I’ve been intrigued by cussing. It’s been interesting to see how words with spiritual origins like “damn” and “hell” have, for a long, long time, been everyday cuss words. And names of deity have been “biggies” on the cuss-word chart, right up there with the F-word and N-word. An interesting intermingling of profanities and vanities and crudities have made up the common cussword dictionary that can be heard on streets and in homes and in games and among people wherever they feel comfortable or stressed-out with one-another.

I’ve really been intrigued, in a half-amused, half-shocked, half-liberated (yes, three halves) sort of way, at how the language of the street has made its way into the Church. In more public realms - worship services, Bible studies, etc. - words like suck, crap, screwed, and pissed pop up more and more regularly. In more private, everyday conversations between believers, potty words and locker room words flow freely and even some of the big bombs are being tried out with great passion and flourish. I just think it’s interesting.

So this morning I was listening to National Public Radio (NPR) on my way to work (Yes, I’m a closet listener of NPR, enjoying their stories and classical music) and I heard a report on “Why Children Curse.” I thought it was interesting, and amusing and informative and even mildly relevant to the culture we walk around in.

I want to share it with you. It’s about 7 minutes long. It might even give you a little admonition to watch what you say…but probably not. You can find it here: WHY CHILDREN CURSE.

Let me know what you think.