Into the Fire

Let's see. Most people have spoken a few of them. Some people use them as part of their normal vocabulary. A few people could probably testify as to never having said a "bad" word.

No, I'm not going to suggest what words are "bad" or present a list for debate. The general consensus would no doubt agree on a few of them, but some people might be surprised at what others do not consider "bad". Strong maybe. Or harsh even. Possibly unnecessary. But really bad?

In the general fiction market bad words can be found in abundance. Really bad words. Most Christian novels make a point of excluding those kinds of words. And most Christian writers are good with that. However, where the conflict flares is in the determination of what constitutes "bad". And why certain words which some don't consider bad must be eliminated from a work of fiction where worldly characters exist and speak and act like people in the world.

It's not imperative to include these so-called bad words in stories, but it's not imperative to exclude them either. Mature writers should be trusted to use suitable language if writing for the Christian market, and offending someone with words not considered bad by the author shouldn't be the primary concern. There's an audience for novels which don't cater to those readers who prefer indisputable language barriers. And there is an unlimited supply of novels for Christians who view some words as "bad".

You see it's not about a few words used purposefully. It's about the story, the reason for the story, the point of the story, and what the story says to the reader. But some readers miss this entirely because they can't get past their definitions of "bad" words.

Father, lead us in your ways everlasting. Help us to honor you in all we write and do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.