From: markbr@radian.uucp (markbr)
Newsgroups: alt.pagan
Subject: Re: Who do you kneel to when you pray?
Summary: non-religious cursing
Date: 29 Sep 92 17:30:09 GMT
Organization: Radian Cormp.

In article <1992Sep24.195521.14297@access.digex.com>, corun@access.digex.com (Corun MacAnndra) writes:
> Elton makes an interesting point about using the names of a given god
> or goddess as an exclamation. I think, however, we should examine the
> background of the use of religious exclamations.
> 
> Historically, one was calling on one's god or goddes, either for help in
> a situation, or to curse something, i.e. God damn it. Sometimes one merely 
> called on a deity, sometimes as a protection from evil. As in the way the
> English would say "By Jove." The early Celts obviously got this from the
> Roman governors as they tried to impose their religions on them, and
> later, when that religion becam Christianity, it changed to "By Christ."
> So that they were swearing by that god figure.
> 
> Shakespeare uses "'S Blood" in Hamlet. This is a slurring of "God's blood"
> or "His blood" and is used as an oath by which Hamlet swears vengeance.
> 
> Today there are few people who swear or curse in the old sense of those
> words (except in rituals and such), and the way in which Janis used her
> exclamation was not necessarily from a religious standpoint. She could
> have easily said shit or some other set of words that would have conveyed
> the frustration she was feeling. I don't thing anyone would actually call
> on Christ in that way for religious reasons, and those Christians who are
> truly religious frown on the taking of their lord's name in vain.
> 
> As such, I think it would be inappropriate to take the name of your
> particular god or goddess in vain, and I think all of you who do
> rituals know the power of a curse or blessing, even if it's not intended.
> Words have power, and those invoking your deity, or the energy source
> that you focus upon, could carry repercussions you might not intend, either
> upon the object of you invocation, or upon yourself. Remember the rule of
> kharma, and how the mandala turns.
> 
> Anyway, that's my two cents. Feedback is welcome.
> 
> Bb,
> 
> Corun

I will, once in a great while, use the name of the Goddess, but I do not
say that in vain. On the other hand, years ago, I decided that the most
common curse was unreasonable (even though I do still use it, *sometimes*,
automatically). After all, the *point* of the whole thing is a) to vent 
anger, and b) to wish something either painful, humiliating, unpleasant,
or some combination or all of the above. So, I came up with a few choice 
phrases that meet all of the above criteria. I then modified one or two, 
so that I could use them in company that might complain about the originals.
Hence the origin of "frog buckets". I remember when my older daughter asked
what that meant, she nearly died laughing when I explained it was an anagram
for "bug fucker" (as I said, it meets all of the above). "Pond scum" works
well, also, and is usable in varied company, as well as having the appropriate
hard consonants that make it satisfactory (to me, at least) as a curse.

Just a few more cents (gee, at this rate we'll have enough for a cuppa).

	mark
Newsgroups: alt.pagan