Call me old fashion but, I have to get this off my mind!

My 23 year old son and I have been having discussions about the use of profanity.

My son is no dummy. He was editor of two college newsapapers and was general manager of a movie theater. He's currently in training for a new position.

I think it shows a lack of intelligence. They can't think of a better word so they cuss constantly.

That's where my son and I differ, he has an excellent command of the English language and knows words that I've never heard of but still wants to use profanity in his blog. Why not use other words instead of obvious curse words that may offend someone?

I was brought up knowing that certain curse words were not to be used in public or in my home. Certainly not in school or you would get sent to the principal's office and a note sent to your parents and possile suspension. (never understood suspension, send a kid home to watch TV for 3 days but that's another discussion)

I heard my grandfather say "damnit" once in all the years that I knew him.

I remember where he was standing in the living room and he was mad at my sister and I fighting again. I was 18 and she was 14. She was always starting fights then lying about it.

My stepfather yelled that word once and hit the wall with his fist. I never forgot it. I never heard anyone else in my family swear.

Now when I go to the movies or turn on the TV, I hear these curse words all the time.

I don't like it. I want to watch a movie without profanity. I can remember when "Gone with the Wind" was talked about because of the male lead using the word "damnit" once in the whole movie.

I don't like flipping through TV channels and seeing naked women either.

But that's another subject.

The point is, I feel that there may be a time and a place to use a profane word in the heat of an argument to make a point but not in everyday language.

We had a neighbor that was a second grade teacher that used the word "s**t" for a noun,  adjective and every way he could. I kept thinking, "how does he talk to the kids at school?"

The "s" word is not in my vocabulary but one day, I used it back at him. He was walking across our yard to show me some new seasoning he was using on his chicken and offering me a piece. He said, "You gotta try this s**t, it's really good!"

I blurted out " Sorry, I don't eat s**t". I don't think he got my point but I was sick of hearing him use the word in every sentence for the past 5 years.

He moved a few months ago and I don't have to hear him any more.

My son says, who decides what words are wrong? I said society in general have decided what words are appropiate a long time ago. Would you use that language with your grandmother, a judge in a courtroom??

Yet we have someone watching over us everyday that hears our language, our heavenly Father. Do we want to use those words in his presence??