“… does such imagery perhaps prove so offensive that it is unable to speak of the things of faith? Many people go to the Bible for a higher vision than the world affords, for lofty vistas that draw them out of the shabbiness of day-to-day living. To them, the blunt language … may seem unattractive at best, a stumbling block at worst. What can we say to this?”
Some time ago we came across this quote while engaged in biblical study and watching multiple heated conversations with between “good Christians” on topics of language: how should good Christians talk, what can they say/not say, what is and is not offensive. More recently someone expressed offense at our game's apparent "mockery" of the Bible. This was made more interesting to us as the offended party admitted to playing Cards Against Humanity. Allow us to address both issues in turn.
I. The Bible is not Safe
Some people feel certain words, images, metaphors, ideas are too offensive for them to speak of faith and religion; that people turn to the Bible for a way out of the nastiness of life; that they are looking for words which transcend the day to day muck that confines us.
We ask what Bible are those people reading?
The above quote is from renowned Biblical scholar William L Holladay and we cut an important word out. Here is the quote in full, with the previously missing word highlighted:
“… does such imagery perhaps prove so offensive that it is unable to speak of the things of faith?Many people go to the Bible for a higher vision than the world affords, for lofty vistas that draw them out of the shabbiness of day-to-day living. To them, the blunt language OF JEREMIAH may seem unattractive at best, a stumbling block at worst. What can we say to this?”
(from Jeremiah: A Fresh Reading)
Holladay is addressing how some “good Christians” are offended by what is IN the Bible; that their frail sensibilities do not like confronting things that are IN the Word of God they claim to hold so dear. So, of course, they skip those passages or explain them away.
We are disturbed by the fact that those who call themselves the most “biblically based” in their faith are the ones most prone to sanitizing the Bible, the ones most likely to try to re-write the Bible in their own image.
We thought that was called “idolatry.”
You don’t have to like the uncomfortable moments in the Bible, but you do have to address them. Paul uses “cuss words” and is a sarcastic jerk at times. Ezekiel uses images of gang rape. Jeremiah throws the word “whore” around a lot. These are not things most people expect from their religious leaders today. But they are in the Bible. These things should be honestly addressed, wrestled with, processed, not white-washed with modern evangelical sensibilities, based on conservative moral structures, completely negating the purpose of the author’s words. If you want a full understanding of why we use “bad words” we explain it at length.
Our game, website, blog, everything associated with A Game for Good Christians is devoted, in part, to challenge that sort of mentality.
And it makes us chuckle.
Thus, our dear, offended, good Christian reader-- and those like you-- we just want to be clear on a few things.
II. Your Hypocrisy is Disturbing
So you’re okaying playing with *“The clitoris” or “The taint; the grundle; the fleshy fun-bridge,” but “The Lord making your uterus drop and your womb discharge” (Numbers 5:22) and “Throwing your son’s freshly circumcised foreskin at your husband’s penis to win an argument with God” (Exodus 4:24-26) is too personal to be funny?
And “The KKK,” “Pedophiles,” and “Being a motherfucking sorcerer” is A-okay with you, but “Ethnic cleansing in the name of the Lord” (the Books of Joshua and Judges), “God-sanctioned gang-rape” (Ezekiel 23), and “The witch of Endor” (1 Samuel 28:3-25) is beyond the pale?
To be clear, you are willing to entertain “Glen Beck catching his scrotum on a curtain hook” and “Toni Morrison’s vagina” for an evening, but you can’t abide “Paul urging his agitators for more than just the tip,” (Galatians 5:12) or “Suckling milk from Sarah’s sagging ninety-year-old breasts” (Genesis 21)?
You can laugh at “The Virginia Tech Massacre,” but “Babies with their brains dashed against stones” (Psalm 137) is problematic?
In short, you’re fine with “The blood of Christ” and “The Holy Bible” so long as they are not cards from people who claim the blood or read the Bible.
Really?
We pity you with all the compassion we can muster.
World without end.
We aren’t telling anyone whether they can or cannot, should or should not, swear. But you should know how/why we use “bad words” in our game and Card Talks, before you let “unwholesome talk come out your mouth” about us.
(* An addendum to our Theology of Swearing)