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So, when it comes to the Bible and profanity, it might not be what you think.
The Bible swears a lot. Like, a fucking ton.
Our translations just usually shy away from it.
The Bible swears a lot. Like, a fucking ton.
Our translations just usually shy away from it.
It’s not just about what words we see translated as things like “rubbish,” “sons of vipers,” etc…
It’s also about the ways in which the Bible is weaponized to keep people from saying what they mean and naming the fucking reality of our world.
It’s also about the ways in which the Bible is weaponized to keep people from saying what they mean and naming the fucking reality of our world.
We get things like Psalm 19 (“let the words of my mouth be acceptable in your sight, O God”) and Ephesians 4:29 (“let no corrupting talk come from your mouth, but only such as is good for the building up”)
as though this has anything to do with saying “fuck.”
as though this has anything to do with saying “fuck.”
We can go into the history of language and sociology and why ‘shit’ is PG-13 and ‘crap’ is PG and all that madness. I am not qualified to do that.
But if Paul can write ‘shit’ and Amos can say things are literally goddamned, then that kind of language is good enough for me.
But if Paul can write ‘shit’ and Amos can say things are literally goddamned, then that kind of language is good enough for me.
Also it’s way too easy to dismiss any of this with “taking the Lord’s name in vain” so I offer you this as a nerdy rabbit hole off this original…nerdy rabbit hole.
Props to my man @MonkInDocs for pointing out that sneaky bastard Paul’s famed σκύβαλα (Phil. 3:8), basically the word for “shit” that Paul makes his point with, to say all his previous shit pales in comparison to gaining Jesus the Christ.
Makes fucking sense, right? “Rubbish” 🙄
Makes fucking sense, right? “Rubbish” 🙄
We have some fantastic crazy shit in the books of the Kings, for which I would point you to a resident scholar, the Rev. @WilGafney, Ph.D.
I Samuel also has a doozy: Saul gets pissed at Jonathan & is freaked out that David will get his throne instead of his son (accurate), & calls him a name you’ve heard.
The NRSV has “son of a perverse, rebellious woman” because there’s no verse that the NRSV won’t make boring AF.
The NRSV has “son of a perverse, rebellious woman” because there’s no verse that the NRSV won’t make boring AF.
The enigmatic Isaiah has his share of fucking words, too.
They come from a weird interlude, basically copied from II Kings 18:13-20:19 (Isa. 36:1-37:20): a cupbearer says that the people in Jerusalem will soon be forced to eat their own shit and drink their own piss (36:12).
They come from a weird interlude, basically copied from II Kings 18:13-20:19 (Isa. 36:1-37:20): a cupbearer says that the people in Jerusalem will soon be forced to eat their own shit and drink their own piss (36:12).
Jesus gets wonderfully snarky and swears himself in Luke’s Gospel — Pharisees seek to help him escape Herod, and Jesus says, “Yo, you go tell that ‘fox’ something for me” (13:32)
the Greek is tricky; performance criticism suggests it’s said more as “bastard.”
the Greek is tricky; performance criticism suggests it’s said more as “bastard.”
And please tell me how you can read John the Baptist’s withering critique of the people gathered at the Jordan as anything other than “sons of bitches” or “motherfuckers” (Luke 3:7) — you don’t even need to read between the lines!
Amos leads the prophetic fire in the First Testament, refusing to shy away from calling things “god damned” (4:11) — once even ascribing it (4:2) to God’s holiness! — making plain that people often gets their points across by using shocking language.
Like, yea.
Like, yea.
But, the language police come back, referencing Colossians 3:8 (“but now you must put away…obscene talk from your mouth”), Matthew 12:36 (“people will give account for every careless word”).
And I say this: what’s obscene are the goddamned concentration camps, not my words.
And I say this: what’s obscene are the goddamned concentration camps, not my words.
You want to sit here in this cascading slide into late-stage white supremacist capitalism and planet-destroying fascism and get on me for saying “fuck” when the quote in context was “fucking rich-ass child molesters”
i mean come the fuck on.
i mean come the fuck on.
Anyways, saunter on over to Song of Songs to see how English translations and pious interpretations of “it’s a metaphor about Christ and the Church!" try their best not to get you turned on, but alas.
That shit is thoroughly hot. 🤷🏻♂️
That shit is thoroughly hot. 🤷🏻♂️
When I think of how much I cannot stand fundamentalist Christianity, one of the things that really pisses me the fuck off is how they completely mutilate the bible and pretend like its stories aren’t often utterly insane and compelling and badass.
Anyways.
tl;dr — people wrote the bible, and people fucking swear sometimes 🤷🏻♂️
tl;dr — people wrote the bible, and people fucking swear sometimes 🤷🏻♂️
