Actually, we are.
But of course, if you can’t use a word that expresses all the hate you feel for that person, you have to find some other words that are more acceptable to, at least, hint that feeling 
I think we keep coming round to the same fallacies here.
1) The assumption that if swear words are censored, you can’t be as rude/mean with your language.
This assumption obviously isn’t true. You can be supremely offensive without swear words. I don’t want to give an example but I’m sure everyone can think of at least one.
2) The thinking that swear words can only be used for vulgar/offensive purposes.
Also not true. “You are the s**t!”
3) Most people find seeing a swear word offensive
Well according to the poll, most people actually don’t. And the most likely reason why those who do, do find it offensive:
And the context is the most important thing. Some words are only swear words if used in a certain context. If you purchased a female dog you could say “I bought a bitch”. And saying “Maggie is a bitch” is fine if you are talking about your female dog. From the example above, “You are the st" is a compliment but "You are a st” is an insult, or “You s**t” is complimentary banter version touché however can also be used as an insult. It is warmer because it implicitly says that you are a close enough friend that I can do banter without being offensive.
So non-swear words and swear words can be offensive, complimentary and descriptive. There are instances when swear words are a better tool for communication than words branded non-swear words (and the other way round).
So given that they are useful, and like with other words their offensiveness depends on the context, why should swear words specifically be censored in an absolute sense?
@RT_
I haven’t voted beause I don’t have an oppinion in relation to censoring words. But I fully understand people who do censor them.
Regarding your fallacies, I think that people does know that you can be rude even without swear words, and that you can even use them to compliment.
Even in a positive context, do I want to see them? No.
Do they offend me? That depends if they’re directed at me and, of course the context 
Would I censor them? Not in principle. I would like to think that people intelligent enough to know when to use them (often, that’s not the case)
Are they necessary? In my opinion, 99% of the times, no. Yes, sometimes you simply to get it out and nothing like a swear word to get it out of your chest. But if you have to express your emotions with swear words constantly… well, maybe it is simply that I don’t understand so much intensity
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interestingly you touch on the point that in the spoken language there are times when it is possible to use swear words as a friendly exchange, but the written word is very different and people can take the way someone writes something in a completely different meaning to it’s intention. By self censoring certain words you are showing a certain amount of respect for the fact you are not 100% sure how the other person would react.
I was quite embarrassed after using some swear words when out with some friends only to realise a mother with a baby was close by and was able to hear. Outside of the context of our group it could be seen as threatening. We apologised and cleaned up the rest of the conversation, but still maintained the level of enjoyment albiet with a different vocabulary.
You can write something that has a completely different meaning to it’s intention with non-swear words too:
I’m lost… what’s your point with these quotes?
I edited it to be more clear. This is another example of my example!! haha
I curse a lot. I like cursing a lot. I don’t see the point in it being censored, it’s just some foul words. Sometimes they are not appropriate and that’s what makes them great.
As weird as it sounds, cursing for me makes me feel more comfortable and relaxed. It means I’m not putting on a show or in a professional environment and that I feel comfortable with the people around me. As a bald guy, it’s really the closest thing I have to letting my hair down.
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Same here - when I’m alone - I would not say ■■■■ in the presence of my grandparents or pastor.
(well, unless maybe if I dropped an anvil on my toes or cut myself, upon which I’d quickly apologize)
IMHO it’s a matter or respect. If I know or don’t know if others might be offended, I do my best to be polite.
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[quote=“jeffreylees, post:8, topic:196259, full:true”]
In America, it seems to often be tied to a morality issue - foul language is wrong, largely because someone’s church tells them that it is, if we’re being candid. Yet no one can point to a definitive source, religiously or otherwise, that says it’s wrong.[/quote]
Yeah, you f***ing heathens overseas have probably never heard of “The Ten Commandments”.
Unless I’m mistaken, isn’t the 3rd commandment only saying we shouldn’t take the Lords name in vain? Swearing oaths?
Seems like a specialized subset of cursing. Not cursing in general.
Talking about religion is against SPF so I think I’ll bow out.
