Quite a long time ago, I read a book* that mentioned a fine jar for swearing. Obscenity was a quarter, profanity was a quarter, compound obscenity and profanity was a buck. I was but a youngling then, and treated the terms as interchangable, but was interested in the difference. Being the stubborn lad that I was, I refused to simply look them up, but just analyzed the root words in my head and decided that "obscenity" referred to bodily functions and the like, and "profanity" referred to inappropriate references to religious concepts.
Then, to temper my stubbornness with obnoxiousness, I started correcting people, pointing out that this word or that word was, technically, not profanity but obscenity, or vice versa. It's a wonder I have any friends.d
* Berenstain's Baby Book, a very funny take on babies by Stan and Jan Berenstain (of Berenstain Bears fame).
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Then, to temper my stubbornness with obnoxiousness, I started correcting people, pointing out that this word or that word was, technically, not profanity but obscenity, or vice versa. It's a wonder I have any friends.d
* Berenstain's Baby Book, a very funny take on babies by Stan and Jan Berenstain (of Berenstain Bears fame).