L
Lost_Wanderer
Guest
Hmm… I guess that could work.
I may even make some humor out of that. XD
- Status
I may even make some humor out of that. XD
N
Nick_Alexander
Guest
What’s to say that your fictitious word does not filter thru to society and become a cuss word in the future? Kinda how Battlestar Gallactica’s “frak” is now becoming ubiquitous, to the point that, to some folks, also offends?
You must run across a lot more people offended by profanity than I do. I run across people who are turned off by “real-world” stories which don’t appear authentic to its source.
But the topic of discussion is not limited to profanity. Are you offended by murder? You should be. Does this rule out all stories when someone is murdered? Does this rule out Star Wars, which has a scene when an entire planet is detonated?
N
Nom_the_Wise
Guest
But on some level, the act of swearing itself, the emotion behind using the cuss word, is worse than the cuss word itself, isn’t it? I don’t think I’m trying to convince you, Sailor Kenshin, because the position you’ve taken is the very position that still fights to be heard in my subconscious, but what I tried to point out in re-posting the scriptures above is that Jesus says
Did you ever see “Johnny Dangerously”? Michael Keaton movie. There is a trial scene where a “foreigner” ganster is saying “You farging iceholes! You are robbing me of my farging rights!” Hysterical! Or *The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy *(written by Don Adams, an atheist) where he makes up “space” cuss words. Regardless of the presence of the actual “word” the thoughts are there. How do we as artists, who regularly depict the human drama, ignore the word which, as I pointed out earlier, is only a sound, a sound that in Viet Nam could be a boy’s first name? Are we not splitting hairs? Could it not be seen as worse (and in some conservative circles it is seen as worse) to portray in picture or word what Jesus has said makes a man unclean?
N
Nom_the_Wise
Guest
Wow, Nick and I were minutes away from posting the same thing?
N
Nick_Alexander
Guest
Kinda funny, yeah.Wow, Nick and I were minutes away from posting the same thing?
You know, I don’t take offense at other people being offended by profanity. Profanity is supposed to be jarring, hurtful, and exclamatory. It shouldn’t be used in mixed company. As a comedian whose m.o. is to create a pro-Catholic twist on secular pop songs, it is often the case that the use of such words would be a distraction, and draw attention to itself. Therefore, I have never had to use those words for that reason.
But an alternative example, in my case, is the decision to use or to reject certain songs, on the basis of whether the original secular song cast such a strong shadow over the newer, cleaned-up and funny words. More than once I had to do this. A great example of a parody-that-never-came-to-be for this reason, is my parody of Van Halen’s “Panama”, which I termed “Pentecost”, and it would have been all about the events of Acts Chapter 2. The bridge in the song had the lead singer, David Lee Roth, sing rather sultry–and I could never find a comedic-but-faithful approach, lyrically, that took that stigma out.
That said, if my m.o. was in writing screenplays, I’m fully aware that often what drives the action is usually somebody who has been wronged on some level, and that person’s attempts to overcome that. This is what storytelling is about, pure and simple. And the act of the actual wrong, in any situation, should be offensive to moral Catholic faithful everywhere.
But display of this wrong does not always imply consent, and that is the key.
S
Sailor_Kenshin
Guest
Humor’s always a plus.Hmm… I guess that could work.
Remember that a story must first entertain, and not simply be a diatribe or op-ed.
J
Joe_5859
Guest
I admit, I’m laughing just thinking about what this parody might sound like.
I guess I never paid much attention to the lyrics of the original. The only word I can really remember is “Panama”. 
N
Nick_Alexander
Guest
Thanks! Your comment really gives me motivation to not rule this out entirely. Hopefully I’ll find a clever approach to resolve the situation I shared earlier…I admit, I’m laughing just thinking about what this parody might sound like.
N
Nom_the_Wise
Guest
Sometimes ideas torture me. I was laughing too.I admit, I’m laughing just thinking about what this parody might sound like.
I couldn’t help myself. Allow me to **donate **the first verse of “Pentecost” to your cause:*Christ dead? What’s that sound?
Spirit comes! Flames on my forehead!
Hot Jews hiding in the upper room
Prayin’ gibberish, glossolalia
Don’t you know the Spirit’s living in me?
And it’s been fifty days
Christ went uuuuuUP!
Pentecost! *
I suppose you might get accused of anti-semitism which wouldn’t make sense as they *were *Jews. I would like to point out that no profanity was used in the making of this parody. Maybe it’s horrible.
I tried to keep the metrical context in tact.
Man, can you play Eddie Van Halen licks? Woo!
J
jmcrae
Guest
Uh - Ascension is only nine days before Pentecost (they prayed with Mary in the Upper Room for nine days from His Ascension until Pentecost - it was the world’s first Novena) - it’s fifty days since the Resurrection.Sometimes ideas torture me. I was laughing too.
*Christ dead? What’s that sound?
Spirit comes! Flames on my forehead!
Hot Jews hiding in the upper room
Prayin’ gibberish, glossolalia
Don’t you know the Spirit’s living in me?
And it’s been fifty days
Christ went uuuuuUP!
Pentecost! *
I suppose you might get accused of anti-semitism which wouldn’t make sense as they *were *Jews. I would like to point out that no profanity was used in the making of this parody. Maybe it’s horrible.
