Yeah, both very good points. I'm finding myself self-censoring a lot more than I used to these days, now that I've given these things some thought. I'm attempting to ease up on blaspheming, since it really matters to a lot of people, and doesn't benefit me in any way to be able to use that stuff. I don't believe in any of this crap, and for a long time I felt justified in using blasphemy (if I even thought about it, which I hardly did) BECAUSE it's all made up bullshit to me. But looking at from another perspective, not believing is just as good a reason to NOT use it. I live in a very religious place, and have lots of quite religious friends. And that's the key - I don't mind pissing off the type of religious person who never shuts up about it and tries to convert everyone, but I do mind upsetting people who are friends of mine and have never even begun to give me shit for not believing in the same things they do. Me bursting out with "jesus fucking christ!" may not be aimed at them (or anyone, for that matter), but if I'm saying it in front of them I'm as good as saying that something that's important to them is worth less than nothing and I have no problem shitting all over it. This is not the message I mean to send.
Two more words I don't like, while I'm at it:
"Retard". It's ugly and hurtful and far too socially acceptable. Yes, I know the origin of the word isn't that bad, but the connotation it's taken on IS. The title at the top of this board bugs me, has done for a while. Between the use of that word and the unncecessary capitalization, it makes us seem.... well, mentally challenged?
"Bitch". This one stings, because I've used this word extensively for years. Rarely when referring to anyone female, but that doesn't mean anything. The word is sexist and derogatory. If you call a man a bitch, you're calling him womanly, which implies that womanly is undesirable. If you call a woman a bitch, you're as good as calling her uppity, because how dare she not know her place and dare to act in a way that's perceived as manly? And using bitch as a derogatory word implies that dogs in general, and female dogs specifically, are undesirable to be compared to. And that's just silly. Dogs are the best people I know.
ETA: there are very few scenarios in which the word "asshole" couldn't work interchangeably with the word "bitch". And asshole is equal-opportunity, since we all have one. The only time this doesn't work is when using bitch as a verb. The closest I can come up with to a replacement that still gets across the desired meaning of complaining in a whiny manner, but without implying that someone is complaining in a whiny manner, just like a woman, is "kvetch". But that has its own baggage, and most people don't even know what it means.