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When I was 16, the first counselor in the bishopric informed the youth during Sunday school that the word "sucks" should not be said because of what it means. Up to that point in my life, it had one meaning: "it's bad, cruddy, crappy" so now I wondered, what could make it a bad thing to say?

Others around me wondered the same thing. One boy asked, "So, what's it mean?" The leader looked surprised by the question. He stammered, "Well, to the older generation, it has a sexual connotation."

Now everyone was suddenly very interested. I could only think of one thing that would involve sucking during sex and it was embarrassing. Here I was in the Lord's house of worship suddenly thinking about this very explicit sexual act. Another boy asked, "so, what sexual connotation does it have?" Now the leader was fully aware of the hole he was digging. He replied "Well, it's something the Lord would not be proud of- even after marriage."

So there you have it. The reason I avoided saying sucks for more than a decade since that day. Every time I heard the word since then a very saucy act came to mind. Now I'm left wondering if I might have just thought "cruddy" if it had not been for that Sunday school class.

Nothing like old stuffey whkte guys trying to pass off their personal values as the will of God, eh? I thought Baptists were the only ones who did that crap.

When I was about 12, I was thrown out of my Sunday School class for using the word "sucks." I was really naïve back then, and I didn't have any clue that the word was at all suspect. My dad had to explain to me the issue, and I was mortified. I avoided that word for a very long time for that reason.

Molok wrote:Nothing like old stuffey whkte guys trying to pass off their personal values as the will of God, eh? I thought Baptists were the only ones who did that crap.

You know what doesn't suck? Running barefoot. How did your trip go?

But Old Testament, I had a shop teacher who was hard of hearing and answered that question with a loud yelling 'BECAUSE IT IS A SEXUAL ACT!!!'

A few years ago, I informed my boys that describing their favorite rock band as "hard core" was completely inappropriate. But I think I get it now. Some people are offended because they are stuck in a different era. Words and meanings do change. Some things just don't and will never mean the same thing to your parents.

But it really bites to create a generation gap for no reason. It screws us out of developing deaper relationships with our kids.

However, I am kinda old. Ho, bitch or old lady will never be a way to describe my wife or the way my daughter's boy friend should call his girlfriend.

My mom gave me the same speech. I still used it though - she never objected to it again, for some reason - maybe because I was surprised that the thought it was sexual.

Great topic, Zeezrom. That brings back memories of when as a teenager my father took offense at my use of the word "sucks" and asked me what I thought it meant. I told him it refers to a situation where something is lacking, that it is devoid of something. He never challenged my word choice again after that.

Needless to say, I never used terms like "blow job" etc. in my father's presence, but I knew what he was getting at with "sucks".

I was taught we weren't supposed to use the word suck because it was too close to the other -uck word.
by the way, it's not just stuffy Mormons who don't like the word suck. On the tennis circuit you'll be penalized if you use any -uck word.

Lucinda wrote:I was taught we weren't supposed to use the word suck because it was too close to the other -uck word.
by the way, it's not just stuffy Mormons who don't like the word suck. On the tennis circuit you'll be penalized if you use any -uck word.

huh. interesting. I never would have guessed you can't say that in tennis. Can you say damnit?

I'm okay with church leaders making recommendations on appropriate vocabulary.

I mostly think it is funny how we talked about this interesting subject in church of all places. Every boy in the room left the building thinking about this. LOL.

My best buddy's daddy felt the same way about that word. I never figgered what the big deal was. My daddy used it freely and offered me the freedom to use it to my hearts delight.