{"id":7228,"date":"2011-04-13T03:00:04","date_gmt":"2011-04-13T08:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/?p=7228"},"modified":"2011-04-12T00:01:04","modified_gmt":"2011-04-12T05:01:04","slug":"you-can-talk-like-a-fighter-pilot-but-should-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/2011\/04\/13\/you-can-talk-like-a-fighter-pilot-but-should-you\/","title":{"rendered":"You Can Talk Like a Fighter Pilot, but Should You?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It seems everybody wants to be a fighter pilot, or at least pretend to be one<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Many people seem to\u00a0quote fighter pilot movies without knowing what they’re actually saying<\/em>.\u00a0 Some quotes are accurate (pilots do <\/em>say “Fox 3” when firing AMRAAMs and “Fox 2” when firing Sidewinders, a la <\/em>Will Smith in Independence Day<\/em>); others, not so much (pretty much everything in Top Gun<\/em>).\u00a0 While most fighter pilot-sounding quotes may just sound cool, quite a bit of real fighter pilot lingo is laced with\u00a0sexual innuendo through the use of “clever” linguistic games.<\/p>\n

Are you sure you want to play?\u00a0 <\/p>\n

“So to speak”<\/strong><\/p>\n

The most frequent fighter pilot linguistic “skill” is the phrase “so to speak<\/strong>” (sometimes written as “sts”).\u00a0 It\u00a0follows any phrase\u00a0that can in any way, shape, or form be construed as a double entendre; the frequency of the phrase in a fighter pilot’s speech indicates how often he can come up with a sexual reference in virtually any combination of words in the English language.\u00a0 If a pilot uses a phrase\u00a0worthy of a “so to speak”\u00a0other pilots in the room will generally cry out with “so to speak” and cajole those who do not.\u00a0 (In some settings this becomes so distracting the speaker may claim\u00a0a “blanket so to speak” or a “waiver.”)<\/p>\n

Another less vulgar use of the “so to speak” phrase is in reference to the “misuse” of a pilot’s name.\u00a0 For example, in the movie Top Gun<\/em>, Tom Cruise’s weapons system officer had the nickname Goose.\u00a0 If another pilot said they had to “goose the power,” a fighter pilot would suffix the phrase with “so to speak” to acknowledge the use of Goose’s callsign.<\/p>\n

“Cranium?”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another fighter pilot linguistic skill is replacing certain words that have a possible sexual connotation with their generic or scientific equivalent.\u00a0 \"\"A generic example would be a fighter pilot using cranium <\/em>in place of the word head<\/em>, because head <\/em>could have a sexual connotation.\u00a0 E.g., instead of saying someone fell and hit their head, a fighter pilot would say someone fell and hit their cranium.<\/p>\n

Fighter Pilot Speak<\/strong><\/p>\n

A veritable dictionary of fighter pilot terms is available here<\/a>.\u00a0 Some are simply explanations of terms used in aviation; others are explanations of the linguistic games described above.\u00a0 Some are not intended for polite company.<\/p>\n

The Christian Fighter Pilot and Linguistic Games<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is a potential for\u00a0negative influence\u00a0on a military Christian’s life should he participate in fighter pilot linguistic games (or\u00a0the equivalent in much of the rest of thet military community).\u00a0 These habits (also\u00a0fighter pilot “traditions”<\/a>) require constantly thinking in sexual undertones — hardly a virtue even outside Christian circles.\u00a0 Should a pilot participate, every phrase he utters is first filtered against sexual connotation.\u00a0 That thought process becomes part of the subconscious, and even a Christian\u00a0will soon find himself analyzing his pastor’s sermon for potential sexual innuendo, or saying “so to speak” in the presence of his wife, children, and mother.\u00a0 A military Christian\u00a0should not put himself in the position of explaining to his family that he said “so to speak” because he heard sexual innuendo.\u00a0 How would he explain to his child that he uses an unusual word for something because of its potential sexual connotation?<\/p>\n

There is not necessarily a distinct line, and even Christians will disagree on how best to handle similar situations.\u00a0 Some Christian fighter pilots\u00a0have allowed themselves to use “so to speak” in reference to the misuse of other pilots’ names but not in the sexual way.\u00a0\u00a0Others might\u00a0risk faltering in that skill of\u00a0mental gymnastics and using\u00a0the phrase\u00a0when\u00a0they didn’t really want to.\u00a0 In either case,\u00a0the language a military Christian uses directly impacts his\u00a0spiritual well-being, for better or worse.\u00a0 It is also another way a Christian\u00a0distinguishes\u00a0his speech from the non-Christian, much as he does in avoiding\u00a0profanity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Biblical Basis<\/strong><\/p>\n

