Use of Acronyms, Slang and Metphor's

[Shadowlands]

On one of the discussion boards here, I saw someone use WTH for the Thread.

WTH can mean one of two things: "what the h***" or "what the heck".

My former Pastor from a Fundamental Baptist church preached that given the
culture we live in, every Christian should clean up their language beginning
with avoiding the use of even the most innocent of slang, such as:

"Gee" "geez" or "gee whiz" which in his view, is synonymous with taking the Lord's
name in vain.

Other slang he finds offensive are: "freaking", "gosh darn" or just "gosh".

Another involves a reaction to being amazed and beginning with "holy you fill in the word"
no matter how innocent it may be.

Any thoughts?

 

[TCassidy]

Sissy swear words.

 

[rsr]

Yeah. Use the real ones.

 

[Salty]

On one of the discussion boards here, I saw someone use WTH for the Thread.

WTH can mean one of two things: "what the h***" or "what the heck".

My former Pastor from a Fundamental Baptist church preached that given the
culture we live in, every Christian should clean up their language beginning
with avoiding the use of even the most innocent of slang, such as:

"Gee" "geez" or "gee whiz" which in his view, is synonymous with taking the Lord's
name in vain.

Other slang he finds offensive are: "freaking", "gosh darn" or just "gosh".

Another involves a reaction to being amazed and beginning with "holy you fill in the word"
no matter how innocent it may be.

Any thoughts?

I agree with the terms you have listed - should be avoided by Christians.
as far as "holy you fill in the word" would that mean we should not watch the Batman TV show?

Tom mention that these are "Sissy Swear Words"
Does that also mean there are "Sissy sins" for example - "A little white lie" is that any different from a "Big Black Lie?"

 

[JonC]

Yeah. Use the real ones.

What the heck is that supposed to mean????

 

[JonC]

We are to be a light unto the world, to be a sanctified people. So much of our expressive language in terms of what is accepted and what is not is based on culture (even sub-culture). Christians do just as much damage to their witness when they are legalistically offended by the language of others as they would to swear in church service.

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

 

[rsr]

I agree with the terms you have listed - should be avoided by Christians.
as far as "holy you fill in the word" would that mean we should not watch the Batman TV show?

Tom mention that these are "Sissy Swear Words"
Does that also mean there are "Sissy sins" for example - "A little white lie" is that any different from a "Big Black Lie?"

The biblical injunction is to not lie in court and "bear false witness against thy neighbor."

If you insist on absolute honesty in every answer, you are in for a hard life. "Does this dress make me look fat?" But your answer is not based on absolute truth, but your suppositions about beauty. My late wife could have been swathed in burlap and she would have been beautiful.

Now, continual lying about facts is another thing. You can't tolerate it. But that's another kettle of fish.

 

[Revmitchell]

What the heck means wait for it...............what the heck and nothing else.

gosh means wait for it.................gosh and nothing else.

Let's not make things what they aren't.

 

[TCassidy]

"Does this dress make me look fat?"

"Do I look stupid enough to answer that?"

 

[JonC]

"Do I look stupid enough to answer that?"

And she repeats the question in reply?

 

[TCassidy]

Some recent research has found that women who carry a few extra pounds live longer than men who mention it.

 

[Salty]

What the heck means wait for it...............what the heck and nothing else.

gosh means wait for it.................gosh and nothing else.

According to Merriam-Webster -
Gosh is an euphemism for God
Heck is used as a more polite form of hell

 

[Shadowlands]

I never use the word "gay" for example to describe a
homosexual, male or female. I just say homosexual
(male or female, depending).

I never use the term "gender" to describe male or female.
I say "sex", i.e. describe the sex of the child. Gender has
to do with grammar, because you cannot have more than
two sexes.

To the goof-off's out there who answer "yes" on a job
application when it ask's your sex, figure it out when
you don't get the job. So that's why they now list "gender"
on an app. Years ago I scribbled out the word "gender" on
a job application and wrote in "sex" in keeping with my
values. I answered "male" and later on actually got the job.

Don't push it just because I was hired.

