Reminders: Be Careful What You Say
by Ardith Hoff
Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn’t have said.
We no longer threaten to wash the mouths of children out with soap for using bad words, but maybe it’s some adults who need it more anyway.
Children learn what they say and do from observing others.
Unfortunately, using profanity has become very commonplace on TV, in the movies, in music, in books and in everyday conversations. Some comedians don’t think they can tell a joke without using offensive language. But humor doesn’t have to be vulgar to be funny. When we laugh at a dirty joke, we risk ending up just as deep in the gutter as the person telling it. Swear words, dirty and unkind words are everywhere! It’s hard to get away from them, but just because they are all around us does not mean they are right.
A wise person once said that the main reason people use profanity is that they have very limited vocabularies. Too many people speak from habit rather than from a thoughtful choice of words. Some people use rough talk because they think it makes them sound tougher, stronger, or part of the “in” crowd. The problem is that even though such words are considered acceptable by many people, they are not acceptable everywhere. A habit of using unfiltered words can easily lead to bad words slipping out at the wrong time. How many jobs, sales, or promotions have been lost or how many speakers were not invited back because of just one four-letter word?
The best idea is not to adopt the habit (or to break the habit) of using profane language. It won’t change how other people use words, but it will make our own utterances more acceptable. Having the freedom of speech does not mean that we should abuse it. To find a place where you will hear only good words, walk into a church and listen.
May the Psalmist David’s prayer become our own; “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalms 19:14