What has happened to our culture since the Vietnam War, The Beatles, John Lennon, and the flower children? Or was I just leading a sheltered life? Or perhaps people were just more inhibited when I grew up.

Whatever happened to the people who were courteous, reverent, thoughtful, respectful and polite? I don’t see many of those kinds of people anymore. But it’s really no wonder when nearly every medium of communication exudes irreverence with expletives and lies and deceit.

Today’s language is irremissible by the standards of my generation ... and I will never accept it in my lifetime. It is hard to change a zebra’s stripes.

In the work-a-day world, I am stymied by the filth and smut that flows from the mouths of some of the young people. And they still call themselves “Christian.” That does not compute!

As I drive along the highways each day, I think about the reasons for all the irreverence and profanity that is so blatantly spewed from the mouths of so many people ...and wonder if they’ve not had enough nurturing from a stay-at-home mom ... or if they are obsessed with being accepted by their peers. And I go back to the vulgarity of television ... and know that many of them think it is normal conversation.

My family did not adhere to profanity of any sort when I was growing up (nor do they now) and I don’t ever remember hearing a curse word until I was grown. I think I saw the one that begins with an “f” written on a mailbox when I was 10-years-old ... and when I asked my grandmother what it was she told me it was not a word. She told me to look in the dictionary — I did, and it was not in there.

Profanity is not an option and as far as I’m concerned it is irrelevant in my world, irregardless of the situation. Intelligent people can find better words to express a point. It is irresponsible behavior — although some people continue to use it, irrespective of the feelings of others. Just like people continue to smoke in your face, even when they know it will put you in the hospital with an asthma attack.

Intelligent people do not need to use vulgar expletives to get a point across ... but some people cannot think of anything to say unless it is offensive. If they are not allowed to use profanity they just do not talk at all.

After a few doses of a filthy mouth, I begin to get a feeling of irritation and repugnance and our relationship soon becomes irreparable.

Profanity spewing from someone’s mouth is not only irritating, it is disgusting and shows a lack of intelligence and respect. Those people seem to be regurgitating garbage with a foul odor that reduces their character.

Christianity and profanity do not meld, but neither do immodesty and Christianity ... in case you have chosen to be a Christian.

The reason I mention this subject is because, everyday I hear people saying, “I am a Christian.” It is used so lightly. Some of them have on a mini-skirt and a lowcut blouse that is very revealing. They may or may not use profanity, but they are dressed in a manner unbecoming to a Christian. The Bible tells women to dress in modest apparel, but it does not say for women NOT to wear slacks.

Do they not know that lasciviousness is not part of the Christian character? The key word is “lasciviousness” and can be found in the concordance of the Bible. Or in the dictionary. It permeates our whole society today ... as does the word, “Christian.” It means: characterized by lust; lewd or lecherous, enticing sexual desires, wanton. Today’s society seems to think that this behavior is just the status quo ... and OK. It is not OK for Christians, regardless of style.

Just because everybody is doing it does not make it OK for Christians. Christianity has never changed since Jesus was here. Christians are to keep themselves unspotted from the world ...and be a peculiar people.

We see mothers dressing their little girls in a lascivious manner. What are they thinking? That’s not the reason woman was created. A man is to love his wife as Christ loved the Church. There is to be nothing lewd about it.

Believe it or not, sex is not what makes God’s real world go around. Neither is irreverence, which comedians think is so “cool.” In the Bible belt, where so many people claim to be Christians, we need to rethink our values.



Shirley Caudill of London is a former newspaper editor/publisher and longtime freelance columnist. She is a Nashville native who has lived in Kentucky 40 years. She has six children, 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren and is married to a retired Army First Sergeant.