Thoughts on Taking God's Name in Vain
82
Profanity and Freedom
I'm a profane person.
I'm not as profane as my partner, a trucker for a major freight carrier, or my son, who listens to rap music and actually likes it, but I do swear, and I do use religious words like Jesus and God in what some people take to be nonreligious contexts. Because of this, I regularly get requests from Christians at Hub Pages to remove words like 'Jesus' and 'God' from my hubs when they feel the words are not used with appropriate reverence.
My gut reaction to these kinds of requests is, "Jesus, lighten the f**k up!" and then laughter, because I initially find these requests so cheeky and ludicrous. But quick on the heels of that laughter comes anger.
So here's an open letter to the sensitives:
Dear fanatic,
How dare you tell me how to speak to or of God? How dare you.
My relationship with the Almightly is between me and the Almightly, not between me and some total stranger cruising around the internet with a Bible in hand. If I can't tell you to stop believing some of the horrendous things you believe as a right wing Christian fanatic, then who are you to tell me not to use the word 'Jesus' unless its in a way that you have personally approved? What gives you the right to dictate what goes on between me and Jesus? Are you making a movie or something? Son of Inquisition II? Jesus Christ Blog Avenger? Back off. Step back. Give it a rest. Take it down the road.
Understand this: I have very little respect for your beliefs and your attempts to impose those odious beliefs on others. I am offended by you, by the very fact that you exist, wandering around the internet policing blogs for language infractions. And yet you do not see me visiting your Christian sites and saying," please refrain from posting your offensive beliefs, it is so very distressing to me to see these misunderstandings posted publicly as if they made sense and as if they did not completely pervert the teachings of Christ."
You don't see me doing that because, the last time I checked (and a person has to check pretty much daily in this political environment) the United States was still a free country. You also do not see me doing that because, unlike you, I see policing you as a total waste of time. I know I will never be able to deprogram you. At this point, your pushy religious beliefs have become a part of your DNA. I might just as well discuss religion with a lump of coal for all the geniune communication that occurs. It is your right to be a human tape recording if that is your aspiration. It is also my right not to be one.
I personally believe that it is my responsibility not to be one.
I feel I should point out that there are countries where people like me are not tolerated. Perhaps you would feel more comfortable living in one of those countries. Afghanistan. Iran. Somewhere where the women are covered head to toe and not allowed to open their mouths at all. I'm sure the men of those nations would be glad to have you as a citizen. You might have to change around some of the words you so love to parrot. But I know you'd fit in there and be happy. Their basic approach to religion is the same.
In the meantime, Jesus, get a life.
Sincerely,
Pam
The Do-It-Yourself-Deity Test
Look, I don't want to end this on a sour note. So in the spirit of mutual respect, I'm offering up a way to test out religious beliefs in the privacy of your own home, on the internet, without bothering other people. If I just say 'bug off' and don't offer any other choices, I'm just part of the problem. I 'get' that.
The Do-It-Yourself-Deity test was devised by a group of philosophers to help ordinary people understand whether or not their cherished religious beliefs make any logical sense whatsoever, with disclaimers upfront about Kirkegaarde. The next time you feel the urge to police the language of some total stranger, why not take this test and check out the rational consistency of your own thoughts first? You know, remove the mote from your own eye before you start complaining about the speck in your neighbor's eye. (Surprised? Yes! She's read the Bible! OMG! How can this be?!)
Not like I have any obligation to explain myself here, but it so happens that I do respect the teachings of Jesus, and I have read the Bible in its entirety, more than once. I just don't think most of the Christians I meet online really understand those teachings themselves.
So that's it. I'm done.
Henceforth, I will not be removing these words. Just so you know. So stop bugging me about it. Get a hobby. Read a book.
Read the Good Book.
|
Christopher Hitchens and His Critics: Terror, Iraq, and the Left
Price: $9.94
List Price: $22.95 |
|
The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever
Price: $5.99
List Price: $17.95 |
|
God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
Price: $7.66
List Price: $14.99 |
|
Thomas Jefferson: Author of America (Eminent Lives)
Price: $10.00
List Price: $21.95 |
PrintShare it! — Rate it: up down flag this hub
Comments
Thanks Steve! It happens so much, and it just happened on my weight loss hub, and I just thought, OK, enough of this . I'm making a public announcement. Thanks for the support!
