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Friday, August 24, 2007

Bad Language and Creation

I was thinking a little bit wondering about some things that are tied into the English language. We have a lot of words. It is probably the hardest language known to man, at least I think so. But the thing demanded the most of my thought was the phenomena of bad language. It's a funny concept if you start to think about it. Things like shit, damn, etc. It just seems funny that certain words for some certain reason has become a word that is abhord in this world.

Linguistically speaking I have to keep agreeing with the concept of no bad words. If you take the language itself and look at the words, there is no reason to call one word worse than the other, especially when they refer to the same thing. All words are merely sounds of something we think or see. We say shit. Shit refers to a feces. Hence a pile of shit. Other times it is a description of an event or feeling like stubbing your toe or losing your job. Hence you hear people yell the word shit. Still at other times it is tied into identity. You can think of the phrase "you piece of shit" and you know exactly what that entails.

Let's look at those uses. The object of actual shit is the same as the word poop or terd, but you do not see anyone taking offense at these words. They hear and know what is being said. Or let's look at the expression. You know something has happened when you hear the expression. Something bad has happened. Or the identity usage of the word. It says that someone is pissed off at someone or something.

I have thought about this for awhile. I let the idea that there is no bad language whatsoever run through my head. It was interesting for awhile. If I saw poop, I can say shit because that is describing what I see. If I hate my circumstance, then shit can describe how I feel. If I do not love someone, then I can scream the obscenity at them and feel good about myself. But I thought some more, adding more variables the equation of language. What is language? Is it just a series of sounds to express things? To just be able to communicate? Or is there something more? What if something is behind the words? What if what I passionately believe and chase after is in my words?

That really made my head spin. I applied to the word shit when thinking of feces and I did not feel anything. But I applied it to the other two things and felt a world of difference in my mind. To understand, we have to look at the two ideas.

Yelling shit says that I hate this. That is okay as far as that goes. Frustration happens, and just holding back would be asking you not to express how you feel. However, to look at the continual degrading of a situation like you have reached the end and no one is taking care of you is a discredit to God. Jacob felt the same way, yet God told him that however bad the situation is, nothing amounts to the love and care I will give you. And you will come through it all. Maybe before degrading the situation again, why not think of the God who carries you through. This, however, would apply to even saying you do not appreciate the moment you are in. This gift of opportunity. That you hate the trial that God has given you to make you better at what he wants you to be. At that point it becomes a complete transformation ungratefullness to hope that a brighter day will come. This takes a higher connection and realization of God.

Let's look at the last one. The idea of yelling obscenities toward someone is on a simple level just a great stress relief. But let's look closely. Is it good to tell someone, I wish that you were not? Your worth to me is like a piece of shit? Is that really good? I think the better question to ask would be how good is your connection to God's people? Do you love those that come from our commone ancestor? Are you loving who God is loving? If so, then why not think on the next words you say to them. Say something that will lift them toward salvation, whoever it is.

The key to all this is the connection to God and His creation. To degrade his creation is a discredit to Him. It is not a matter of bad language or what people consider distasteful. It has now become a fact that to devalue God in your heart and mind is to move away from his plan. Words are words, but how you use those words can have effects on the lifting up of this earth. That means that even so called good language that can be used to call people names or degrade the gifts of God or His creation is bad language when used in such a manner. Think on this. This is crucial. This mean a transformation of your goals and thoughts. Here is one of the key variables to learning love. So love God. Love His gifts. Love His creation. Love His people. Then you will see what God's will is, His righteous and holy will.

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1 Comments:

  • Russ, I have thought about cussing before myself. At one time, I would have agreed with you. I thought that all swears were "culturally manufactured" and that we have freedom and garbage like that. The problem is, it is cultural, and we are called to live in culture. We have a higher calling and freedom yes, but we are still within the culture around us. And honestly, think about Jesus, would He say it? And as you are imagining Jesus saying one of the four letter words you wrote of, does your soul cringe inside you?

    By Blogger JackNathan, At 9/13/2007 01:07:00 PM  

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