jlujan69
Full Member
unenlightened, backwoods, no-count fundy
Posts: 113
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Post by jlujan69 on Oct 7, 2010 14:56:52 GMT -5
If you're an Atheist and you cuss, are the names of God and Jesus a part of your "cursing vocabularly"? If so, why?
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Post by SimSim on Oct 7, 2010 15:01:07 GMT -5
Because it's being used as form of emphasis or insult, and while it's meaning less to me, it most likely means something to other people.
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Post by Sleepy on Oct 7, 2010 15:07:48 GMT -5
I usually just say "Jesus" in exasperation, mainly because that is one of the things the word has evolved to express.
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Post by impatiens on Oct 7, 2010 15:07:59 GMT -5
Because I grew up as a Christian and already had those in my profanity vocabulary well before I started looking at the other options. I see no need to remove them, any more than I feel the need to remove any variant of the word fuck from my vocabulary because I'm an asexual. Profanity is basically pretty meaningless. Ever hear a mother call her son a son of a bitch, with no trace of irony? Or called someone a bastard when you know full well their parents are married? Or shouted "Fuck you!" at a person you have no intention of ever having sex with?
ETA: Now that I think about it, it would be more accurate to say I grew up in a Christian household. I don't think I ever really understood Christianity enough as a kid to be classified as one.
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Post by DarkfireTaimatsu on Oct 7, 2010 15:18:00 GMT -5
Sure they are, but I don't consider them curses. They're just words. They're in there because they're culturally ingrained. If it helps, though, I do try to make curses long and nonsensical. Some of my favourites are "What the damn?", "Shit-fucking ass-hell", and "Jesus fuck" (for especially rage). Words like "puke", "licking", and "biscuits" frequently end up in these tirades too.
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Post by Mira on Oct 7, 2010 15:20:17 GMT -5
Funny thing, really. I never used "God" or "Jesus" as an exclamation until I became an atheist. Previously I was too afraid of taking the lord's name in vain for reasons I can no longer seem to comprehend.
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Post by tolpuddlemartyr on Oct 7, 2010 15:27:36 GMT -5
I'm quite creative when I cuss and curse, I'll also yell out epithets like "Thor's toes", "Bhudda's balls", I once called someone a "booger of an Arkleseizure." Of course that doesn't restrict me from ragging on Yahweh and Jesus as well.
I'll even use the names of beings I disbelieve in as a form of compliment, my favourite is "May Yog-Sothoth bless your furry little feet!"
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Post by impatiens on Oct 7, 2010 15:31:04 GMT -5
What motherfucking motherfucker fucking thought this fucking motherfucker of a fucking topic was a motherfucking good fucker of a fucking idea? The motherfucking fucker who fucking though of this fucker should fucking shove this motherfucking topic up his fucking ass fucking sideways!
I kid, I kid. That is pretty much represents my swear word usage, though, when I'm feeling more verbose than just yelling "Fuck!" or 'Motherfucker!"
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Post by Napoleon the Clown on Oct 7, 2010 17:13:22 GMT -5
It's cultural. A word is just letters and sounds. Shit, fuck, cock, cunt, goddamn, Jesus titty-fucking Christ, etc. aren't inherently offensive. It's that society has placed them into the category of words not to be used among polite company, often considered rude to the point of offensive.
Fun fact: Profanity is not stored in the same part of your brain as "polite" words.
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jlujan69
Full Member
unenlightened, backwoods, no-count fundy
Posts: 113
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Post by jlujan69 on Oct 7, 2010 18:28:39 GMT -5
I remember hearing or reading that in Western culture, using God or Jesus in profanity was a kind of "power trip". Somehow, using those names made it different than other types of profanity. Could it be that because those names are traditionally reverenced in our culture, using them in a profane manner unconsciously makes us feel "empowered"?
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Post by Shane for Wax on Oct 7, 2010 18:52:12 GMT -5
I just use them to use them. I grew up hearing them used in such a way, so I use them in that same way. Sure when I was a Catholic then Methodist, etc., I said them in a different way but also the 'vulgar' way.
They are just words to me now. If people get offended, that is their prerogative.
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Post by Mira on Oct 7, 2010 19:15:12 GMT -5
It's called culture.
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Post by Sigmaleph on Oct 7, 2010 20:23:17 GMT -5
I use "Jesus fucking Christ" rather frequently when cursing in English. I prefer to replace Ra or Ungod for God, resulting in frequent ungoddammits.
In Spanish (i.e. my native language) I only use Dios or ay Dios ("God" and "oh God" respectively) as expressions of frustration, not really for swearing. I also often use ojalá, a deformation of insha'allah, meaning Allah willing.
Why? Language just works that way. Expressions I hear around creep into my daily use, and I don't care enough to remove them. Doesn't mean I'm Muslim when expressing desire and Christian when expressing frustration, or that I switch religions when I switch swearing languages.
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Post by Napoleon the Clown on Oct 7, 2010 21:57:02 GMT -5
Ever drop a "Madre de Dios!"?
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jlujan69
Full Member
unenlightened, backwoods, no-count fundy
Posts: 113
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Post by jlujan69 on Oct 7, 2010 22:56:29 GMT -5
Ever drop a "Madre de Dios!"? Or "Jesus, Maria, Jose"? Thanks for not slamming me for this thread thus far. |
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