Great announcement and I couldn´t agree more, people have to mind their own business and stop thinking they own the true. Consider me as a subscriber ;)
O, I like this one, Pam! Right from the heart and so f*cking true. Jesus, I wish I’d written it myself! In the Netherlands we have a “league against blasphemy and swearing” (http://www.bondtegenvloeken.nl/index.php?paginaID= I don’t know why they translate it in such a conceited way, as the literal translation would be “Union against Cussing”. They hang up posters everywhere telling us not to swear and my primary reaction – of course – is to do exactly the opposite. Again, a great hub!
Well, I am a Christian, and I swear (from what I've learned the Apostle Paul swore quite often) While I have my OWN guidelines that I try to adhere to, I do not force those on others. If God is offended, then God will take care of it. Don't let the "Holier than thou" people get to you. Like I said, I am Christian, but I even have friends that are agnostic!
Well Pat it is good to see that Google is running "Jesus loves you" ads - so its OK He's OK with you even if the "Christains" aren't LOL very good hub!
Thanks everybody! Whew! Good thing I got THAT off my f**king chest!
I agree with your hub Pam. I am a Christian, (backsliding one these days, but also between me and the Big Guy) but I don't force my beliefs on anyone, anymore than I would air my family business. My philosophy is that if I am not being paid for my opinion, why the hell give it. Some people have too little time on their hands, or they are actually the worst sinners by casting stones at others to minimize or feel better about their level of sin. Who on this Earth has the RIGHT to pass judgement on someone else? We will have our own time explaining for our behaviors one day, or maybe not, depends on what one believes. If we were not supposed to take the Lord's name in vain like the commandment says, he shouldn't have included free will. This to me is like dangling a jug of water in front of a person dying of thirst and telling them they can only look at it. How long is that going to last?
Thanks Michelle,
I've just been annoyed by the number of people who feel like they need to 'hijack' a hub that is about something totally unrelated to religion and focus on how I use a single word like God or Jesus, as if that were any of their business. I don't begrudge people their beliefs and I do respect the teachings of Jesus, but I don't feel under any obligation to defend my very personal view of this with total strangers who critique my language. Thank you for your support--I really appreciate it a lot. Live and let live is a much nicer way to go!
I am glad you got it off my chest.
Thank you.
For a moment I thought you sounded like my Mum.
I'm glad too Mr. Marmalade. Don't forget to wear your hat and button your coat!
good stuff!
Bravo, Pam! Couldn't have said it better myself!
Yup yup. You're so right on about so much of this. One of the best ways to totally disregard religious values is to hyperfocus on and distort the letter of the law while completely trashing the spirit of it. Politicians have been doing this for ages, and my guess is that they learned how from watching what the world's churches have been doing for centuries. Focus on the shallowest aspect of something, make a big noise about how zealous you are in it, dress yourself up in false piety so you can namecall anyone who protests what you're doing, and you can subvert and sabotage a system to your heart's content. It works in politics and workplace ethics, and it holds out in religion and morality as well - the louder someone is about getting things done, the less they're usually actually doing about them.
We weren't meant to be repressive and anxiety-ridden in our devotion. That's not to say that we should lose any sense of dignity, obviously, but expressing faith was always intented to be a joyous expression of the fundamental truths of Creation. I love coming up with really good expressions that make people blink and look up. I'm particularly fond of "Christf*ck!". That usually gets peoples' attention, partiularly if they have no idea how much homoeroticism I take with my spirituality.
On a related note, I got into a thread a while back on one of the forums elsewhere on the 'net... I think it was about debating whether a particular feature should be implemented on a free service. At any rate, at some point somebody finally feels compelled to jump in with a post, and starts off with the title, "Is this what Jesus would have wanted?" in big bold letters.
I responded with, "No. What Jesus would have wanted would undoubtedly have been someone with a crowbar at the right time."
pgrundy kicks ass! It's all so fun-dumb-mental ain't it? Those who refuse to think get religion so god can do it for them.
