F**K You

Ok, so this is not the post I had in mind when I considered my return post to Political Jesus (although I never really went anywhere but busyland). Nevertheless, there is a really popular song on the airwaves called “F**k You.” Normally, probably due to my very conservative background, I would have labeled this song as “bad” (at least in my head) and would probably have judged (at least in my head) those who liked it. However, the way I came across this song, first in its sanitized version – “forget you” and then on NPR, allowed me to experience the song for myself before I made any judgments about it. I watched a video of a young, chubby kid ( I relate) being dissed for another guy, and his reaction to this slight is to say “F**k You.” Not only could I relate to this as well (from my former, non-christian days of course… ahem…) but I found it to be insanely funny. The whole song, full of profanity, simply was catchy and tickled my funny bone at almost every lyric. It made me think of how hard I laughed when Hugh Grant used the F-word more consecutively in 4 minutes than I thought possible.

I don’t usually use profanity. If you are one of those who know me well enough to challenge this assertion, I will deny and delete your post, lol. In fact, we teach our kids that there is no such thing as bad words. And in fact, my kids don’t use “bad” words. They just aren’t considered. Yet this morning, trying to fold back a couch-bed, I said loudly, “this thing is pissing me off!” My daughter turned and replied, “I am sorry you are so pissed off daddy. Can I help?” I hated the way my course words sounded on her lips. Why the ambivalence towards these questionable words?

When the kid in the video said, “F**k you.” I thought it was hilarious, and yes, a bit cute.

When I teach my kids there is no such thing as “bad words”and it has led to nearly no usage.

When I curse, I don’t judge myself spiritually for it, yet I confess to feeling somewhat dirty about it.

When I hear my daughter utter even a mild expletive, I am a bit shaken.

I hate curse words in movies. I hate when people use swear words in public. I hate course joking that usually demeans those in the punchline. Yet…

I love those movies. I use swear words in private sometimes. I laugh hard at many jokes that demean those in the punchline.

In private, I am the person I judge in public. I am not ambivalent about the way that makes me feel.

Optimistic Chad

Chad really really hopes things are going to turn out ok. He loves his wife - with the passion of 1000 exploding suns, and is a diligent, but surely mediocre father to his brilliant and subversive children. He likes Chinese food.

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