don’t use foul or abusive language

“Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”(Ephesians 4:29)

I was standing at the gas station today waiting for the guy to ring up the charge for my auto inspection.

This is one of those rare stations in America that only are seen in small towns. It is a full-service station. The guy comes out and cleans your window and pumps your gas. It is good if you are getting gas, but it is lousy if you are waiting on the guy to do some stuff for you on your car.

Anyway, I am waiting and two men are talking about tires. One of them is a modernly profane fool, one of these people who has absolutely no brain power to discern where they are and who might be listening.

These kind of guys listen to movies and hear people say all kinds of things everywhere on TV and get to thinking that it is normal. They think that Orange County Choppers and that pawn shop show and other “reality” shows are normal human activity. Instead, it is the habitation of wackos, people with no morality.

I suppose that nothing moves me to possible violence faster than these people. They are stupid and have no sense of self or propriety.

In fact, truth be told, I am not a fan of vulgarity in the first place. Chalk it up to prudery if you want, but it is possible to register all of the ranges of emotion available to a person without ever using profanity. In fact, it takes some knowledge to say what you want without cursing. It used to be called the gentleman’s fine art of the insult.

Yet we use profanity so casually. Two young people, a boy and a girl, running into the mall laughing about something, cursing while laughing. The old expression “cursing like a sailor” cannot be beat by what children say today in public in mixed company.

It hurts our society. I remember a guy in high school back in the 60’s who cursed a fair amount around other guys. Someone mentioned to a girl one day that he did and her comment was, but he doesn’t around girls. It was a mark of breeding of sorts that he was discrete in his language around girls. But not now.

So what do we do? I don’t know.

I do know that the Bible says to use your language in such a way that you help and not hurt others. In fact, it says specifically, don’t use foul or abusive language. That cuts out most of the conversations today and most of the public discourse about politics.

Politics has really brought out the animal in people. The vitriol and bitterness expressed in what people say about each other. The accusations of lying and all. 100 years ago, people would have been killed in honor duels over what is said today in common speech. At the least, someone would get beaten up for calling someone else a liar.

And that has been in my lifetime, since I was in the army. When I was younger, you didn’t call another man a liar without suffering the consequences. I am not sure that it would not be a good idea to go back to those days. It would surely make for more civil discourse.

Say stuff that is good. Don’t smart off so quickly (one of my own problems). Make what you say be encouraging, good and helpful.

Oh sure, and then you and Pollyanna will be close, personal friends and we can all ride unicorns. It probably will not happen and will probably get worse.

What a sad end to a great country.