profanity Archives

We received the following from one of our followers, Pete Shaw, titled “There Are Girls in Here!” He was responding to our article on September 30, 2026. It shows how the times, and girls, have changed over the years. The story has a good twist at the end, showing that even college professors can change:

“In 1965, I was 21 years old, a junior in college, taking American Literature under a professor at Southeast Missouri State University. On the first day, he announced that we would be studying The Scarlet Letter by Nathanael Hawthorne. After we all read the book, he led a discussion of the text. Almost immediately, he began using curse words such as hell and damn. I was surprised, but I waited until the end of the class to talk to him. As the other students were filing out, I approached him in a very serious but quiet tone. I said, ‘You shouldn’t be using curse words in class! There are girls in here!’ I wish someone had taken a photo of his face when I said that. It was like I had hit him with a bolt of lightning. He could not believe what he was hearing.

“Well, he toned his language down for the rest of the course, seeing how serious (and naïve) I was. On the last day of class, he called me aside and said, ‘I want you to come back and see me in 20 years, and tell me if you are still like this.’ It turned out that I had forgotten his request until 25 years had passed. So I called the university and found that he was retired. I managed to get his phone number and called him. I told him who I was and asked if he remembered me. He said he did, and we had a good conversation about our lives over the past 25 years. I told him, ‘Yes, I am still like that.’ I had had ups and downs over the years, but I am still a serious Christian. Then he pleasantly surprised me by saying he wasn’t the same. Over the years, he had become a Christian, too!”

“All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been named by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:7-8). You have probably noticed that profanity is increasing in our society today.

An article in The Week (August 14, 2026) reported that the public use of profanity is increasing among politicians—something that should be obvious. Politicians have used public profanity in 692 instances, and all but 87 have occurred in the last decade. In the entertainment industry, profanity has skyrocketed. You now hear the “F word” in popular music, on TV, and in many movies. In the emails I received this morning, that word was used 72 times. Why does a person use the “F word”?

Reason #1 – The person is unsure about their position on the subject at hand.

Reason #2 – The person is verbally challenged and doesn’t know enough words to express their feelings.

Reason #3 – The person wants to get an emotional response from you.

Proverbs 12:18 says, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” James 1:19 tells us, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.”

When I was an atheist living with an atheist family and actively involved in organized atheism, profanity was commonplace. When I became a Christian, I was disowned by my parents and struggled not to use profanity around others. Seven years in the army didn’t help my speech habits. When I started teaching, I couldn’t use profanity around students. I know from personal experience how hard it is not to use profanity. Being around girls used to motivate me not to cuss, but now the girls are using profanity—even the “F word.”

As profanity is increasing, why not stand out from the crowd? Show you aren’t verbally challenged by finding words that let you vent without being profane. It will improve your attitude and how you feel about yourself, and it will earn greater respect from those around you.

Tag: profanity

“There Are Girls in Here!”

Profanity Is Increasing