Easy Chair No. 166, March 10, 1988 - Profanity

Rushdoony and Scott define profanity in its original sense: living, speaking, or acting “outside the temple,” that is, outside of God. Modern society reduces profanity to dirty words, but its essence is secularism living as though God does not exist. They stress that when people, including Christians, treat politics, education, art, or business as outside the realm of God, they are committing profanity. Humanism, pietism, and situation ethics all contribute to this pervasive disregard for God, leaving civilization morally and spiritually weakened.

They trace the historical consequences of profanity, noting the Gold Rush and the Civil War in the U.S. as examples where loss of faith led to social chaos, moral collapse, and total war. Profanity manifests in state power, secularized law, and public policy, including attacks on churches, abortion, and the undermining of religious authority. They also highlight how the Death of God theology and modern “profane” education have eroded reverence for God across generations, producing a society focused on self and material gain, spiritually empty and morally unstable.

Rushdoony and Scott contrast this with the eternal perspective: God remains sovereign, and His judgment and providence assure the ultimate triumph of His truth. They emphasize Augustine’s teaching that history is a struggle between the City of God and the city of man, and that despite the present decadence and profanation, God’s order endures. Even as worldly institutions decline, the faithful can look forward to a future shaped by God’s justice and restoration.