Interesting point. I do believe most Christian theologians would say that swearing in general is taking the Lord’s name is vain but I can see your point.
I was just trying to be funny with my response! 
Interesting point. I do believe most Christian theologians would say that swearing in general is taking the Lord’s name is vain but I can see your point.
No, they wouldn’t, but with that, I’m out of this subset of conversation too 
I think that’s exactly my policy. Respect for other people’s ideas on the subject even if they don’t actually make logical sense.
This is my approach on the whole. But I find it offensive if I am expected or forced to suppress what I think and how I want to express myself. I think you should be able to express yourself how ever you want, but not necessarily choose to express yourself that way. It should depend on the circumstances of a situation, not on an absolute rule on certain expressions.
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Let me preface this with this is not defending church. It is defending good arguments and debates
- Have you been to church?
- Have you been to church in America?
- Do you really think the source for disdain against certain words comes from within a church?
I think it is more of a moral issue than a religious one. All the movie ratings and censorship is done by organizations like the MPAA and FCC and the like - not church/religion.
Do you know that a lot of religions “frown” upon using certain words? Look up Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism. If you need to go more granular, look up some more.
Like I said, this isn’t defending church but that is such a flippant statement filled with bias. I would hate for this to become a religious/political thread.
Only post I’ll throw into here since it’s sliding dangerously close to a verboten topic here.
Probably with that argument is you’re looking at the wrong religious basis in the U.S. The primary (at least politically) religious base is Christianity, who are VERY well funded, and fervent in pushing their beliefs and are very judgmental in expecting everyone to conform to their beliefs. Just look at the DOMA disaster and the other basic human decency issues trekking through the US legal system the past ten years.
We have two extremist points of view at the moment, and few that are willing to worry more about themselves than what others do or say. And, unfortunately, the prevalent attitude right now is that the US was built by Christians (it wasn’t, most of the Founding Fathers were deitists, which means they believed in a god figure, but not necessarily one religion), so they feel it’s their patriotic duty to shove their religious beliefs down others throats.
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And like I said, not debating church either - but yes, I’ve been to quite a few very different churches. Most of my life, in fact, has been spent very involved in one religion or another.
Most religious persons I know would say that their religion specifically teaches them not to use certain words. That’s not a debatable fact - it’s just how it is. I know that from both personal experience and from those around me.
Part of that is intertwined with the idea that morality comes from religion (or not) - if your basic morals come from religion, and you consider swearing a moral issue, your stance on it may come from your religion.
Also, just to be clear, many people misunderstand their religions on this. There are quite a few Christian denominations, for example, in which the theologians or written doctrine would have zero religious issue with “foul language” but the lay members would, mistakenly, believe that their church’s doctrine contraindicates it. In those cases, which are many, the root cause of the disdain doesn’t come from the church itself, but from the member’s own personal beliefs, which they simply attribute to their religion. Most people don’t know or understand even half of the tenets of their religion, though.
As far as MPAA/etc - the MPAA certainly isn’t society’s source of moral law, or we’re all ****ed.
It’s merely a response to society. And no one argued that churches censor movie ratings. Please, try not to patronize people here and then call yourself “defending good debates”.
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Strawman. This isn’t about DOMA right? All I’m saying is strictly talking about censorship of words, it flows down from government agencies. Pointing anywhere else is like blaming CSS for a bad database design - to take a nerdy twist.
All I see is anecdotes. So do I want to continue? No.
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No, it’s not just about DOMA. It’s a persistent attitude and approach across all aspects of life. It’s companies who choose not to serve people because of the employees or employers religious beliefs, nationalities and sexual preferences. It’s the invasive political correctness that makes it so everyone is afraid of offending someone, people taking offense when there was absolutely no intent to offend.
It’s about people taking responsibilities for their actions and the actions of their children. It’s about people blaming others for their own lack of personal moral compass and refusing to look in a mirror and realizing what deficiencies they have in their lives.
It’s much more than censoring words - that’s just a minor issue in the much larger picture
(OK, leaving the soapbox now…this is why political and religious discussions are discouraged in the forums…)
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