Is asterisk substitution for profanity all right?

Last week, we talked about why profanity is unacceptable for a Christian. This all stemmed from a question I asked a couple of weeks before that about what you would do if a group of teenagers sitting next to you at a McRestaurant was using profanity in front of you and your children.

Today, let’s ask a new question.

In writing, whether it be a blog post, comment, Facebook, Twitter, etc., is substituting an asterisk for a letter or two acceptable? You know, type the first and last letters of a four-letter word and fill in the middle with **?

Why not? After all, it’s not the entire word there for all to see.

However, if you make your reader think that word, you might as well have just written the whole word. A cute little asterisk in place of a letter or two or three still does not change the profanity of the word. (My husband gave me that little nugget of wisdom.)

Personally, it still jolts me to see the asterisked word. Does it you?

~Meghan

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Why is profanity unacceptable for the Christian?

A few weeks ago, I asked the question of what you do when you hear foul language. There were some great comments, and everyone agreed that we should be polite. One poor commenter has even had to endure bad language from restaurant management!

Inherent in that question, though, is the assumption that profanity is wrong.

But is it? I remember, as a young child, trying out all the bad words I could remember hearing, just to see how they sounded coming out of my mouth. Even as I was telling myself that there was no harm because they were just words, I was cringing inside. Somehow, somewhere deep down, I knew they were wrong.

Why? What makes them wrong?

First, words are sacred. God spoke the earth and all that it contains, including man and woman, into existence. In fact, Jesus Himself is The Word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

Second, empty words contribute nothing. I learned as a child that the use of profanity demonstrates a lack of something substantive to say.

Third, God forbids it. “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29) “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.” (Colossians 3:8)

In a blog-comment-conversation-and-debate yesterday (on the blog of a literary agent) about whether or not profanity was appropriate in Christian books, one commenter argued that the Bible is filled with violent images and wicked acts, but the message remains clear throughout. I completely agree. But God does all that without profanity. If He can communicate clearly without the use of foul language, why shouldn’t we?

What do you think? Do you have any other reasons for why Christians should not use profanity?

~Meghan

You may want to finish the series with Is asterisk substitution for profanity all right?

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Linking with Thankful Homemaker, Lessons from Ivy,  Far Above Rubies, Growing Home, Time-Warp Wife, The Alabaster Jar, Raising Arrows, The Modest Mom, The Better Mom, Consider the Lilies, Raising Mighty Arrows, Homemaker by Choice

Book Review: As One Devil to Another by Richard Platt & Book Giveaway

Title: As One Devil to Another

Author: Richard Platt

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Date: March 2012

ISBN: 978-1-4143-7166-5

Genre: Literature

A “chilling and diabolical tale,” As One Devil to Another follows the apprenticeship of a young demon student, Scardagger, through a series of letters written by the senior devil, Slashreap. Scardagger is assigned to a young female university student who is uncertain of her faith, and his task is to secure her soul for Hell.

Through this correspondence, the author seamlessly sews together truth (or what the demons call “First Principles”) and riveting story. As with many novels, I wanted to read on to see if Scardagger would secure his “client,” and yet, throughout the letters, the many issues of our day – technology, television, sexual mores, university studies, the formation of pride, political correctness – were examined and discussed by this senior demon with soul-piercing accuracy.

The story is contained in a mere 185 pages and scattered throughout are pen-and-ink style drawings which lift the somber mood by adding a touch of whimsy. I found them refreshing; adults like illustrations sometimes, too.

As One Devil to Another is a wonderfully literary examination of the human condition (reminiscent of my English Lit. days!), and yet it is also eerie in its spiritual depth as it assesses today’s culture.

It is stunningly brilliant. Don’t read it too close if you don’t want to see yourself.

Tyndale has provided another book for a book giveaway today! Become a follower of my blog at the top right of the page, and you get one entry in the proverbial hat. If you already are a follower, you already have one entry. You can also leave a comment today (through midnight) on this post, and that earns another entry in the hat. I’ll post the results tomorrow, so be sure to stop back and see if you won!

Thanks, and happy reading!

~Meghan

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary Advance Reader Copy for the purposes of this review.

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Linking with Raising Mighty Arrows

Question: What if an old boyfriend wants to be friends on Facebook?

