If a profane word becomes acceptable, is it still considered to be profanity?

There are any number of words that have been sucked from dirty mouths into the acceptable lexicon of everyday people. One such word is "damn"; this was a word that a child might get slapped for using 50 years ago, now it is an acceptable expression of intense irritation.

You know, my husband and I were having a conversation like this the other day. The problem with profanity is that when you pepper your every day speech with those kind of words, they lose the effect they are supposed to have. Generally, using profanity makes one appear to be low class, but at some circumstances, they are the only words that will do. The problem is, we have to keep using worse and worse words to make that point.

But to answer your question, No. No matter how many times we hear those words used they will never become appropriate or acceptable for polite company.

I think too many have become desensitized. I have to monitor my tv whenever it's on due to the profanity (and yes, I think it's still just that) and my little kids hearing it. I don't think it's a good thing at all. There should be a time limit (like past 10 PM) when that can be used. It's even on daytime talk shows. Out of control.

I don't think profane words should be allowed at all on TV. Soon they'll be saying anything that want to. You don't have to use profanity to be serious or funny. Most use profanity, because the don't know the proper words to use.

I think the usage of the words is still unacceptable, no matter how common their usage may be.

And I think those who frequently resort to them are guilty of having a lack of imagination.

I think that words shouldn't even be considered profanity, ever. They're just words. I don't get how saying that person is a ------------ is any different than saying that person is constantly yelling at people and telling them they're dumb. I mean, if the shoe fits..

This is called conditioning, it all depends how you are using the word and if you are directing it towards someone. I personally feel that words do not harm us we harm us. This also shows your intellect the amount of swearing you do.

Absolutely! Profanity will always be profanity. Acceptance is not what makes something good or bad. If that were the case, there would be no such thing as sin, simply that which was acceptable and that which was unacceptable.

You see, there are two bodies of authority when it comes to the law. First there is God, who governs moral and natural law, then there is man, who governs societal law. God has decreed that his laws are unchanging..."Alpha and Omega, from the beginning, even unto the end." As a matter of fact, in Hebrews 13:8, it says "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever". The purpose of Moral law is to help us to become more like Jesus Christ. The whole purpose of being here on the earth is to prove ourselves worthy to one day return to live with our Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ is our Savior, whose sacrifice makes it possible for us to be clean (for no unclean thing can enter into the Kingdom of God), and whose gospel and example make it possible for us to remain clean, in spite of the fact that the world is, as you so wisely observed, getting worse every day. The purpose of the gospel of Jesus Christ is to help us to become the best people that we can be. With that understanding, it only makes sense that there is an oppositional force that wants us to fail. Satan desires the hearts of men for himself, and the only way that he sees to do that is to disqualify as many people from returning to God as he can. The way that he does that is through tempting us to break moral law, in any way that he can. Most people will not immediately go from being good people to evil people overnight. It only comes in degrees. Satan is very patient, and he will take as much time as is necessary to break us down. Many people talk about "victimless crimes", such as prostitution, drugs, profanity, and pornography. They talk about such things as though they are OK because they don't involve us hurting someone else. But the only way to maintain a strong society is to base it on moral laws. Our Founding Fathers knew this and that is why "In God We Trust" became our countries slogan. It's printed on our money so that everytime we are tempted to worship money, we see that phrase, "In God We Trust" and it reminds us who we should really be worshipping and who truly made it possible for us to be free.

Because Satan can't change moral law, he attempts to have man impose upon moral law by institutionalizing sin. The way that he does that is by encouraging man to enact laws that protect, rather than erradicate, such things as profanity, pornography, etc. Societal law is based upon the necessity to govern how people interact with one another. Man's laws are formed to protect our rights as citizens and prevent others from taking away our freedoms and our rights without our consent. The means that we use, in this country, to determine where that line is, is the rule of the majority. In otherwords, the majority determines what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. At one point, society believed that there were certain things that should and should not be done in public. It was believed that to allow such things would infringe opon our rights, as citizens, to raise our families in a proper and moral home. Unfortunately, over time, those boundaries have been reestablished over and over again, to allow more and more profanity, nudity, vulgarity, etc. From time to time, the limits are tested, to see where that line is. You will see shows come on that are particularly foul, and as such will either be accepted, or not accepted. As vulgarity, and profanity gain more acceptance, the standards of public decency change, and laws are either enacted or revised to allow for such changes.

Having said that, Profanity will always be profanity, regardless of mans laws, because the gospel of Jesus Christ has told us what we need to do in order to become more like him. It's all in what you are willing to accept. As time goes on, more and more people are accepting profanity and uncleanliness as normal parts of every day life. Satan will continue to push the boundaries to try and expose us to more and more of these evil influences, because he know that if he can get us to make the small steps towards him, eventually, he can get us to make larger strides, and then we are his. But only because we choose to be. Have you ever known someone who said, "God doesn't want me. I've done too many bad things!"? In reality, Jesus Christ has invited all of us to come unto him..."though your sins be as scarlet, they can be as white as snow". But, Satan wants us to believe the great lie, which is that we can become so corrupted that God doesn't want us anymore. This is not true. But we don't get that way overnight, it's only after repeated unrepentant sin and the despair that it brings. Profanity is small, but it's a step. And those first steps come as we slowly succumb to the influence of profanity and begin to look at them, not as sin and misery, but as "guilty pleasures".