N
Nick_Alexander
Guest
Yeah, Nom… um… don’t do me any favors.
Thanks+Peace,
Nick
Thanks+Peace,
Nick
C
Contarini
Guest
I don’t think it has the meaning you give it, though I could be wrong. People use in the Chronicles of Narnia, and I don’t think Lewis would have used it in a children’s book if it were really THE “f-word.”
However, my mother never liked to say it out loud when we read Narnia together, so you may have a point!
Edwin
N
Nom_the_Wise
Guest
Richard Hugo published one of the seminal books used in many creative writing classes called The Triggering Town. In it, he poses the poetic question “Does Truth conform to Music, or does Music conform to Truth?” Essentially it means that when writing a poem do you sacrifice meter, rhyme, image etc. in order to be entirely historically accurate? Or do you sacrifice some accuracy in order to remain true to the meter you’ve set up, the rhyme scheme, the imagery etc.Uh - Ascension is only nine days before Pentecost (they prayed with Mary in the Upper Room for nine days from His Ascension until Pentecost - it was the world’s first Novena) - it’s fifty days since the Resurrection.
You would be in the “Music must conform to Truth” camp, whereas I’m more of a “Truth must conform to Music” kind of guy.
Despite this, I’m embarrassed
I should have gotten my Bible. Shucks. In the words of John Cleese playing Sir Lancelot in *Monty Python’s The Holy Grail *after he *accidently *slaughtered the guests at a wedding feast while trying to rescue what he *thought *was a damsel in distress: "Sorry everyone! Sorry!"
J
jmcrae
Guest
Richard Hugo published one of the seminal books used in many creative writing classes called The Triggering Town. In it, he poses the poetic question “Does Truth conform to Music, or does Music conform to Truth?” Essentially it means that when writing a poem do you sacrifice meter, rhyme, image etc. in order to be entirely historically accurate? Or do you sacrifice some accuracy in order to remain true to the meter you’ve set up, the rhyme scheme, the imagery etc.
You would be in the “Music must conform to Truth” camp, whereas I’m more of a “Truth must conform to Music” kind of guy.
Despite this, I’m embarrassed
In the words of John Cleese playing Sir Lancelot in *Monty Python’s The Holy Grail *after he *accidently *slaughtered the guests at a wedding feast while trying to rescue what he *thought *was a damsel in distress: "Sorry everyone! Sorry!"
At least you weren’t like John Travolta’s character in Pulp Fiction, after accidentally killing the mob boss’s nephew while carelessly waving a gun around, when the mob boss starts giving him the eye - “WHAT?? I said I was sorry!! What more do you want?!! Gee whiz!!”
(Astoundingly, the mob boss backs off and accepts this, and just says, “Well, you know - my sister - the boy’s mother - she’s going to be very, very upset about this. You can understand my dilemma.”)
N
Nom_the_Wise
Guest
And it was only a first draft. You gotta admit, for a first draft, even I was impressed with myself.
N
Nom_the_Wise
Guest
I wouldn’t sweat it. I’m sure it will work itself out…it probably already has.
R
rosebudsal
Guest
Found this thread late-- lots of thoughts and opinions to read. But to answer your question as a writer who’s got three novels in various states of progress, no, I don’t self-censor. I don’t think I’m writing anything that’s overly or intentionally offensive or that would destroy my cause for canonization as quite honestly, I’m not trying to become a saint.
Of course, in some of my stories, I use colorful language when necessary, the characters talk about controversial subjects and may not act on their best behavior all the time. When I’m speaking for my characters in dialog and I want to them to appear as real as possible. My stories are set in the present day and my characters are living through somewhat exceptional or difficult situations.
I don’t write gratuitous sex or violence. But if one of my character says a bad word-- there must have been a reason for it.
Of course, in some of my stories, I use colorful language when necessary, the characters talk about controversial subjects and may not act on their best behavior all the time. When I’m speaking for my characters in dialog and I want to them to appear as real as possible. My stories are set in the present day and my characters are living through somewhat exceptional or difficult situations.
I don’t write gratuitous sex or violence. But if one of my character says a bad word-- there must have been a reason for it.
G
Greg27
Guest
Pope John Paul II wrote a very insightful encyclical on Art:
vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_23041999_artists_en.html
The theologian Hans urs Von Balthasar also reflected a lot on the role art and beauty have in relation to theology in his ‘Glory of the Lord’ series.
vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_23041999_artists_en.html
The theologian Hans urs Von Balthasar also reflected a lot on the role art and beauty have in relation to theology in his ‘Glory of the Lord’ series.
W
wingsofmentis
Guest
I am a poet and somewhat of a visual artist and an actor. I do not censor my art because first there is no need to, and second It demeans the work, the artist and potential admirers of the piece. I have done some religious stuff and hope to do more, but I will not protect it from people who aren’t catholic, If they don’t like one of my works, DON’T READ IT!
S
shondrea
Guest
No, I don’t. That being said, I toe a line. I use to write porn, draw porn, and a LOT of it. Not anymore. I still love drawing beautiful women, handsome men, love writing dramatic, dark stories, with hints of comedy. I don’t call it censoring, not going ove the line of decency, because it’s what i want to write anyway
- Status