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Yes, it is very arrogant.

It's not irrelevant. And it's the same arguement that perpetuates stupid ideas like racism. "It's what I was taught", there comes a time when we must unlearn what we have learned. There comes a time when we must think for ourselves, and learn the truth.

Look around at how Christians are being treated these days. It seems as if it is being taught that our beliefs are "vulgar", so much so that they are trying to eliminate this kind of speech in places where the unbeliever "could be" exposed to our teachings. The same way certain words have been deemed vulgar and deemed distasteful for the public ear.

Think I'm stretching things? In the last 20 years, we've seen prayer taken from schools...we've seen the banning of certain religious icons from state property...in certain cities around the country, door to door ministries can be considered harrasment and when persistant, even assault. There is now talk about removing "Under God" from our pledge....

Jesus and God are becomming our new dirty words....and don't you find it funny that the same people who are lsahing out about Jesus, are trying to teach tolerance for the other religions, yet they show no tolerance for ours?

I didn't mean to turn this into a sermon, but this train of thought it what is hurting people in their walk with God, and pushing people further away from the light of the truth. It starts with small words, and ends with bigger and more important issues. Like God.

An idea or belief starts as one person making an affirmation, whether it be that certain words are "dirty" or that certian skin tones are "bad", it gets taught over and over and over, until eventually it becomes an accepted "truth".

I use racism as an example, because it was a set of, at one time, dominant beliefs, that we had to "reeducate" ourselves on. And because, like language, it was a value based on class.




What age is the right age, in your opinion, to stop taking anything your told to heart as truth? When do you think you should start learning things for yourself? I was raised in a Christian household, where a lot of the beliefs were "conservative" at best. Which is to say, noone could ever adequately explain anytihng to me. It was always told to me, to take it all in faith. Sometimes that isn't enough. I had to find Him for myself...but I tell you this. Because I found my faith and tested my beliefs by the fire of truth and the words of the skeptics...my love and trust in God is unshakable.

Sometimes, when you think about this stuff for yourself, you end up at the same place. Like in my walk of faith. And sometimes you find a part of the story you were never shown before....not intentionally mind you...but because somethings don't get taught, you're just expected to believe it's true.




I didn't say anything remotely close to that. I'm saying, that when people just take what they are told at face value, and never learn for yourself the truth, that they propagate beliefs based on lies...rather than truth. They convince themselves that the teaching is valid, or else it wouldn't have been taught for so long. And that just isn't true, it lasts so long because people believe what they want to believe.

The topic is over language, but it's applicable to issues like race and religion. Which is why I have used those issues as examples.

But that's kind of the issue at hand, isn't it? If you never make a conscious decision to question things you've been taught, then you continue to "teach" the same things...whether or not these things are true or not.

In this case, people are claiming that certain words are sinful...and that just isn't true. The words themselves are innocent. It's the manner in which they are used that is at question. The only thing that has made them "taboo" words, is a historical bias towards a certain class of people that started hundreds of years ago. Not the bible. Those words, were most likely never even used in biblical times.




Do you really think the "feeling in your heart" came before any kind of teaching, in this issue? Everything you believe, you have learned. You aren't born with knowledge like "cussing is wrong" or "stealing is wrong", watch a little baby growing up. When they get to that speaking age, they'll repeat anything....especially the cussing. It isn't until we teach them not to, that it becomes a lesson, and something to be considered. Ever seen a baby just snatch something out of someone's hand? If you've spent time with babies you have...and what do we tell them? NO!!!! Because they don't understand property and respecting other people's property. Do we get really mad at them? Of course not, they're just babies. They're "learning".

Same is true with this issue, you've felt in your heart what you've been taught, beause that's what you've no doubt been taught all your life. Babies just arebn't born with this kind of knowledge, their environment is what shapes them into who they become.




In the case of langauge, I don't believe anything. I KNOW. I KNOW that history teaches us, that upper class englishmen (the wealthy) looked down upon the lower clases (the peasants). I KNOW that they were not treated as equals, and everything about them disgusted the upper class (generally). I KNOW, that the roots of labeling certain words as Vulgar (or at least the modern day ones) started there. And I know the teaching followed the wealthy immigrants to America, where it was spread and has become a social issue in the modern day.

I understand history and how things get taught...that's not arrogance. That's education. It's arrogant to say that history doesn't matter. History is EVERYTHING. History is how we learn, if it doesn't matter, then we've learned nothing. And are doomed to make the same mistakes over and over again.

As Christians, History is especially important to us.




This statement is so flawed that it isn't even funny. If you didn't "think" something was right, then you certainly wouldn't "believe" that something is right. And so if your thoughts dictate what's right, then your "believing what you want to believe".

Aside from the the fact that it seems you are accusing me of "picking and choosing" my beliefs, but I'll dismiss that on the grounds of straying from the heart of the discussion.




Belief built on knowledge, is "stronger" than belief built on teaching. I've heard a lot of Christians try and pass off arguments that they were "taught" only to have it torn apart from under them, because that foundation wasn't built on knowledge, but on secondhand thought. Am I saying that I'm a better person in Christ? Absolutely not, we're both brothers and sister before the eyes of the Lord. But when it comes to defending my faith, I'm willing to bet I can defend mine better than you can dfend yours. If it's built on "It's right , because I know it's right..."

That's not good enough for Satan, and how can you ever win atheist hearts for Christ with an arguement like that? (By the way, this isn't an attack on you at all. People view our beliefs as weak, and it's because a large body of Christians have weak arguements. And unfortunately, it's our duty as soldiers for Christ to win these hearts for Him, how can we win them if we can't convince them of the truth?)




If my explanation was "loose", it's only because this topic has nothig to do with race. But if you think it's a weak arguement to say that racism is taught in the home, and usually spans generations in teaching...then by all means you tell me how it is that racism continues to thrive?




You don't? OK, well I'll stick to the topic and try and explain better.

1st, some woman in the middle ages hear some peasants talking, and hears one use a word to describe sex, use your imagination, she then turns in disgust at the peasants, walks away and passes along the story of the "vulgar" peasant. Then the other nobles begin to notice how their peasants talk, not just the words they use...but the topics as well. (This wasn't just true in the way peasants talked, but everything about the pesaants form their clothes to their bathing habits.)

2nd, certain topics of discussion are forbidden from noble homes, and are underlined by the banning of certain words...which usually accompany these topics of discussion.

3rd, peasants in an effort to please their masters, begin instructing their children that speaking in such manners is considered vulgar.....This thought process begins to spread...

4th, eventually people start using the bible to justify this teaching.

And now, people tend to think these words are sins. Although the only scriptture can use is one that preaches against hateful speaking, which thesde words are not always used in a derogatory fashion. Or one on Swearing...which has absolutely nothing to do with certain words...rather than using the name of God, Heaven, a King, yourself or a family member...as a basis for truth...For example, I swear by my mother's grave...."

But that's another issue that is ripe for discussion on historical context and understanding.

It was never about winning, you're right I'm wrong, kind of thing. Nothing with me is. We're part of one family, as Christians, we can't afford to challenge one another. I don't think our Heavenly Father would be pleased with "arguements" amongst family...I'd perfer to think we were having a discussion.

But either way, good luck with your play. Hope it all goes well.