You are happily married these past seven years to your hunky husband, Kevin. You have one little boy, age three, and one newborn girl. You have given up a rewarding job in advertising to stay at home and make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and change diapers. One day during naptime, you find a friend request on Facebook from an old college boyfriend. You sit back and reminisce for a moment. You remember Justin as cute and funny, and, for the life of you, you can’t remember why you broke up.

Justin has also sent a message. He writes that he sometimes drives through your town on business and would love to get together on his next trip to “catch up.” Just then, the baby’s cries interrupt your walk down memory lane. You –

1. Accept Justin’s friend request and ignore the message. Maybe he won’t pursue it and you won’t have to make a decision or tell your husband.
2. Ignore the friend request and the message and try to put your memories out of your mind. You keep the entire thing to yourself since your husband doesn’t need any more concerns. This isn’t really a concern anyway.
3. Talk to your husband before responding to the friend request and message and follow his guidance. If he is uncomfortable, you politely decline both the friend request and the invite for a get-together.
4. Accept Justin’s friend request and message back that you would love to get together. You tell him that the afternoons work best for you since you could have your neighbor keep the children for a little while.
5. Go cuddle your newborn while you eat a bag of miniature Snickers and remind yourself how much you love your hunky husband and how much you love staying at home with your sweet cherubs.

What would you do? Or would you do something else entirely?

~Meghan

P.S. On Thursday, I’ll be posting a review of the book As One Devil to Another (I’m fifty pages into it and loving it!) as well as give away a book.

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Become a follower of this blog or receive new posts by e-mail ~ just sign up at the right side of the page.

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Linking with Yes They're All Ours, My daily walk in His grace!, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Raising Homemakers, Women Living Well, Thankful Homemaker, Far Above Rubies, Lessons from Ivy, Growing Home, Time-Warp Wife, Marital Oneness Mondays, The Modest Mom, Women Living Well, Raising Arrows, The Better Mom

Another Use for an iPad

Confession time. This is about my level of technological expertise.

Who's with me?

~Meghan


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Book Review: The Last Plea Bargain by Randy Singer & Book Giveaway

Title: The Last Plea Bargain

Author: Randy Singer

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Date: March 2012

ISBN: 978-1-4143-3321-2

Genre: Legal Fiction / Suspense

How well do you forgive? 

Jamie Brock is a prosecutor who is known for her refusal to plea bargain. As she waits for the execution of her mother’s murderer, she doubts the supposed religious conversion he claims, sits at her dying father’s bedside, and fends off a pastor-brother who believes she needs God. {And you think you have difficult circumstances….} As if that wasn’t enough to deal with, the attorney who represented her mother’s killer is now, himself, indicted for murdering his wife by poisoning. As Jamie leads the prosecution, the defendant convinces criminals not to plea bargain, effectively jamming the criminal justice system.

Randy Singer draws us into the world of the prosecutor with just enough technicalities to understand the legalities but not so much mumbo-jumbo that the reader is distracted or confused. The legal explanations are woven so seamlessly into the story that the reader comes away with a sense of what it is to be a lawyer.

What I appreciate the most about Singer is that his faith shines through in how he keeps the story squeaky clean, not just the nitty-gritty of a murder case but also the romance. Yes, there is an execution, and yes, I did need a box of tissues. But the story also focuses on the characters, their growth and their relationships to each other and to God. And the way every loose thread is tied up at the very end is absolutely breathtaking.

Murder is a grisly thing to think about, but grisly things happen all around us all the time. It’s impossible to hide our heads in the sand and ignore the horrible things in life. Randy Singer’s book forces us to ask ourselves how well we handle the incredibly difficult times in life. Do we allow ourselves to become bitter and angry? Or do we forgive? And how do those decisions affect those around us – perhaps their very lives?

My favorite line in the book? “Not being able to forgive someone is like a cancer. Even if you get revenge, it pretty much destroys your soul.” I’ll let you read it to figure out who said this and why.

Now for the book giveaway! Become a "follower" of my blog at the right of the page, and you get one entry in the hat. Leave a comment today (through midnight) on this post, and that will earn you another entry in the hat. If you already are a follower, you already have one entry.

For you ladies who read my blog and legal suspense isn’t really your cup of tea, why not try to win anyway? It might be a good gift idea for a husband, father, son, or brother.

I'll post results tomorrow. Thanks, and happy reading!