You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path thats clear
I will choose free will
Hi Guys! Coldwarbaby, do you get trolls on your hubs? I didn't used to, but now I do, and weirdly its often on aome completely innocuous column. I didn't used to ever delete comments, but now occasionally I do. Curtis Smale posted a comment that went on about 15 paragraphs taking each sentence I wrote and blasting me personally. It was just like being at the call center! LOL! No, seriously I deleted it and he became incensed--all about "I spent two hours on that comment" and blah blah. I told him to go write his own hub. What is wrong with people? (I know, that's a big question.) We might have to get troll spray or something if this kinda thing keeps up. Thanks for your support!
Satori, you sound like Bill, the guy I live with. If someone is being all sensitive-self-righteous with him he does the same thing you describe--he comes out with the most offensive over-the-top response imaginable, and he's funny too. I tell him he has a gift for blasphemy. It can be art form you know. Have you heard of this new movie (I know you probably aren't big on movies) but this one looks really nuts--it's about this temporary high school drama teacher who puts on the a musical play with the production number "Rock Me Sexy Jesus." I might have to see that and do a review here--it looks totally demented.
I did a performance art piece once called "Blood Letters" that was creatively blasphemous. I think God should be able to take a joke, and if he can't, well, you know what.
My husband leaves his shoes all over the floor. That offends me but he's never stopped. I can't think of anything I do to offend him, but he can think of several.
If we all just stepped over a few things, and chalk it up to style and personality, we'd be able to enjoy really interesting characteristics we each possess that keep us fresh and alive and not cookie cutters.
I like who you are Pam, I don't get offended easily about language and I think those who do have their head stuck in the ...something.
after 250+ foster kids I'm going to worry about the "Jesus" word??? hahaha Reminds me of lots of "Christian" friends who would say when a foster child let it rip with a choice word or two in their presence..."I wouldn't let a kid talk that way in my house!"
I always said "Well, we're just trying to keep them from killing people. We haven't gotten around to their language yet."
JESUS!
some people just don't get it and by the time you explain, they're either passed out from all the stress in their sheltered life, or they had to go wipe the toilet seat again...something major like that.
They are missing the relationships that could be really meaningful....would that I could filter life to that degree! I never get that close to perfection...tho' it's a goal...
haha
I had a hard time reading this hub. It's not that I disagree with what you were saying, I believe you have every right to use whatever words you want to use when writing about whatever you want to write about, without getting prostheletized by those who disagree with your word choices. That said, the anger and disgust oozing off the page towards these people was palpable. I get that you're angry, that you're standing up for your rights to use whatever words you want to use. But I kept thinking, "why can't we all just get along?" In that sense, this hub made me sad...we all have different views, different word choices, different lifestyles and beliefs, but geez, all I saw was condemnation of those who condemned you. Kinda the pot calling the kettle black if you ask me (which, I'm well aware that you didn't).
This hub has "corrupted" me forever! Yesterday a childhood friend and former neighbor I haven't heard from in a couple of years called. He's *very* religious, and in the past I was careful not to take the Lord's name in vain when speaking to him.
Well, not yesterday! Maybe age has mellowed him, or he finally "got" that the conversation as a whole is more important than interrupting it to defend God's "honor" when I said things like "Jesus Christ, Ron!". What a relief to have a *normal* conversation for a change, after years of being soooo careful not to say such things out of respect for *his* thin skin!
Thanks, Pam! ;}}
Thanks mariesue, JamaGenee, and Boss Number 1.
I know my anger makes others uneasy, and this topic does anger me. Women are supposed to make nice, smooth things over, absorb the slights and corrections and intrusions. For a long, long time I tried to 'just get along' but over many years I have lost my patience with tip-toeing around people who have no problem with judging me, and yet in the interest of 'making nice' I'm respect to ideas I consider ignorant and oppressive. I'm 55, I don't care if people like me anymore. I don't care if I make people uncomfortable with my opinions. It's a big world--if people don't like my thoughts or feelings they can, as I mentioned, back off, go away. That outcome would bother me not one bit.
Thank you for being honest though.
Great hub, Pgrundy. It's so true. And the comments coming along the way down for the most part fill my opinion too. We have a couple that we used to hang out with amongst a group of other couples, and well, this one couple "found God." We watched them slowly drift away from the rest of us. It was too bad because I know he wanted to still hang out, could still enjoy the wit and reparte with us hethens and not feel that his faith was in danger from the contact (Jesus was like that, could chill with anyone, very cool), but she couldn't do it. Everyone tried to tippy-toe around her for the longest time, even tried to stop cussing (me not cussing is like... its like trying to cork up your bum when you have really bad gas), but, she just couldn't have fun with us anymore. I still see him every so often. I feel sorry for him.
