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submitted 4 months ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz

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[-] kwomp2@sh.itjust.works 40 points 4 months ago

I never understood how "hell" and "damn" are considered forbidden words by christian-conservatives. The stem directly from their own vocabulary, they are all about those categories, yet they don't want to see them in discourse

[-] Anyolduser@lemmynsfw.com 9 points 4 months ago

I don't know for sure, but I believe it's a context issue.

There's nothing wrong with discussing the size and consistency of my bowel movements with my doctor, but it's probably not OK for me to do that with a stranger on the bus.

[-] kwomp2@sh.itjust.works 9 points 4 months ago

That makes sense. Your doc wouldn't try to convince your shit explains the universe tho

[-] lennivelkant@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 4 months ago

It's the irreverence with which they are used. If the average European medieval peasant affirm their sincerity and honesty by saying "May God damn me to hell if I lie", that's an (implicit) oath. They're putting their salvation on the line. That's how serious the matter at hand is.

If I casually say "damn, that ass", I'm using a boiled down version of that (when the oath formula becomes so widespread, people start omitting words because everyone knows what you mean anyway, even if you just say "God Damn me" and eventually just "damn"). But I'm not doing it out of a devout belief that the thing I'm saying warrants reinforcement by invoking divine wrath. I'm abusing the sanctity of good for an entirely profane matter. I'm reducing God's power and wrarh to a colloquial tool.

[-] kwomp2@sh.itjust.works 2 points 4 months ago

Damn that hell of a good explanation, thank god I can use those holy words in the future with their whole blasphemic potential. Ironically, it will prolly make me sound like a christian..