Profanity

A loose definition of profanity might be: “a prurient description of a vulgar action or object.” Beyond that, it is probably the vernacular usages of common America and sophisticated America, but, in that case, reserved for private and not public or social usage.

Truthfully, we all use vulgarity, to some extent, to convey our distrust, disdain or contempt of something that offends. Someone once said that swearing provides a relief denied prayer. I don’t think I would go that far, but in certain personal circumstances, I have and would probably do so again.

Perhaps it is the time that we as a society acknowledge that we are not as good as we think we are and certainly not as bad. I know a few evangelicals who use the vernacular to make their point.

I’m not sure it changes one’s devotion or divinity. I remember my Mother telling the story of her father, a very religious man who came rushing back into the house after he headed out to work, shouting as he knelt down by his bed, “I forgot to say my goddamn prayers.”

His statement is not so much vulgarity, but it is a little profane to the divine.

I am not offended by profanity in today presidential campaign. I am offended that the ability to use elegant words seems to be lost to today’s generation and some of yesterday's presidential candidates.