Earmuffs
Beanie: I…I don’t know why you gotta do it…in front of the kid, with the f’in. All you gotta do is say earmuffs to him, [to kid] “earmuffs”, and you can say “fuck, shit, bitch”…whatever you want.
Frank: Cock. Balls.
Beanie: OK. I’m just proving a point. You don’t have to celebrate it, Frank.
~From Old School
Blogging can be hazardous for clergy and for clergy to be. Now I have posted about this before, and have taken part in several conversations in which participants have discussed the merits of anonymous, semi-anonymous, and out-of-closet blogging. For those of you who have read this blog with some frequency you know I keep this as a semi-anonymous blog. It isn’t awfully hard to track me down and figure out who I really am, but I generally leave detailed information off the page. I don’t say which church I serve, which city I live in, my name etc. Others do, and I respect their decision to do so. I think especially for those in the blogosphere who use their blog to chide, challenge or otherwise lay some smack down to institutions and their leaders. At that point, I understand why it is best not use a false moniker and to go with your real name.
The problem is this: whether we realize it or not, people are reading our blogs. I have had people come up to me at synod assembly and call me “LutherPunk” (and you know who you are!), without me ever knowing they read this drivel. This has happened a few times now, and each time I have been fortunate that these have all been friends and acquaintances. Even when they disagree with me, or if they are offended by what I say, they take it in stride. The problem is that not everyone does this.
I’ve been exchanging emails today with a friend from the blogosphere who has been busted, so to speak, by ecclesiastical superiors. Two things were cited: 1. A rant that was written on said blog challenged an evil ELCA policy that divides families. 2. Said blog made use of profanity to illustrate points (hmmm…kind of like that Luther guy, huh). This person (who shall remain anonymous for the purpose of this posting) was called into the synod and reprimanded by the synod bishop and staff. Veiled threats were made about the possibility of future calls.
Now I generally have made it a point to use very little profanity on this site. That, of course, does not mean no profanity, it just means very little. However, I do reserve the right to use it when I feel like it is warranted. My ordination to Word and Sacrament ministry did not take away this right, it just lets me know to invoke the right with caution. However, I don’t think that I should expect my bishop should call me or anyone else on the carpet in order to threaten, cajole or bully them for their choice of words. If the words were abusive or degrading to persons or individuals, or were filled with hate or heresy, then this might warrant a conversation. However, calling a policy bullshit (which the policy in question is) shouldn’t lead to this sort of ecclesiastical bullying.
I am curious to hear from other folks on this front. What is acceptable language for clergy and candidates? What are acceptable forums for use of off-color language (if any)? Would you cringe if you heard or read your priest or pastor using profanity?
Filed under: Lutheranism, church politics, silly church leaders
I have not heard my current priest use profane language but I have many times heard my favorite priest on the planet, the incomparable Fr. Former Priest, us profane language, usually to make a point. He doesn’t pepper his everyday conversation with it or anything but I have heard him use it for emphasis.
So, outside of a sermon, I wouldn’t cringe to hear any clergy person use profane language judiciously in service of a rhetorical flourish or to give emphasis to a point. It can also be a nice way to put ones conversation partner at ease. I’ve had the same priest and a counselor I had once drop something on me as a way of communicating their fellow-feeling with me, their understanding of my position, our camaraderie, that sort of thing.
Last but not least, it wouldn’t probably bother me to hear certain words or phrases used in jest.
I suppose if I knew a priest who used it consistently in everyday conversation or in a sermon (god forbid) I’d be pretty likely to cringe. And anything of an overtly sexually explicit nature or anything overly scatalogical might make me cringe. Come to think of it, if s/he said something like Jesus H. Christ, I might also cringe at that. But I’d cringe if anybody said those things.
If I were reading a clergy blog, there probably isn’t a lot that would offend me, honestly, on the basis of the saltiness of the language alone. But I understand blogs and I know a lot of clergy personally.
My opinion as a person in the pew? Last time I checked clergy and seminarians are still normal human beings. Normal human beings sometimes use cursing or off-color language to express themselves when they are angry, upset, or when elevated language won’t do. I don’t think clergy, seminiarians, or other professional ministers abdicate the right to free speech when they are ordained or appointed, and they certainly don’t give it up when they are not representing themselves as speaking for the larger church body.
