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Profane (or profanity) in religious use refers to a lack of respect for things considered sacred. This can involve behaviors that show disrespect or cause religious offense.[1] It is also used in a neutral sense to describe things unrelated to the sacred, such as profane history or literature, contrasting with the sacred or religious. The distinction between sacred and profane was central to the theories of sociologist Émile Durkheim, who considered it fundamental to human religion.[2]
Etymology
The word profane comes from the Latin profanus, meaning "outside the temple," where pro means "outside" and fanum means "temple" or "sanctuary." By the 1450s, the term had taken on the meaning of "secular" or "desecrating the holy." Profanity can imply a secular attitude towards religion, but is distinct from blasphemy, which is a direct attack on religious figures or beliefs.[3][4]
Sacred–Profane Dichotomy
The sacred–profane dichotomy was a key concept developed by Émile Durkheim in his study of religion. He posited that religion consists of beliefs and practices related to sacred things, which are "set apart and forbidden." The profane, by contrast, involves the everyday, mundane aspects of life that can be experienced through the senses.[5] Durkheim stressed that the sacred is not inherently good or evil, nor is the profane.
Modern Profanity
With the secularization of modern culture, the realm of the profane has expanded, particularly during the Enlightenment. The 21st-century global worldview tends to be more secular and focused on the profane aspects of human life, such as material concerns, rather than the sacred.[6]