Thank you Shadesbreath. I wasn't always this irritable about the topic, but two things happened to change that: 1) I started working at the bank in April of 2007 and was suddenly surrounded by coworkers who know everything because they read it in the Bible, and 2) I started writing at Hubpages and hearing regularly from a small community of trolls who police these pages for profanity, and by profanity I mean 'Jesus' and 'God' used without scripture references. Over the course of the past year I have lost respect for this brand of religion. People say you have to accept everyone's religious beliefs. I accept them up to the point wher they try to force on me, and at that point, I lose my sense of humor. So much if it is like a brain-washing cult. It's like taking a drug without a pharmaceutical, a drub that allows you to never have to think again.
This is the reason I do not believe in organized religion. I believe "religion" is an instrument of the devil. This is exactly how wars over religion get started. I believe in God, in my own way, and I feel like pgrundy, that the way you interact with God is a very private thing. This is a free country, and everyone has to right to worship or not as they please. I am sure there are bible thumpers out there looking over every blog and making a list. I think these kind of people should find a better way to serve the Lord, and mind their own business.
Pam, I was always amazed that people miss the really important things ewww ing and awww ing over what someone said that hurt their ears.
As a foster mom, we were working on much bigger issues. Animal abuse, stealing, lying, hurting someone physically, drugs, etc, and to worry about every word from their mouth was just counterproductive.
I've seen really nice mannered people who were murderers and rapists. They would "yes'mam" a person to death, literally.
I'd rather have honest expression any day.
As I said, You're just fine. I understand how you feel, i'm shaking my head in memory of all the people who used to shake their head at our foster kid's language.
I got to the point where I just said "Get over it. We're working on bigger issues."
We sneeze at gnats lots of times, it seems.
I wouldnt want to be any of you come judgement day............
The trail of twelve periods was particularly ominous (or was that four elipses?)
Lucky for you, Torino, you don't have to be there. You get to face your merciful loving God on your terms and leave him to cast us into burning misery and torture for all of eternity in his loving merciful way on ours. :)
sounds about right........you guys need to get get your bibles out and pray for forgiveness. :)
Amen, magnoliazz!
mariesuewrites, as a former Catholic all I can say is, look at all the holy men in that religion having sex with children. Look at all the abuse of children that takes place in God-fearing homes. I've no doubt that as a foster parent you've seen more than you ever want to see of that.
Shadesbreath, I'm looking forward to getting together in hell. I'll bring the marshmallows if you bring the cards and dancing girls. At least that guy with the souped up car won't be there.
pure ignorance. im glad im not you guys.
And yet, Torino, you feel compelled to tell us that you are glad you are not us. The palpable superiority you project with your supercilious and thinly veiled judgments does little credit to the Savior you pretend to understand. Perhaps you should pray for the ability to internalize the message of His book in lieu of the propensity to simply shine it like a light on others while you stand there in the dark. I see you, bro. So does He.
Oh, and PGrundy I am so there. Cards and dancers are a lock.
Jesus probably didn't pronounce his name the way we do (it was a long time ago, and another culture, for God's sake), so who knows what it sounded like then? As far as I'm concerned, the sound of the word "Jesus" makes it into my cuss word repertoire simply because it has the right sound under certain circumstances. Think about it: "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!" would be a silly expletive if we left out the Jesus or replaced it with Geeze. On the other hand, "Geeze, Louise" is a nice-sounding pairing that doesn't have to beg the question, "Jesus, Louise, and who?". Likewise, if you mean "Sh*t!" don't try replacing it with "Shoot!" because that just plain sounds stupid.
I don't think the commandment about taking God's name in vain has anything to do with cussing. When you "take something in vain", you take it and it doesn't perform for you, as in, "He took the pills in vain, since he died anyway." Or, in another connotation, it means you do with anger and contempt something that you know isn't going to work anyway, as in, "Furious at his boss for ordering him to falsify the bleak report, he typed away in vain, detesting both his boss and the trite words he knew would blind the audience to the dangerous truth." It's this second connotation that I choose to believe is behind the words of the commandment. It's not that it's so horrible to use God's name as a cuss word, it's more like it's really horrible to cuss God out.