The use of “so to speak” or singing songs laced with innuendo<\/a> is obviously not specifically addressed in the “Thou shalt nots” of the Bible.\u00a0 The most explicit instruction comes from Ephesians, where Paul instructs the church of Ephesus in aspects of Christian living:<\/p>\n

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.\u00a0 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving (5:4).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In his instructions, Paul’s reference to coarse joking does not imply a lack of a sense of humor.\u00a0 It’s what even non-Christians “know” are dirty jokes.\u00a0 Paul says to the Ephesians \u2014 and the lesson can apply to Christians today, too \u2014 that there must not be an intimation, not even a perception, of sexual immorality or impurity in their lives; Paul’s reason is such behavior is unfitting for God’s people.\u00a0 Because He is holy, His followers should strive to be holy (Leviticus 11:44, quoted in 1 Peter 1:16).\u00a0 God has called Christians to be holy, and Paul’s list of vices is certainly not a pattern of sacred behavior.<\/p>\n

If Paul says sexual immorality, impurity, obscenity, and coarse joking are unfit for the people of God, what does that say for a military Christian who thinks through a sexual “so to speak” filter\u00a0covering\u00a0the gamut of those\u00a0vices?\u00a0 By participating in such behavior Christians are not acting as God’s people should; this is not only an affront to God, but it is a contradiction that will actually undermine a Christian’s witness.\u00a0 Non-Christians will seize on the inconsistency of an unholy Christian to criticize the hypocrisy of his faith.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nThe Biblical instructions for a Christian’s speech are actually one step more directive.\u00a0 In Ephesians Paul also says,<\/p>\n

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (4:29).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

While the previous instructions have been what a Christian should not <\/em>do, the second half of this verse describes what his speech should <\/em>do:\u00a0 it should be only that which builds up and benefits<\/em> those who listen.\u00a0 A Christian’s speech should be limited to that which improves, enlightens, and uplifts morally and spiritually.\u00a0 The simple filter a Christian should use for his speech must be, “Is it edifying?”\u00a0 A Christian fighter pilot using a different “filter” \u2014 because of a different worldview \u2014 will distinguish <\/em>himself without separating <\/em>himself from non-Christians.<\/p>\n

While the public perception of a Christian’s speech is important, there is another reason for him to control his thoughts and words:<\/p>\n

“For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That which men speak on the outside is a reflection of who they are on the inside.\u00a0\u00a0The use of “so to speak” and word replacement focus a Christian’s thoughts on carnal things, and forces his every thought to be filtered through a sexual paradigm.\u00a0 This focus on base thoughts is injurious to a Christian’s internal spiritual life and will be reflected on his external.\u00a0 A Christian cannot help but become what he is thinking, which is why Paul wrote to the Philippians:<\/p>\n

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable\u2014if anything is excellent or praiseworthy\u2014think about such things (4:8).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The content of the heart dictates the words of the mouth, so a Christian should think about praiseworthy things not only because of the people around him but also because of the impact it has within himself.\u00a0 Jesus also spoke about the reflection on the outside of an internal spiritual state when he said<\/p>\n

…the good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him (Matthew 12:35).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

People store up the things to which they are exposed \u2014 things they read, watch on TV, study for school, and hear on the radio.\u00a0 Often they do so subconsciously; ever wonder why people suddenly find themselves whistling the songs they heard on the radio hours ago?<\/p>\n

In the same way, if a Christian does not actively work against it, he stores up inside his heart the profane phrases, sexual innuendo, and vulgarity to which he is exposed in his military life.\u00a0 Unless he actively works against it, from this internal storage comes his external action.\u00a0 Jesus continued to warn “that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken” (v36).\u00a0 Ultimately, when men stand before God they will be held accountable for every word \u2014 however casual or thoughtless \u2014 they have said.\u00a0 When it comes to the fighter pilot world of profanity and sexual innuendo, a Christian has been called to Christ and must live a life worthy of his Savior.<\/p>\n

Would Jesus approve of the way you think and speak in your military\u00a0life?<\/p>\n

Return to<\/em> God and Country<\/a>.
\nGo to<\/em> ChristianFighterPilot.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Updated from June 2006<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It seems everybody wants to be a fighter pilot, or at least pretend to be one.\u00a0\u00a0Many people seem to\u00a0quote fighter pilot movies without knowing what they’re actually saying.\u00a0 Some quotes are accurate (pilots do say “Fox 3” when firing AMRAAMs and “Fox 2” when firing Sidewinders, a la Will Smith in Independence Day); others, not so much (pretty much everything […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[23,96,1691,5285,1690,2,954,10,1689,40],"class_list":["post-7228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christian-living","tag-bible","tag-christian","tag-cranium","tag-fighter-pilot","tag-head","tag-military","tag-profanity","tag-religion","tag-so-to-speak","tag-tradition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7228","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7228"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7228\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7228"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7228"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}