Besides, some of the best dirty jokes I’ve ever heard have been told to me by priests and seminarians. I wouldn’t want to give that up.
On the other hand, if Sunday sermons are indistinguishable from the Howard Stern show on satellite radio, then that would be a problem. It wouldn’t bother me much (as long as the message was in there somewhere) since I work in an environment where we curse on a regular basis when we are on deadline, but I know more traditionally-minded people would be bothered, and that would cause a sense of division in the congregation, which is never good.
On a completely unrelated note, thanks for your last comment on my blog. I did some research today (when I should have been working - I’m just not invested this week) and found some interesting online courses from accredited (and reputable) seminaries. They are reasonably priced, credit-equivanlency courses. Assuming my car doesn’t blow up, I will probably take one this spring.
The whole situation you described sounds like a bunch of bullshit, so to speak, to me. Just because a person is ordained means they cannot use colorful language? Not so in my experience. I mean, there’s a time and place for everything… I would be uncomfortable if my pastor said “shit” in a sermon… but in a normal everyday conversation, no problem. I’ve heard pastors say much worse. Ecclesiastical hierachy types: lighten the f@#k up!
I might say “s**t” when I hit my finger with a hammer or if the garbage truck drives by before I can get the cans to the curb or some other such extremely annoying or unfortunate event but I have a pretty clean mouth and an even cleaner keyboard. I’ve always thought that people who frequently use profanity have an extremely limited vocabulary. With a better command of the English language and a bit of self control you should be able to curb the use of profanity.
Should the bishop call you in because you criticize a synod or church policy and swear on your blog? I don’t think so.
Like Tom, I will use a few choice words no and again, but for the most part I tend not to use profanity. When I was in the navy, I cussed like a sailor, but then so did everyone else. But in a professional world, I find it difficult to take people seriously when the profanity begins to fly.
That being said, I would like to know what bullshit program started all this mess in the first place, just in case I end up waiting outside the bishop’s office myself.
I think it’s largely about audience. And normal(typical) rules for appropriate behavior. If I swear at the school where I substitute teach, I won’t get called for teaching assignments! If I swear at Sunday School, ditto. If I swear when I hit my thumb with a hammer, no one I know really gives a flying f*&%, which is a good thing. And it means that I have enough clean mouth cred to make noises when my dear, darling spouse swears in front of our son, or when said son swears as a quote of something Frenzy said in the Transformer Movie.
All that being said, as a candidate for Holy Orders, I feel a bit insuecure about my “place” from time to time, which largely results in my being on best behaviour more often than not. Which means not swearing in “public.” Which is largely how I was raised. But I’ve also heard my bishop swear as a matter of making a point in a public presentation. It was very effective, and endearing.
actually, I meant “tenuous” where I said “insecure.”
I’ve always been one for salty vicars
I’m a strong believer that there’s a time and a place for profane language. It’s quite helpful to leave periphrasis to one’s common conversation, so that when you go full force those around you grasp the seriousness of the situation.
But for those in orders, I would prefer they stick to two principles:
1. They avoid taking the Lord’s name in vain. I frankly think that commandment applies to those who preach sermons in which they attribute natural disaster to God’s particular wrath.
2. They avoid profanity to demean one’s neighbor. “SOB, that computer deleted my sermon” or “that policy is BS” is fine, but attaching such things to our neighbor is pretty much like saying “Gabba!” I wonder if that’s an Aramaic swear word?
Call it the Great Commandment of Profanity
David - the policy in question is residency at a Lutheran sem when a person can receive the MDiv and Lutheran formation elsewhere.
So, we are all agreed that it is ok that I said “Shit” yesterday as Florida lost to Michigan?!
Very Interesting Post.
My blog is wide-open and I know that it has been “used” against me in some areas (especially a previously one).
I was amazed when I put Google Analytics on and saw how many people were reading. No one really comments, so in the back of my mind, I think .. no one is reading .. not the case.
The higher ups observing what is going on and holding the info to have them under their finger is very tricky. I am not under a call so I do not have to worry about it much from that aspect. But, I am amazed how many times people in the church and community mention something about what I wrote.