With all that said, I'd like you to know that I really could use a couple of your erudite letters, Pam, on this subject and others.
Also, can I come play with you and Shadesbreath in hell?
Great Hub.
Hiya Sally! Totally, you are already dealt in. I'm bringing marshmallows, so if you bring chocolate bars and graham crackers we can have S'more. One more and we have a eucre game. I used to be pretty good at eucre.
The way I read it, taking God's name in vain is using it in a way that is both ineffective and unloving. It's vain as in useless, but also vain as in vanity--that is, as in using a word to pump up yourself not God, which is how I see my critics here using the word of God. They use it in a blasphemous hateful way. They are wolves in sheep's clothing, mouthing the words and quoting scripture to give glory to themselves not God. Judgment belongs to God, not to a guy who owns a Torino. You won't find a Torino anywhere in the Bible.
So it's funny to me that they think I should repent and be scared. They should clean up their perversion of scripture and their hateful hearts. As in, quit blaming God for the the fact that they are behaving like assholes. Take some responsibility for your hate and quit acting like you run the Universe dude.
The God I know has got a lot more on his mind than people who curse and people who get mad at people who curse and say they're going to hell. Who is anyone else to say what God will do? Seems to me He forgave many for much more, which tells it all. I'd be more interested in looking at how someone lives and Pam, you'd be the one stopping to help someone on the road who broke down, and the other "dude" would be busy looking it up to see what page it is in the book, did God really want him to do it, was it permissable, or did the guy deserve to be broke down on the road because he cursed God sometime or another in his life.
I helped the kids who cursed, while good meaning citizens held their bibles for protection and pretended that local kids weren't abused. "Someone should do something." They'd say. Someone, but never them. We don't need more sermons, we need people who aren't so worried about language and are more worried about what's really going on in homes behind closed doors. ewww I feel a hub coming....
IThe God I know has got a lot more on his mind than people who curse and people who get mad at people who curse and say they're going to hell. Who is anyone else to say what God will do? Seems to me He forgave many for much more, which tells it all. I'd be more interested in looking at how someone lives and Pam, you'd be the one stopping to help someone on the road who broke down, and the other "dude" would be busy looking it up to see what page it is in the book, did God really want him to do it, was it permissable, or did the guy deserve to be broke down on the road because he cursed God sometime or another in his life.
I helped the kids who cursed, while good meaning citizens held their bibles for protection and pretended that local kids weren't abused. "Someone should do something." They'd say. Someone, but never them. We don't need more sermons, we need people who aren't so worried about language and are more worried about what's really going on in homes behind closed doors. ewww I feel a hub coming....
I don't mean to overrate anything I did, but typically people who stomp on the words of others as being "against god" are those who think they've got a hotline to heaven, exclusively.
(delete one of these responses pam, i clicked twice or something....
I haven't had S'mores or played eucre since I was a little kid in Ohio. Count me in to bring the S'more makings, and although I don't remember eucre being played for money, I'll bring a stash, just in case.
I use to swear all the time before I knew who God was, but when I became born again I did my best to stop. It was only in my anger did I have trouble with it after the fact. Now most of that anger is gone. The one thing I did not do was dare take the Lord's name in Vain, Why? Because I fear and respect God! What you do is your business, and I am not one of those people who come and read your hubs and say that you should stop swearing, but that's the reason behind it if you care to know...
Okay, I was going to pop for the chocolate bars and graham crackers for the S'mores, but since Sally's Trove beat me to it...I'll bring the 'em anyway...and we'll have *more* S'mores! YAY! Long as we're in hell, might as well go for excess! ;) But I don't play eucre, only poker and spades. =(
Tyhill27, someday I hope you meet MY God, the one for whom I have ALL the respect in the world, but whom I DO NOT FEAR because *my* God is *loving* and *kind*, as well as *forgiving* and *tolerant* of the weaknesses of mortals. He also has a heckuva sense of humor...letting you wander around professing to know what HE thinks because YOU have a book that says so! Get a clue. It's the *book* that says 'Don't take the Lord's name in vain'...it's the *book* that says "Fear God"....a book that was written BY mortals to CONTROL mortals.
