and sometimes the “weaker brother” is just a pain in the butt.
7:57:16 PM 
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