We don’t think we do. Our concern is not with that which is profane to man, but with that which is profane to God.

“And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” –Leviticus 22:32

We believe based on Scripture that the modern Church is filled with an unhealthy legalism and works-based custom that is tantamount to idolatry in Biblical terms. We believe many of the rituals and actions of today’s church are not a true reflection of Christ, and what greater profanity could a Christian commit than to claim Christ’s name but not reflect Christ? And yet, many of us are more willing to adhere to a very unChristian culture than to the actual teachings of Christ. It is Christ who sanctifies us, not our culture, not our own works, not the do’s and don’ts of religion, but Christ alone.

What About Unwholesome Talk and Edifying Others?

“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.” –Ephesians 4:29

In putting this website together, we have reflected on and prayed about this verse in particular. We believe the intent behind our word choice and the purpose of this website to be wholesome. Our purpose is to build others up. We are here to build up the Church and to build up those who have been wounded by the Church or by our subculture. If that means we have to tear down a few traditions and practices of men in order to point to Christ, we view that as a much higher calling.

Each culture determines what language is considered clean and which words are considered dirty or foul. However, nowhere in the Bible will you find a list of words you can and cannot say. In fact, you will find that The Apostle Paul uses some language that is far less than tasteful by today’s western standards. At least one of the words Paul penned in his letters would be considered by our culture to be far worse than our use of the term “badass.”

Our Word Choice

Our use of the word “badass” is intentional for several reasons:

1. We stand for freedom in Christ and against any teaching or practice that hinders that freedom. A “badass” person in secular culture is one considered to be standing up for something, typically against a system or understanding that is limiting.
2. To bring reform: Christ’s message is not about what you do and what you say. It is about Christ’s words and work, not ours. Millions of Christians today buy into a flimsy Christian subculture that are so afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing that they have forgotten Christ’s grace.
3. The subculture’s words are empty and unwholesome: Popular Christian phrases themselves can be just as empty as people view the word “ass.” How many times have you said “I’ll pray for you” and not followed through. Or how often do we tell people God is love but fail to show love in our own lives and actions? What matters is the meaning you give the words you speak. (“Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” –Matthew 5:37.)
4. Jesus stood against tradition and subculture: In all of the gospels, Jesus Christ stood up to traditions he believed needed reform. This included the Pharisees, but also many people he encountered on a daily basis.
5. Many Church father’s bucked tradition: The historical badasses referenced on this site all stood up for what they believed in. They went up against cultures they found to be empty and offered a new way of thinking that didn’t depend on using the right words.

Linguistics

Since the introduction of “ass” as slang, it was exclusively used to refer to the hindquarters, specifically of animals. In 13 Bible translations— including the King James  Version— 9 versions in English use “ass” instead of donkey. The King James Version alone uses it 80 times.

In fact, the slang use of “ass” as we know it only became derogatory during the Victorian Era (a mere 171 years ago) because it evolved into referring to rear-ends in general, before modern hygiene. Not surprisingly, several other words for body parts humans usually conceal were deemed “improper” and became vulgar. Prior to the Victorian Era, however, they were used without stigma.

One Final Thought:

“Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” –Romans 14:4