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So by your definition cursing is just taking God's name in vain? I am catholic, and a priest told me that if it is a bodily function that is is not cursing.


I did not reference the taking of Gods name in vain. That is a broader scope that the points I was making are only a part of. Taking Gods name in vain includes telling someone, God bless you. when they sneeze, and such. Im specifically referring to cursing God.

Your priest was talking very specifically. If you say I have to go poop, or you use stronger language, then it isnt cursing specifically. However, if the word is offensive and you know it is you are still in error since we are commanded to not lead others to sin. Read the verses I gave. They are good instruction on how a Christian is to speak. Also, if you say to someone, You are full of poop. or you use a stronger word, you are cursing.

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So cursing does change by definition. I can assure you that there are many words that are bodily functions that many would consider vulgar.


Again, you arent understanding me. A curse is a curse. The word you use for the curse may change but the fact of the curse doesnt. If F you isnt a curse 500 years from now it is irrelevant, it is a curse now. And I assure you that there will be some other curse that expresses the same sentiment. The human mind isnt so diverse as we want to think. The fact of a curse is the effect on another person within the commonalities of the culture. Also, if a word is offensive, dont use it. I can think of a couple of technically correct, non profanity, words that reference the sex organs that polite people simply dont use unless at the doctor.

Be gentle with others, consider their sensibilities. If they come for a scrap, give them a scrap, give them an honorable fight. But dont shout vulgarities out your window. Its cowardly and demeaning of innocent bystanders. Also, dont use red-flag words in public unless you are certain they wont offensive, not that they *shouldnt* be offensive, that the wont. It really gets my goat when I hear some obtuse nutjob going on about how people just shouldnt be offended by a woman talking about her sex organ. Im smart enough to know that if people werent offended that nut wouldnt have any interest at all in talking about it.

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The point of this article was that a woman was cursing in her home because her toliet was overflowing. The window was open, so people could hear her. We don't know what words she was using.


And I dont know for a fact that Charles Manson caused the death of Sharon Tate. Even if he says so I dont know it for a fact. It remains that we live in a society and we must respect the laws of that society, as Christians doubly so. The law said that she was cursing. I know that when people curse loudly they do so to get the attention of other people. There is no other reason. The habituality of a person may have them curse in the middle of a desert with no one around for leagues, but that is a reflex that is based on the intent that others hear the curse. It is an attack on the consciousness of other people. The purpose is to shock. It is wrong to shock innocent bystanders for the purpose of personal recreation. This is a fact we seem to be forgetting in our society.

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The question is was she put in jail because an off duty cop complained against her?


Or, the question is: Should a recklessly foul mouthed person be subjected to corrective punishment? I say yes to the fine and no to the jail time.

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She was in her home dealing with a mess.


That is irrelevant to the case. If she were in her house and throwing rotten food matter out the window and it struck someone she should be punished, even if it just splashed on their clothing. The problem isnt the event she is using to excuse her verbal assault, it is the verbal assault.

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Does the govt have the right to come into your home and say what words you can or can not use?


No. But that isnt what happened. The government has a right to regulate what you send out of your house, be it rotten garbage, nocuous fumes, loud music, or profanity.

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Cursing at a toliet is not a threat to national security.


No, but it is a threat to the personal well being of people within the range of the verbal attack. No one has the right to assault other people, verbally or otherwise, intentionally or carelessly.

I think you and Dergats should copy this thread in its entirety and take it to your priest/minister/preacher and let him read the whole thing and counsel you. I strongly suggest you do this. If he tells you I am wrong you will be stronger for it and if he tells you I am right you will be stronger for it. I am certain he will help you understand personal responsibility and moral conduct better. These are important and we all could use better understanding of those subjects.

Joel.