~Meghan

P.S. My legal mumbo-jumbo: Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary Advance Reader Copy for the purposes of this review.

Linking up with The Modest Mom, The Better Mom, Raising Arrows

Question: Do you forgive?

You are a twenty-something prosecutor whose career is defined by a refusal to plea bargain. In fact, the reason you became a prosecutor was the fatal shooting of your mother when you were a teenager. You blame yourself for not being at home that night but spending it with friends in a rebellious teenage fit. Now, your mother’s murderer is on death row and the date of his execution is coming quickly, although his lawyer is pursuing all options, even unethical ones, to stop the execution.

At the same time, the defense attorney who represented your mother’s killer is now, himself, indicted for murdering his wife. You, naturally, wish to lead the prosecution, but the facts are sketchy and the DA thinks the case is too personal for you.

You --

1. Reluctantly attend the execution of your mother’s murderer, trying to ignore that little voice that tells you it is wrong and maybe the killer really is sincere in his spiritual conversion story.
2. Seek the worst penalty available for the defense attorney, trying to ignore that little voice that tells you that you may just be wanting revenge for your mother.
3. Trust everyone and everything.
4. All of the above.

This isn’t my typical question, I know, and there’s a very good reason for that. I am reviewing The Last Plea Bargain by Randy Singer for the Tyndale Blog Network, and my stop on his blog tour is this coming Monday, April 16. He even has a trailer for the book. 

What’s so exciting for me is that Tyndale is allowing me to give away a book. I’ve never done a giveaway before! I know this effervescence is not my style. That’s how excited I am – and how much I loved his book.

My legal education + faith + inspirational legal suspense novel = BLISS

I hope this isn’t too bubbly for you! See my exclamation points?!!!!

Anyway, be sure to come back to the blog on Monday, April 16. I’ll be posting my review and giving away a book. I wasn’t sure how to figure out who should win, so I’ll follow the method so many others do when they have giveaways. Either “follow” or “join” my blog, and that will get you one entry in the hat. Leave a comment on Monday on the post of my review, and that will earn you another entry in the hat. {Yes, I’m a technological dork, so it will probably be a real hat.} If you already are a follower, you already have one entry.

For you ladies who read my blog and legal suspense isn’t really your cup of tea, why not try to win anyway? It might be a good gift for a husband, father, son, or brother.

Sound good? Does The Last Plea Bargain sound exciting? 

See you Monday!!! {Note more exclamation points!!!!!}

~Meghan 

Question: What do you do with your husband’s keepsakes?

{Actual husband's shoes}

This morning, you head to the closet to get dressed, mentally running over your to-do list. When you open the door, a stack of shirts fall off the shelf onto your head and you trip over a pile of shoes. It’s time to clean the closet. You set aside your list and, instead, spend the day sifting, sorting, and organizing your junk precious valuables. By mid-afternoon, you reach the very back of your walk-in. There you find an old pair of tennis shoes, worn, scuffed, and stinky. You immediately recognize them as your husband’s; he made the winning basket of a college intramural basketball tournament while wearing those “lucky” shoes. You hold them for a moment, remembering sitting in the bleachers and ogling his sweaty muscles. You know that the shoes are dear to him, but you also know that he thinks they are lost. Plus, they stink up the closet. You –

1. Bury them in the bottom of the trash can. He’ll never know they’re gone. His ignorance is your bliss.
2. Present them to him when he arrives home, accept his thank-you graciously, promise him you will put them in a very special place, and then bury them in the bottom of the trash can when he isn’t looking.
3. Throw them in the washing machine with extra bleach, then show them to him when he gets home. Later, you find a home for them in a keepsake box and shove them back into the corner of the closet. Your children can deal with them when they move you into an assisted living facility.
4. Have them bronzed and set in a glass case, proudly displaying them on your headboard.

What would you do? Or would you have another option?

~Meghan

P.S. Would you all like to see another post in a couple of days, summarizing your responses and telling the origins of the question? Or would you rather I leave the question open-ended for continued discussion?

Does the Supreme Court have the authority to declare Acts of Congress unconstitutional?

Some of you may know my political leanings, although they aren’t important for the purposes of this post. Some of you may also know I am educated as a lawyer. Some of you even knew my father, a lawyer with one of the sharpest minds I’ve ever known. (I wish I had that sharpness now. I’m doubting my ability to communicate effectively what is burning within.)

