I know that most of us have made some kind of decision as to whether we let the occasional curse word fly from our lips, and what qualifies as a cuss word, so what I would like to do is share some what I shared this past Wednesday evening in Youth and Adult Bible study.
First of all, I think it's important to lay out the law so to speak:
What is profanity?
Without going to George Carlin and his attempt to define what words are off limits, I believe that if all of us were honest with ourselves, we would all agree what qualifies as a "Bad-Word".
Most kids don't have a problem knowing the difference. When I was a kid on the playground and we heard one of "those" words, someone would usually say "I'm gonna tell, you said a baaad word."
The Bible does not have a list of taboo words. You can't go to the book of whatever and see "...thou shalt not say the following words..." it's just not there.
In the first place the list would be changing all the time. Not necessarily words coming off the list, but new ones coming on all the time.
Secondly we would also have to admit that cussing has much less to do with letters than linguistics. In other words, the meaning and intent of the words we use is the the crux. But don't let that take us off the hook, because we are indeed judged by the use of our words, whether they have ill intent or not. Try using a foul word in a casual manner the next time you are in for a job interview and see if how far that flies.
I would agree that there is really no need for graphic language at anytime and by anyone whether you are a believer or not, but for the sake of our discussion today, lets narrow our field to believers only.
I found a very useful list of six reasons why not to cuss by Daryl Wingerd. See what you think.
- Many curse words are descriptions of immoral acts.... Whatever the original meanings of these words...vulgar meanings are undoubtedly connected with them now. Remember that Paul tells Christians to dwell on things that are honorable, pure, lovely, and excellent. Philippians 4:8
- Christians who use foul language...[fail to] set themselves apart from unbelievers who say the same things. Your speech leaves them no reason to believe that you are any different from anyone else.
- The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, saying, "Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God." (1 Cor. 10:32) He was not referring to the offense of the Gospel or an offense taken by....certain Christian beliefs or practices.
- Many movies receive an "R" rating because of foul language, meaning that even unbelievers recognize that cussing is inappropriate , at least for children. [It is] shameful when Christians claim as a personal liberty that which even our pagan society recognizes as offensive.
- We should always err on the side of caution rather than appealing to our personal liberty. James 3: 6,8 says that the tongue is a "restless evil and full of deadly poison," that which cannot be tamed and which "defiles the body". Proverbs 10:19 says "Where there are many words, sin is not lacking." [Christians should have a] default setting [when it comes to their mouths]
- One would hope that Christians who claim the liberty to cuss in public, among their families, or even in the presence of other believers, would at least find such language unthinkable in the presence of Jesus Christ. The fact is, however, if you would not cuss in His presence, then you cannot with a clean conscience at all because Jesus said, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20 (taken form the list of "Six Reasons Why NOT!" by Daryl Wingerd.)
So what are your thoughts? Do you think it's ok under certain circumstances for believers to cuss?
I have to say I was so impressed by all the comments I received this past Wednesday during our Bible Study. Many of our students and adults have a solid understanding of why and why not, and their comments were based on the Word of God.
-John M
10 comments:
excellent thoughts on this topic! I'm sure the discussion was lively (and potentially colorful!) and timely. Thanks for resisting the urge to take a legalistic approach here - it's the easy way out - simply create the approved list and everything is good.
Your point that it's not so much what word is used as how a word is used, is right on point.
My grandfather told me, "Cursing is a weak mind trying to express itself forcefully." Basically telling me that I was smarter than to have to revert to cursing.
Blessings my friend!
John
I love it. Grandpa was right about the weak mind, it's easier to use garbage-words for filler than to actually use words than to be intelliegent.
You're right John, it was a good disCUSSion. (Sorry couldn't resist.) We did have some that asked about the leagalistic view, and it is easier to just say, "thou shalt not" and forget about it, but I suppose that is what fuels our desire to justify sin in every area across the board.
Have a great day!
-Idaho John
Do you see any kind of a difference between secular cussing and our substituting "church" words. For example I hear the "S" word all the time in the secular community and I hear the "C" word in the "Christian" community. What's the difference?
I love that question!
Depending on who you talk to, you may get an answer ranging from "Legalism" to "Depends on your meaning".
But since you asked what I think, I will just tell you:
I would agree that the use of the "C" word as a substitute for the "S" word is common in Christan circles.
I do think that there is a difference between the actual words and NO difference, for the most part, between actual usage. It satisfies the same linguistic nescesity.
But it's worth looking even deeper:
There are several variations on this word that essentially mean the same thing: "Crud", "Shucks", "Crimony", "Shitake-Mushrooms", and the list goes on. Some make you cringe and others make you giggle.
If we wanted to be legalistic we would say "Thou Shalt Not..." If we wanted to be permissive and take advantage of our liberty, we would say "What's the difference, as long as you use a socially acceptable version you're really not cussing anyway..."
But I think we are missing the whole point entirely. Christians are to be "SET APART" so 'riding the fence' as it were, still makes us sound like the world, and why do we want to do that anyway.
