{"id":74,"date":"2006-06-13T14:17:15","date_gmt":"2006-06-13T21:17:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/?p=74"},"modified":"2009-09-02T13:08:04","modified_gmt":"2009-09-02T17:08:04","slug":"fighter-pilot-linguistic-games-so-to-speak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/2006\/06\/13\/fighter-pilot-linguistic-games-so-to-speak\/","title":{"rendered":"Fighter Pilot Linguistic Games, so to speak"},"content":{"rendered":"

Profanity<\/a> is not the only vice with which a Christian fighter pilot’s senses will be bombarded.\u00a0 Standard fighter pilot lingo is laced with various forms of sexual innuendo, most through the use of linguistic games.\u00a0 The most frequent fighter pilot linguistic “skill” is the phrase “so to speak” (often written as “sts”).\u00a0 The phrase follows any sentence that 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 that is worthy of a “so to speak” because of its potential double meaning, other pilots in the room will generally say “so to speak” and cajole those who do not.\u00a0<\/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, Tom Cruise’s weapons system officer had the nickname Goose.\u00a0 If another pilot said that 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 This is not to avoid but rather highlight them.\u00a0 Without stooping to an illicit explanation, a generic example would be a fighter pilot using cranium in place of the word head, because head could have a sexual connotation.\u00a0 Instead of saying someone fell and hit their head, a fighter pilot would say someone fell and hit their cranium.<\/p>\n

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

I believe there is the potential for significant negative impact on a Christian pilot’s life should he participate in fighter pilot linguistic games.\u00a0 I recommend strongly against “so to speak” and replacing words with a scientific equivalent because participating in these fighter pilot “traditions” requires constantly thinking in sexual undertones.\u00a0 Every phrase a pilot utters is first filtered against sexual connotation, both innocent and illicit.\u00a0 The thought process becomes part of the subconscious, and a pilot will 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 Christian fighter pilot should not put himself in the position of explaining to his family that he said “so to speak” because of the sexual innuendo he just perceived.\u00a0 How would he explain to his child that he uses an unusual word for something because of its potential sexual connotation?<\/p>\n

I have known Christian fighter pilots who allowed themselves to use “so to speak” in reference to the misuse of other pilots’ names but not in the sexual way.\u00a0 This is an example of where I and another Christian pilot differed in what we would and would not participate.\u00a0 I personally believed that if I allowed myself to use that phrase in some circumstances and not in others, I would run the risk of failing in my mental gymnastics and using it when I should not.\u00a0 I understand that there is no true harm in saying “so to speak” to acknowledge the use of another pilot’s name; but it draws me dangerously close to a phraseology and habit pattern in which I think there is true harm.\u00a0 For me, refusing to use “so to speak” or replace words with their scientific equivalent means that I fail to acknowledge any potential innuendo in my language; this keeps my own mind out of the gutter\u2014which benefits my spiritual well-being\u2014and it is another way that I distinguish my speech from the non-Christian, in much the same way I do by not using profanity.<\/p>\n

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

The use of “so to speak” or singing songs laced with innuendo 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 humor but is in reference to what Christians “know” are dirty jokes\u2014nowhere in the Bible does it say Christians can’t be funny.\u00a0 Paul says to the Ephesians\u2014and the lesson can apply to Christians today, too\u2014that there must not even be an intimation, not even a perception, of sexual immorality or impurity in their lives; Paul’s reason is that 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 that sexual immorality, impurity, obscenity, and coarse joking are unfit for the people of God, what does that say for a fighter pilot who thinks through a sexual “so to speak” filter and sings songs that cover the gamut of those very vices?\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 do, the second half of this verse describes what his speech should do:\u00a0 it should be only that which builds up and benefits 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 that a Christian should use for his speech must be, “Is it edifying?”\u00a0 A Christian fighter pilot that uses a different “filter”\u2014because of a different worldview\u2014will distinguish himself without separating 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: \u00a0“For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).\u00a0 That which men speak on the outside is a reflection of who they are on the inside.\u00a0 Fighter pilot songs focus a pilot’s thoughts on carnal things; the use of “so to speak” and word replacement 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\u2014things 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?\u00a0 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 vulgar songs to which he is exposed in his life as a fighter pilot.\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\u2014however casual or thoughtless\u2014they 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.\u00a0 Would Jesus approve of the way he thinks and speaks in his fighter pilot life?<\/p>\n

Return to<\/em> God and Country<\/a>.
\nGo to<\/em> ChristianFighterPilot.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Profanity is not the only vice with which a Christian fighter pilot’s senses will be bombarded.\u00a0 Standard fighter pilot lingo is laced with various forms of sexual innuendo, most through the use of linguistic games.\u00a0 The most frequent fighter pilot linguistic “skill” is the phrase “so to speak” (often written as “sts”).\u00a0 The phrase follows any sentence that can in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,16],"tags":[2],"class_list":["post-74","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christian-living","category-fighter-pilot","tag-military"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74","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=74"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}