Many of you have heard President Obama’s statements calling the Justices of the Supreme Court “unelected”, effectively calling into question the Supreme Court’s authority to declare a law unconstitutional. Apparently, it has even come to the point where the Department of Justice has issued a letter confirming the power of judicial review (as far back as Marbury v. Madison in 1803) while also urging that Acts of Congress are “presumptively constitutional” (a ruling as recent as Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. v. F.C.C. in 1993). (I’m sorry, Ted, but we don’t have broadcast television, and this is what I was able to read in the closed captioning while lunching with the family at McDonald’s yesterday, amid the clamor of six children, tearing up hamburger for the littlest one, and listening to my husband talk about his morning. Remember that question I asked you all a while back? I’m trying to do better!)

But I digress. Let me clarify a few things.

This post is not about being a Republican or a Democrat.

It is not about being conservative or liberal.

It is not even about the constitutionality of the government forcing American citizens to purchase government health care.

This post is about being an American.

It is about upholding the supreme law of the land – the Constitution.

This is about respecting the three branches of government and the system of checks and balances that our Founding Fathers so wisely put into place.

Remember seventh-grade Government class, when you stared out the window and doodled in your notebook, agonizing over how long class was? Remember learning about the executive, legislative, and judicial branches and what their jobs are, and wondering what in the world that could possibly have to do with you? Remember learning that if one branch oversteps its’ bounds, another branch will keep it in place, and that no one had any idea what was in the mystery meat the cafeteria served?

That stuff is important. (Not the doodle of your teacher with a handle bar mustache or the ingredients of the mystery meat. The three branches stuff.)

Today, your seventh-grade Government class applies to you.

Everyone who enjoys the prosperity of this country (yes, we are prosperous, even in a down economy) should appreciate and respect and uphold the Constitution and its elaborate system of checks and balances are important. The Constitution of the United States of America is why we have that prosperity today.

“The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme court….” Article III Section 1 of the United States Constitution

“The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made….”  Article III Section 2 of the United States Constitution

I wish I had the memory and the skill of legal analysis to be able to put together a point-by-point post for you. But I’m living a dream I didn’t know I had until I got it – staying at home and homeschooling six amazing children – and so not only am I so distracted most of the time by daily life that I can’t remember a lot of what I learned in law school but neither can I find the time to complete the necessary research.

In place of my own analysis, here are some excellent comments from Senator Mitch McConnell.

“At the end of the day, it’s the judiciary that ensures we’re a nation ruled by laws, not the whim of a President or a particular Congress.”

“We can all disagree about the merits of a President’s policies. But the American people should be able to expect that their President will defend the independence of the Court, not undermine it, safeguarding and strengthening our country’s institutions, not actively weakening them.”

Please click through to read Senator McConnell’s comments in this blog.

~Meghan

What do you think? Are you prepared to forfeit our system of checks and balances? Or do you think the President’s questioning of the authority of the Supreme Court is no big deal?

I’m proud to be a citizen of the United States of America, where we can form our own opinions and agree to disagree. I hope you are proud of being an American as well, so please be kind and respectful in your comments.

Question: What do you do when you hear foul language?

You and your young children are running errands on a Saturday, picking up groceries and selecting books at the library. It’s well past noon when you realize you haven’t planned lunch. You’ve been having a fun family together-time (despite the fact that The Hubs is helping some neighbors move and can’t make it) and decide to stop at your favorite fast food restaurant. You settle at a table with your food, open your youngest child’s milk, and begin to brainstorm plans for your upcoming ten-year-old’s birthday.

Halfway through your meal, some teenagers sit down at the next table. Their conversation is lively and their gestures animated. Soon, you begin to hear some foul language. You –

1. Notice that they are bigger and more numerous than you and keep silent, promising yourself that you will talk to your children in the car and instruct them that they are never to repeat those words.
2. See no problem. Just because you don’t use those words doesn’t mean they shouldn’t. After all, they have freedom of speech, too.
3. Tell them politely to keep it clean, gesturing to your children.
4. Turn up the volume of your own conversation, hoping to drown them out.
5. Turn the air blue shouting at them to keep their traps shut.

What would you do? Is there another option?

~Meghan

This question resulted in discussion in two more posts -- Why is profanity unacceptable for the Christian? and Is asterisk substitution for profanity all right?