I am certain that when the Word says avoid ALL appearances of evil even those things like "Sound-Alike" words should be considered off the list. I don't think this has anything to do with legalism or personal liberty.
Have I used them? Yes. Am I proud of it? No. Sometimes I have tried to be funny using them, other times I have really been angry and used the 'sound-alikes' because it gave me release, but all in all Christians are still being judged by the world for their faux or real words just the same.
I suppose the best advice is to avoid them altogether. That way there is no question at all. I love it when a person says to me you're different than everyone else, and I really hate it when someone is surprised when they find out I am Christian. They saw no difference in me from anyone else or themselves.
Thanks Paul... I bet you didn't expect a discoure on the subject.
-John
OK, confession time here...
I hit my head REALLY hard today and suddenly found myself saying some words I have been trying to forget for quite a while. Let's just say I'm glad it was just me, the chickens, and God around at the time.
That said, I find myself wondering how Jesus responded out in the carpenter's shop with Joseph when he hit his thumb. You know it had to happen. I find it hard to believe he immediately knelt in prayer and thanked God for the throbbing pain in his left thumb. I just have to imagine he expressed his angst with some forceful passion - but did he utilize "uncouth" language?
I readily agree that our language puts our heart on clear display, "For out of the heart a man speaks" (still got a ways to go on the heart response when I hit my head really hard :-)!). But I wonder if we sometimes lump all language into laundry piles of "clean" and "dirty?" Perhaps "appropriate" and "inappropriate" would be better monikers.
Grandpa, as you can ascertain from the bit of wisdom he shared, was not a foul-mouthed man. However, I did hear him cuss one time. He was setting a mouse trap and it caught him instead of a mouse. Interestingly, because I knew the character of the man, I never considered what he said as "dirty," in fact, I've always considered it an "appropriate" response at the moment.
This is a difficult issue over which to come to final clarity. I will say that our language is to be salty, but not in a sailor kind of way! Whatever we say reflects on the glory of God. We do well to handle language carefully.
Thanks for a thought provoking post!
Blessings!
Alabama John
clean and dirty : appropriate and inappropriate. This has always been one of those interesting areas in my thinking too. Good thinking Johns. (when I say john, I'm not meaning a dirty filthy portable out house either.)
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I've been torn on this subject for a couple years now. My roommates and other leaders in the church I was a part of had differing views, some cussing in private, some in public, and some not at all.
I use words like crap dang and heck all the time, and have heard it said that "just replacing the words doesn't change what you're saying". But at my job I was offered money to cuss because my fellow employees hadn't heard me cuss ever. It would seem that even though I use "replacer" words, I still stood apart.
I personally believe that having a conviction, and sticking to it, puts someone leaps and bounds ahead of the pack.
Go(d) Bless
Wow, interesting that this 2008 post is still alive:
Alabama John: I believe I understand what you mean when you say it did not sound 'dirty' but appropriate when Grandpa responded to that mousetrap-malfunction. I am sure he had appropriate malice in his heart for either the trap or the mouse who forced this duty in the first place.
Anon: Clearly, believers who choose to set themselves apart will garner attention from cooworkers and friends as being an oddity. Yet I would encourage you to stand firm regardless of any carrot at the end of the rope. Perhaps the offer to "cuss for cash" is just a hopeful attempt to see that you remain set-apart. There is something refreshing about coloquial celibacy- even more gratifying to our listeners, when we resist the temptation, is when they mutter(under their breath) "way to go, buddy, way to go".
-Pastor John
I THINK WHILE IT DEPENDS ON WHY CURSE WORDS YOU USE. THERE ARE SOME THAT REFER TO BODILY FUNCTIONS. I THINK THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO WARN PEOPLE THAT THERE IS INDECENT COMMUNICATION IN WHAT ARTICLE OR MOVIE & ALLOW THEM TO DECIDE WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR FAMILY TO SEE & DISCUSS. I DON'T AGREE WITH A ONE WAY FITS ALL APPROACH. I DON'T BELIEVE CHILDREN OR ADULTS SHOULD BE VULGAR OR RUDE. HOWEVER YOU DON'T KNOW THEIR EXPERIENCE OR DICTATE TO THEM HOW THEY GET TO EXPRESS IT. IF SOMEONE UPSETS THEM YOU CAN DISCUSS IT & AS ADULTS. YOU DON'T CENSOR PEOPLE EXCEPT WHEN CHILDREN ARE PRESENT FOR VULGARITY OR RUDENESS. YOU DO NOT PARENT ADULTS. UNLESS THEY ACT LIKE UNDISCIPLINED CHILDREN. ALSO ITS UP TO THE ADULT TO DECIDE WHAT THEY ARE COMFORTABLE BEING AROUND & ASK TO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING THAT LANGUAGE. I ALSO THINK THAT USING CERTAIN TERMS TO DESCRIBE BODILY FUNCTIONS IS NOT CUSSING. ITS A MERE DESCRIPTION OF TOILETING. VULGARITY IS THE DIFFERENCE & INTENT.
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