 

[John of Japan]

The use of expletives and acronyms such as those mentioned in the OP, and minced oaths (words to tone down the above mentioned expletives) is a sign of a poor grasp of the English language. Our society is becoming more and more immune to such language, unfortunately. I have found heathen Japanese to be much more civilized and polite than Americans in this regard, even on the Internet.

Such expletives are classified by linguists as "taboo" language. Here's a definition: "taboo word A word known to speakers but avoided in some, most, or all forms or contexts of speech, for reasons of religion, decorum, politeness, etc. Thus in some societies the word for 'death' is taboo, and is accordingly replaced in most forms of speech by a metaphor, euphemism, or some other figurative or roundabout expression" (P. H. Matthews, Oxford Concise Dictionary of Linguistics, p. 400).

Let's cut to the chase. Did Jesus or any Bible writer use taboo words? Of course not! Do you want to be like Jesus? Of course you do. Then don't use taboo words. It's as simple as that. Taboo words offend people. (The only possible "taboo word" in the whole NT is "dung" in Phil. 3:8, skubalon in Greek, but both the Greek and English words are perfectly acceptable.)

By the way, the OP title is mistaken in its terminology. Simply because it is a slang word does not mean that a word is taboo. For example, who here on the BB would object to slang words such as "cool" or "awesome"?

The title also mentions metaphors, which the Bible is full of, and which are almost never taboo. Consider "light of the world," "good shepherd," etc.

 

[John of Japan]

What the heck means wait for it...............what the heck and nothing else.

gosh means wait for it.................gosh and nothing else.

Let's not make things what they aren't.

Actually, both of these words are technically "minced oaths," and they mean what it has been said they mean. In fact, they are meaningless without their etymology. Look up these two words in any dictionary.

 

[Revmitchell]

Actually, both of these words are technically "minced oaths," and they mean what it has been said they mean. In fact, they are meaningless without their etymology. Look up these two words in any dictionary.

they are meaningless. In practice and use they means absolutely nothing nor do these so called definitions have any influence on how they are used.

 

[John of Japan]

I never use the word "gay" for example to describe a
homosexual, male or female. I just say homosexual
(male or female, depending).

I never use the term "gender" to describe male or female.
I say "sex", i.e. describe the sex of the child. Gender has
to do with grammar, because you cannot have more than
two sexes.

Neither of these are considered to be taboo words, so your not using them is simply a matter of personal preference, not an ethical issue as is using taboo words.

The word "gender" has gradually come to mean the same as "sex." Words change in meaning over time, as was easily discernible to me when we moved back to the US three years ago. We old folks may not want to use such words, sticking to the older meaning, but it is not per se wrong to do so.

 

[John of Japan]

they are meaningless. In practice and use they means absolutely nothing nor do these so called definitions have any influence on how they are used.

Repeat your mantra all you want, but no, they are not meaningless, except perhaps to clueless millennials. Anyone from my generation immediately recognizes them as minced oaths. Whenever I hear one of those two words I remember the words from which they are derived, without fail. So they are offensive to many in my generation who grew up knowing the etymology. And in my opinion, to use them reveals an inadequate vocabulary. If you wish to use these words and offend baby boomers, that is up to you, of course.

 

[Revmitchell]

Repeat your mantra all you want, but no, they are not meaningless, except perhaps to clueless millennials. Anyone from my generation immediately recognizes them as minced oaths. Whenever I hear one of those two words I remember the words from which they are derived, without fail. So they are offensive to many in my generation who grew up knowing the etymology. And in my opinion, to use them reveals an inadequate vocabulary. If you wish to use these words and offend baby boomers, that is up to you, of course.

Almost no one remembers any etymology of those words nor do they think of hey this is a good replacement for a cuss word. Its not even a thought in their minds. I would add I do not use them myself. I think all this discussion is a complaint looking for a problem that doesn't exist.

 

[John of Japan]

Almost no one remembers any etymology of those words nor do they think of hey this is a good replacement for a cuss word. Its not even a thought in their minds. I would add I do not use them myself. I think all this discussion is a complaint looking for a problem that doesn't exist.

How in the world do you know this stuff? Did you do a survey or something? You are generalizing from your own thought processes, not making statements of fact.