Everything is offensive

[Princess Luna On The Moon]

It seems to be the norm nowadays to be offended about something. I can hardly post or say anything now without worrying about offending someone. Should things just be said openly anyway and disregard those who are offended? Or should things be made to prevent any potentially offensive materials or behaviors? Thoughts?

[bluethread]

[Replying to bluethread]

Actually, I was correcting you about your assumption of what 'swearing' means. Even if the word 'swear' did not used to mean foul language, it does now.

So, are you saying that people should not find any language offensive or be offended when you speak in anger?

Yes, I do think that language should not offend people since the amount of 'naughty' words in the English language are few. But, they still do.

It appears that you are referring to epithets. If no words were offensive, what would one say when one wishes to offend?

[bluethread]

Speaking openly is one thing, but speaking inaccurately is another. For example, are you saying that you take oaths and make promises, or are you saying that you speak crudely? If it is the latter, the term swearing is really not correct. That use is a cultural misnomer.

But you knew what she meant... if you were aware it was a cultural misnomer... So, then you were compelled to correct her on a pedantic point.. then I felt completed to call you out on yours..

Fair enough. I was just trying to draw out a distinction. When one complains about people being offended, it is good to know what one is saying should not be offensive. When one speaks in terms that are based on general secondary definitions, misunderstandings occur and it is often the misunderstanding that causes offense and not one's openness.

However, since you are the representative theist on this thread, how would you explain God's position on the subject? Can you tell us what God says about either form?

Well the Scriptures seem to indicate that one's word should be one's bond. That is that there should be no need for taking an oath. Regarding crude statements, that would seem to hinge on the point I was making. Is it accurate? Now, if one is not making an oath, or referring to something that is truly crude, one would be misusing a term or phrase, this can lead to confusion and/or offense. The Scriptures appear to see these two things not good.

And is swearing wrong in ALL cases? What if you had to swear to save 100 children? What if a killer said you had to say a bad word, or else people would die?

This is a perfect example of what I was referring to. My response would depend on what one is referring to when one says "swear". I would say in general that in the scenario you present, what one says needs to be appropriate to the situation. If the only way to get the attention of crane operator who is going to drop a ton of bricks on 100 children is to use an epithet, then I would use the epithet. If a crazed killer was telling me to use an epithet or he will mow down 100 children with an AK-47, I'm not sure it matters. He is a crazed killer and can not be expected to act in a predictable manner.

IF you say it's OK in that case because it's obvious, then it's obvious. (It's obvious because we do a cost-benefit analysis in our head).

If you say it's objectively wrong, then it's wrong like murder is wrong. If the theist balks at this, then we are back to recognizing moral issues with Reason, not the Bible - which is probably where God's commentary came from.

I wasn't looking at this as some atheist/theist dispute. I was looking at it as an examination of whether being offended is justified and when. It appears that you find pedantic inquiries offensive. Why is that? Is there a time when it is unreasonable to find pedantic inquiries offensive?

[Cephus]

Where did anyone get the idea that they had a right not to be offended? The whole concept is absurd.

[Princess Luna On The Moon]

[Replying to post 11 by bluethread]

Same words as before, but people should remember that words are just words. They can only do as much as one will let them.

[bluethread]

[Replying to post 11 by bluethread]

Same words as before, but people should remember that words are just words. They can only do as much as one will let them.

So, are you saying that it is inappropriate to say that someone is being offensive, since the offended person is choosing to be offended?

[OnceConvinced]

Words can sometimes be a real grey area. Some are blatantly rude and offensive and a lot of people would find them offensive, especially if they are directed at them. Some though will be offensive to one person and not to another.

I had a classic example on this site. I used the "D" 4 letter word (word for part of the male anatomy). Where I come from we call people that all the time. ie "Stop being a D***" is used lightheardedly even towards friends and family. Or there is "He's behaving like a D***", which is a little more critical. It's not considered a swear word because we use it in the context of someone deliberately acting like an idiot or being difficult. If it's used to talk about male body parts, then yes it would be considered offensive, because it's a rude word for that body part.

I got a moderator warning here for using it in a similar context of the first example, but yet from my perspective I was not using it to represent a male body part.

[Princess Luna On The Moon]

[Replying to post 1 by bluethread]

I wouldn't call it inappropriate, but it seems to me that those who are offended choose to be offended. For example, I find things like 'The 700 Club' to be offensive, but instead of being offended because they say evil and cruel things about certain groups, I like to carefully analyze things they might say and make reasons as to why they're ridiculous.

[bluethread]

I used the "D" 4 letter word (word for part of the male anatomy).

Maybe they thought you were referring to being a D*** Durbin. Now, that is trully offensive.

[bluethread]

[Replying to post 1 by bluethread]

I wouldn't call it inappropriate, but it seems to me that those who are offended choose to be offended. For example, I find things like 'The 700 Club' to be offensive, but instead of being offended because they say evil and cruel things about certain groups, I like to carefully analyze things they might say and make reasons as to why they're ridiculous.

When my children used to say that I was making them mad, I would tell them that it was they who were choosing to be mad. The then learn to say that I was making it easy for them to be made. That I accepted, because then they were taking responsibility for their own feelings. I think that might be the nub of the matter. People who accuse others of being offensive are wishing to hold others responsible for their feelings.

[Princess Luna On The Moon]

[Replying to post 19 by bluethread]

Fair enough. I can accept people being offended if there's a good, rational reason to be (even if I disagree). What really bothers me is when there's a group solely dedicated to preventing and banning things they find offensive or immoral.