Christians don't have a lock on being "born again", btw. Thousands of individuals, without ever taking Jesus Christ as their Savior, are truly born again every year in AA, NA, and other 12-step groups all over the world. So don't be so smug about that free pass through the Pearly Gates just because you got it in a church.
@ torino. If you can't contribute to a discussion in some rational way it's really just best to say nothing. You come off like a raving looney. Judgement day? Please. It's come and gone and has nothing to do with "god". The human race, and that includes you, has sealed it's own fate. It has been "judged" by the process of evolution to be a failed species and is now in the process of becoming extinct.
hallelujah and amen!
Not to worry, torino70. I just called (why do these 0900 numbers have to be so expensive?) and the ticketoffice had a disappointing announcement for me. Judgement day has been sold out completely, so I guess I can’t be there to witness it. But I do hope that it’ll be a great event, well worth your money. I’ll just have to settle for the DVD-registration.
Hi Tyhill, thank you for your comments. I'm glad you found something that was helpful in bringing peace into your life.
JamaGenee, I think poker sounds grand--as long as its penny poker. I'm broke!
Colwarbaby& Ananta--We could maybe get tickets from a scalper. I think there's everya website for that.
AHHHHHH! Now I remember why I stopped going to church in the first place. For one human being to have the arrogance to judge another human being and condem them to hell is just a bunch of crap! Only God has the right to judge anyone! These so called Christains are a mean group of people, ready to pass judgement and thinking themselves oh so superior! A true Christain should be non judgemental and leave it up to the Lord who goes where.
And, there is one other point, to take the Lord's name in vain, what does that really mean? I believe it means that if you swear to tell the truth, so help you God, (as we do in our courts of law) you had better tell the truth and not take the Lord's name in vain. When we cuss and say Oh Jesus, or God dammit, it is just a reflex, more a slang word that means nothing at all. Personally, I cleaned up my language a while ago, because I think any kind of cussing is not very lady like, however, I do not judge anyone else if they want to use colorful language, especially in the privacy of their own homes, and even not in the privacy of their owm homes, we have freedom of speech in this country! That is the wonderful thing about America, people have the right to swear a blue streak if they wish! As someone said earlier, move to Iraq or Iran if you want to condem those who swear to hell, that is exactly the mindset over there.
It makes me proud to be an American every time I go through a little town with all different faiths and churches living side by side peacefully. Does anyone know how rare that is? How lucky we are to see it? These things do not happen by accident. We are a tolerant society and that is what made this country what it is today, a HAVEN from the rest of the world.
Pgrundy, an excellent thought provoking hub, however I doubt it reached the minds of those it targeted. Blind faith will always be with us, and all the ills it brings with it.
Thank you magnoliazz for your insights and excellent comments and thoughts. I agree though, the people I was annoyed with won't understand, they'll just take this as evidence that I will burn in hell. Oh well. All the nice people will be there. Who wants to be in heaven with all those mean know-it-alls? Give me the sinners any day.
Okay, no real money. It'll be chips instead, then we can pretend we're playing with Big Bucks.
As for the mean know-it-alls in heaven (IT they get there), can't imagine God is too thrilled to have them wandering around tut-tutting over every little thing either. ;)
Why would you use the name of Jesus to make a point. You said "Jesus get a life."You probably would have said, "Fuck it, get a life." Wow! You have now clue.
Pam is it really cussing if when you hit your finger with a hammer and say: "Jesus Christ, that fucking hurt!" Surely it is just a plea to remove some of the excrusiating pain as your poor fucking finger throbs in agony? ;-[)
Maybe you are expected to say:- "oh my that did hurt just a tad, I might just go and run it under the cold water and get mummy to kiss it better"
I do tend to agree with Agnes "Fuck it, get a life!" has a better ring to it!
lol! I knew you were a cool guy agvulpes, right off the bat! The religious wars here at HubPages are quite the drama, aren't they? Sometimes it all feels very surreal. Thank you for your thoughts!
Pam I appreciate that you think I'm cool. I've seen too much water past under the bridge to take life too seriously. Unless of course I see an injustice, then the cape comes out, the glasses get folded and away we go!
I admire your ethics because , you don't beat around the bush, call it like it is, and do your best to rein in the bible bashers.
