“No Harm (No Blood), No Foul”

I increasingly think about linguistics, and sometimes this involves wondering about the origins of a phrase or word.

I got to thinking about a person in my life that used the phrase “no harm, no foul” within written correspondence at least one time–and I’d venture to guess closer to several times within a certain time frame. Or at least, used a variation on this phrase in addition to using the phrase specifically.

Without obsessively going back to search the communications, I am certain that at several points in dialogue the other person kept stating that they “intended no harm” in having made various statements that I rightly took objection to —yet I felt increasingly harmed, disrespected, and more.

I had reason to again think about those interactions in the past week.

Why did someone who was doing such harm and possibly is continuing to do harm (I do not know for certain) in a situation where they have no reason to be involved, keep suggesting to me in communications that they essentially wished me no harm, nor intended no harm, and actually used the phrase “no harm, no foul” at one point.

I mean, I had never used nor heard that phrase before they used it, and it caught my attention.

“No harm, no foul.”

What does that mean?

Initially, from massive communications context, I would have surmised the person was trying to say “I didn’t do any harm to you…I didn’t mean any harm…there is really nothing you should be upset by…nothing foul occurred…all my intentions were good and pure…I was just trying to help…and so forth…”

Over and over in my mind, I kept thinking about the immense harm(s) that have been present in various situations, and how this person’s actions compounded the harm in ways I need not articulate here, and possibly, in ways I will never fully know.

As I beheld and behold, and contemplate harms of many sorts from many sources, this phrase came back to me.

And then, I Googled “origin of ‘no harm, no foul.'”

Good old Wikipedia.

So, as I understand from browsing the first paragraphs, “no harm, no foul” or “no blood, no foul” originates from the 1950’s in street basketball. In professional or coached basketball, there are rules. And the referee can call “foul” for infractions of the rules of the game.

But in street basketball, the rules are fast and loose. And, there is no referee. So players can get away with things that are technically and normally considered violations.

Amazing. “Nothing to see here.”

The basic rule is then…if I didn’t draw blood, or otherwise show visible harm, there is no foul.

This represents the essence of all that Christians should avoid. This is what lawyers do. This is what bullies and politicians do.

They make the rules and they break the rules. As long as it flies under the radar, no one can call ‘foul’.

Using this phrase in interpersonal dialogue is a form of interpersonal violence, coercion and…harm.

And not that it matters or will repair the harm done (and possibly being continued)…but…I call foul.

And not that it matters whether I call foul.

What matters most is that I keep seeking Jesus, who is my Advocate, trusting in Him to work together for the good for all that love the Lord and are called according to His purposes.

I think of the story of Joseph.
Genesis 50:20 (a snippet): “…You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done…”