On 6/23/05, Mary Bull <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > But it was really strange for me to see you stating: "No, no! > > Uncouth is good!" and then rambling on about how you only object to > > words ... which really don't bother me at all. ...
Come on, Mary... now you are using an ellipsis to avoid writing the words "hell" and "damn"... after you, yourself, opened a thread and included those words in your initial posting? Look, there is no dictionary that I know of that describes the word "hell" as any kind of obscenity or swear word in the context that we are using it. Similar is the case with the word "damn" - in this context. They are just words with a range of meanings - many of them quite acceptable in polite (couth) discourse. > "Uncouth" was in the specific context of Tony's implying that I would > object to a phrase like "sweating like a pig." He has from time to > time carried on about my sensibilities ever since I asked him to > please not write a couple of words which are considered swear words > here in the Deep South of the U.S., at least among people of my > generation. Excuse me, Mary, but I think you are overstating your case. I am a native son of Dallas, and your generation is not so far removed from mine. Okay, Texas is not "Deep South", but it is definitely Dixie and a neighboring state. I have also traveled a lot - not just in the U.S. but throughout the world. You - and Mr. Pearlstone, for some mysterious reason - are taking prudery to an absurd and dogmatic level. > Well, we're talking about polite discourse on TB! mailing lists, here. > And Tony was indeed trying to maintain the forms of polite discourse. And so am I. I am also talking about polite discourse on TB mailing lists. And I am also trying to maintain the forms of polite discourse. And that is why I found it odd that you seemed to be encouraging uncouth language, as long as it did not fall within the narrow range of the religion-oriented terms that you, but not your religion, object to. Take, for example, the following quote from 2 Peter (presumably authored by the same apostle with whom all Roman Catholic Popes claim a connection): _________________________________ 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; The "angels that sinned" are the sons of God that had sex with human females to produce a race of giants. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Will you - or Mr. Pearlstone - insist that I have now been cursing or swearing or using impolite language here on the tbbeta forum because I quoted from the New Testament? Look at it: I wrote "damnable", "damnation", "hell", and "had sex with human females" - all in a short space and without enclosing any of those words or phrases in quotation marks. It's all about context, isn't it? And in the context that I was writing before, there was no swearing or impoliteness or even bad language (though I do not necessarily make the same claim for the New Testament). Discussing linguistics and referencing specific words does not constitute use of bad language. Objecting to such a thing is tantamount to the type of conduct we have seen throughout history in the form of inquisitions, pogroms, witchhunts, and holocausts. I most strenuously object to such a dangerous and dogmatic attitude. > As we all should; and, it being an international list, with people > from all walks of life on it, circumspect is always the more prudent > course. I agree. And maybe I was wrong about what I inferred from your message to the entire tbbeta forum. But then again, maybe if you only intended to say something personal to Tony and you did not want everyone on the forum to read it, including people who might not have known your history with Tony, then I respectfully submit that you should have sent your message to Tony by PM and not started a new topic on this forum. -- Avi Yashar Windows XP Pro SP2 and The Bat! Pro (No OTFE) 3.5.30 ________________________________________________________ Current beta is 3.5.30 | 'Using TBBETA' information: http://www.silverstones.com/thebat/TBUDLInfo.html IMPORTANT: To register as a Beta tester, use this link first - http://www.ritlabs.com/en/partners/testers/