You know what, Pam? You're nothing but self-righteous hypocrite! You think that you can just say whatever you want whenever you want wherever you want? Honestly, what planet are you from?
And Pam, how dare you type lighten the f**k up to Jesus? If I were God and I found out that you were going too far in how you behave, I'd throw a thunderbolt at you and strike you dead.
As for all you people who agree with Pam, you have no idea how hypocritical you are. For you Bard of Ely, you think that what Pam judges is a load of nonsense? Boy, are you messed up in the head?
As for all of you who are being judgemental of judgemental people, that's pretty hypocrotical. I'm not fanatic but I'm pretty sick and tired of people who think that they can hide behind freedom and use it as an excuse to say and do whatever they want whenever they want.
Judgemental people and fanatics will always be around. And don't think that you can get rid of all of them. If you try to get back at all of them, they could get back at you. Sometimes you got to let people judge. That's one of the ways for you to accept criticism.
If you go up to some big tough ruffian or a gang of hoodlums on a street and you mouth off to them, he, she, or they could flatten you. And if you mouth off to your boss, you could get fired.
I used to swear when I was in seventh grade. But when I did, I made many enemies. One guy even threatened to stab me for that. Lucky for me, it never happened. However, I'm glad that I learned my lesson later on. No way am I going to indulge in that kind of stuff again.
Magnoliazz, how dare you type that religion is an instrument of evil. There's nothing wrong with having a religion. If you don't like religion, then leave it alone and focus on your life. Would you like it I badmouth your faith?
You're just as arrogant as the people who you judge, magnoliazz. So if you don't want people ganging up on you, you better let them practice whatever they want. Besides, freedom the of religion is part of the First Amendment. You can deny anyone of that. And whether you like it or not, religion is here to stay.
Also magnoliazz, what right to do you have in telling people where to live? All people, especially fanatical ones and freedom haters, have a right to live wherever they want. Let's say you go into a place that's owned by someone who isn't you and you break that place's rules. You could get thrown out.
Satori, you better keep your nose out of religion if you can't stand it. I'm not obsessed with it. So I don't force it on other people.
Back to you, Pam: you think that you every right to be insensitive and inconsiderate. How about I and other people be those ways to you and see how you like it? Didn't your parents teach that if you can't say something nice, you shouldn't say anything at all?
I was insensitive and inconsiderate to more than one person. And boy, did I alienate them? However, my dad told me to be sensitive. And he's right.
Also Pam, you can't force ANYONE to lighten or loosen up. If they want to be uptight and fun haters, let them be. If you want to loosen up and laugh, they're your choices. But don't force others to do them.
Torino70, it seems that you're the only one who I agree with in this page. For all you people who badmouth him, get a life. He can type whatever he wants as long as it's acceptable.
As I typed earlier, I'm not a fanatic. An example of proof is that I don't force my religion on others. But that shouldn't excuse you people from going against my religion and other religions. To do so is really biased. If you want people to respect you, then you better respect other people and their faiths.
Other things to tell you anti-religion dipsticks are these:
1. Religion isn't going anywhere. So get over it.
2.If you can't stand religion, then you're no better than its fanatics.
The proof of these are in here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboa
One more thing for all of you who I disagree with: clean up your acts and start behaving like proper people. I know that I'm no parent of yours but I don't want anymore misbehavior. Like I typed earlier, leave religion alone if you don't like it. And if other people are fanatical, let them be.
Nice to hear from you Ian. Have a lovely day.
Jeez-Louise, Ian seems to have an inside line to the mind of Jesus, doesn't he? Must be interesting.
Whatever happened to letting fly with marvellous curses? We've lost the art (and it was an art form) of inventive expletive exclamation. Holy Fucking Jesus Christ -- (I capitalized "fucking" out of respect) -- there is no such thing as "bad" language. Language is neither good nor bad nor indifferent; taking anyone's name in vain has no power or ability to change the fabric of existence. The words we use are no indication of our goodness of heart, our spiritual awareness, or our desire for amity and understanding among folk. Damn Shit Hell Miss Agnes, if a deity paid attention to something as trivial as our paltry use of language it would be in the same league as the (invented and satirical) HubPolice Officer.
Christ Almighty, there's nothing as satisfying sometimes as a good expletive excursion into curses aimed at invisible entities. Sure beats punching the dog.
