I saw this great post and wanted to let my readers know about it. Recently, Christian agent Terry Burns said some great things about publishing that go right along with my series on clean speech. It’s great to hear other voices of reason participating in the discussion. Check out his article, “The Wrong Question.” Here’s a good quote: I know bad men use bad language and bad situations occur in real life, but I believe a good writer can show what they want whether it be someone cursing or other non-family-friendly content without actually using the words or showing the action in a graphic manner. And if done well I don’t believe it dilutes the power of the scene. But it does take better writing skills. . . . Never mind what the publisher will or won’t accept, what are we willing to attach our name to? Because when Satan lures…
See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, and Part 8. What Is “Clean Speech”? Before we discuss what unclean speech is, let’s define clean speech based on the ultimate authority: God’s Word. The Bible is jam-packed with great verses about communication that would merit God’s smile (Ps. 19:14; Prov. 15:26; 16:24; Matt. 12:36; Col. 4:6; Titus 2:7-8; ), but I think this verse is probably the best. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Phil. 4:8) In other words, clean thoughts come from clean words. The publication “A Biblical Approach to Objectionable Elements in Christian Education” puts it this way: This grand prescription for mental, moral, and spiritual health [Phil. 4:8] expresses the principle that dwelling on good will help to drive out evil.…
See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, and Part 8. The Relativism of Words Some may read my heading and wonder, Huh? Relativism? I thought this guy was going to argue against bad language using absolutes. Yes, absolutes are certainly what drive my engine in this discussion, but I would be remiss not to acknowledge that words can be relative in certain contexts. So before I get to the meat, let’s get certain distractions out of the way. First, what do I mean by “relativism in words”? When weighing the use of certain words, we must remember that their meaning and appropriateness can vary based on culture, time, and social context. Let me illustrate. Context of Culture My mom was born in Canada, and I remember my family visiting relatives in Ontario when I was a child. I recall being puzzled when a great-aunt (speaking with a strong English accent) referred…