So, other than all that, how ya doing, Pam?
Ian: {{If I were God and I found out that you were going too far in how you behave, I'd throw a thunderbolt at you and strike you dead.}}
Careful Pam - you don't want to piss Zeus off. Quite lucky that Ian is not God - as Theresa will testify, if every Irish person using blasphemous swear words was struck down, there would soon be none left. No more Guinness :(
I love these people who hide behind internet anonymity to post hate. Sorry that I missed this Hub, Pam - I enjoyed it very much. Now I must go and put out my eyes, for they have been tainted by your blasphemy.
PS - Are we still on for a drink just before we get cast down into the fiery pit?
Hi Teresa & Sufi,
I wrote this so long ago I forgot I wrote it. I think it was in response to some harrassment I was getting on a separation of Church & State article I wrote. I still pretty much feel the same way as I did when I wrote this, but I confess I write far fewer politcal hubs anymore, if any, because I just am so sick of the knuckle-dragging hate mail such posts predictably generate. So these days I'm more likely to write about flowers and sci fi and credit cards.
If Jesus could see what Christianity has become today, he'd puke. Or maybe not. A certain reading of the story tells us it will always become what it has become today, over and over, but from age to age he still gathers a people to himself. It's just that they're never the people who think they've been recruited--they're other quieter, people who don't troll the internet acting flaming assholes, because they realize there are more important things to do. Mouths to feed, people to cloth, wounds to heal.
And Sufi--we are totally on for that drink! (Teresa, you should come too! I'll be having a Virgin Mary but it will still be delicious.)
Great - I'll bring some dips!
Cool! -- wish they made virgin Guinness. . .
Me too--I miss dark beer. It's pretty much the only booze I miss. :)
Shut up, Teresa. And get a life, Sufidreamer.
I have a great life, thanks. So good, in fact, that I feel no need to hurl abuse at strangers on the internet.
Poor little Keyboard Warrior
Well, just pointing out the obvious, it does say, "You shall not make wrongful use of the name of your God." in the 4th commandment. That is if you hold to the Judeo/Christian beliefs. Personally, I've come to a realization to how ugly it is to say "God D***", even as an expression of displeasure. There are a lot of other words that can be used. Like I said, I'm just pointing out the obvious. I don't want this to come off condemning or judgemental.
You think it's bad when Christians get mad about taking their Lord's name in vain? You might be a little madder when Muslims are holding you down slowing cutting your head off for drawing a cartoon of Mohammad or naming a teddy bear "Mohammad". It's called respect, get some.
ok, I'm not trying to inforce my beliefes on you, or whatever but if you are as you say in a relationship
with God then please read the rest of this message. Maybe these weird diverted people are asking you not to say these things because its wrong. one of the things I saw written, but I can't find it anymore was "I doubt God would care if I used His and His son's name in certain ways" or something like that, but let me ask you this question. if you created a universe to serve you and alot of it turned away from you, but you still loved them, and to save them from all the things they did, you sent your one and only child to die for these people. wouldn't you be kinda mad seeing how many of those people YOU created and loved and sent your own son to die for, don't you think you'd be a little mad seeing your creation spit in your face and use your name in vain? if your a natural human, you'd prob destroy those people in an instant, I know I prob would. you see God created you and He deserves respect, and we've all spat in his face. I'm not saying I'm perfect because I'M NOT, I have my share of sins, but I know He forgives me when I sin. but I do confess it to Him. would you mind reading, Exodus 20:7 and the artical on this website?
http://www.apuritansmind.com/Tracts%20and%20Writin
please read this. if you truly love God, and believe what He says in His word, then please read this.
God loves you more than all the love in the entire world put together.
I believe in God but MY God has a sense of humor. Just look in the mirror. Not just you personally but ALL of us!
You think YOU get a lot of guff? You should check out my S.H.I.T. (Some Hip Interesting Things) series. I quite often find and include what some would call sacrilegious pics in there. In fact, the reason why I am not in the 90s right now is because I had 13 hubs banned in one day and several held over for at least two days.
So don't sweat it!
Bard of Ely says:
16 months ago
It's a load of nonsense as far as I am concerned too, Pam! As if God would be bothered about such a minor thing as people swearing using his or his son's name!