Cussing/ Cursing -whatever you want to call it

[idontknow]

I’ve always considered it a sin (probably venial). It is bad to say have bad things come out of your mouth.

Here are some things I’ve found:

Let no corrupt word out of your mouth go forth but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29).

But now put you also all away: anger, indignation, malice, blasphemy, foul language out of your mouth. (Colossians 3:8).

Do you think this is a word Jesus would be using?

Would it be God’s will for you to use this word? If not, then it is sin.

. 1239. What is forbidden by the second Commandment?
A. The second Commandment forbids all false, rash, unjust, and unnecessary oaths, blasphemy, cursing, and profane words.
…
Q. 1241. What is blasphemy, and what are profane words?
A. Blasphemy is any word or action intended as an insult to God. To say He is cruel or find fault with His works is blasphemy. It is a much greater sin than cursing or taking God’s name in vain. Profane words mean here bad, irreverent or irreligious words.

Swearing is a venial sin against society; it shows offense to the lord and the neighbor. Further it reduces the quality of life granted. All sins should be confessed; mortal sins in detail and venial sins usually in a general acknowledgement of failings.

Col 3:8

But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth.

Eph 4:29
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

 

[HNA444]

I’ve always considered it a sin (probably venial). It is bad to say have bad things come out of your mouth.

Here are some things I’ve found:

Let no corrupt word out of your mouth go forth but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29).

But now put you also all away: anger, indignation, malice, blasphemy, foul language out of your mouth. (Colossians 3:8).

Do you think this is a word Jesus would be using?

Would it be God’s will for you to use this word? If not, then it is sin.

. 1239. What is forbidden by the second Commandment?
A. The second Commandment forbids all false, rash, unjust, and unnecessary oaths, blasphemy, cursing, and profane words.
…
Q. 1241. What is blasphemy, and what are profane words?
A. Blasphemy is any word or action intended as an insult to God. To say He is cruel or find fault with His works is blasphemy. It is a much greater sin than cursing or taking God’s name in vain. Profane words mean here bad, irreverent or irreligious words.

Swearing is a venial sin against society; it shows offense to the lord and the neighbor. Further it reduces the quality of life granted. All sins should be confessed; mortal sins in detail and venial sins usually in a general acknowledgement of failings.

Col 3:8

But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth.

Eph 4:29
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

 

[stringbeanduck]

Do you want to be a hero, or do you want to be that person that everyone avoids? Do you want parents to feel safe that their children like you, or do you want them gathering their children up and rushing away when you approach?

It’s not about being “The Church Lady” - it’s about being someone who is pleasant and easy to have around - and then maybe they also find out that you are a Church lady, and then they have a good impression of Church ladies, which makes for a good witness. (Or not, and you are still someone that they like being around.)

I think one of the worst fallacies that is spread to young people is that you have to swear to be cool. Not so. The cool people are the ones who have good self-control, and communicate both intelligently and intelligibly.

I concur. At our Parish you earn more cool points(yes that’s what I call them) when you say something really deep, rather than something full of curse words.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Do you want to be a hero, or do you want to be that person that everyone avoids? Do you want parents to feel safe that their children like you, or do you want them gathering their children up and rushing away when you approach?

Everyone? Tell that to those who surround themselves with gamers, gangsters, and rockers. Furthermore, this isn’t about being “cool” for what is “cool” is not absolute. Rather, it is more like trying not to stand out from within the context of your surroundings. I enter an arcade or an internet cafe (my own included) and I hear a teams of gamers cursing over a loss, over a victory, taunting online opponents, berating a members for messing up etc.

Furthermore, swearing doesn’t exactly make it enough for you to judge a person’s moral character. Sure it might reveal a little bit about the person but if overprotective parents would instantly start fleeing from him/her just because he/she says c-r-a-p then they would have a lot to account for should their kids find out that the person turns out to be pretty decent. What ever happened to judge not by appearance? (You do know the difference between how you talk and what exactly it is you’re talking about right?)

It’s not about being “The Church Lady” - it’s about being someone who is pleasant and easy to have around - and then maybe they also find out that you are a Church lady, and then they have a good impression of Church ladies, which makes for a good witness. (Or not, and you are still someone that they like being around.)

Or you could just be reinforcing a stereotype. Not that that’s a bad thing so as long as that stereotype remains true to itself in every aspect (not just avoidance of swearing mind you).

You see this is why it can be ultimately futile to avoid swearing. Even if you don’t but you’ve got an attitude, the things you say will just sound as equally rude and uncharitable as someone who does it with profanity. As a writer who has had to employ both profanity and intelligent speech (from voicing different characters) I tell you now that both are equally capable of offending people when you know how to use them well.

What would you rather hear? Someone condemning you as a “superstitious subhuman that needs to purged via firing squad in order to prevent the spread of religious ignorance” or someone simply complimenting you by saying “Dude! You f-ing rock!”

I think one of the worst fallacies that is spread to young people is that you have to swear to be cool. Not so. The cool people are the ones who have good self-control, and communicate both intelligently and intelligibly.

Those who are cool (as how you understand it) but don’t swear are usually the type who just replace the more profane words with less offensive sounding synonyms (e.g. screw replaces the f-word, “heck” instead of “hell”) as far as what I’ve seen.

 

[rpp]

There’s the catch. Suppose someone does not want to be associated with religion? What if I don’t want to come off as religious?

And how do you “suppose” the Lord feels about such an attitude? Not using foul language does NOT merely mean someone is religious. Using profanity is never polite.

We are called to glorify Him at all times. If you do not want to do that, can you truly call yourself a Christian? Well, the Lord says “No!”.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

And how do you “suppose” the Lord feels about such an attitude? Not using foul language does NOT merely mean someone is religious. Using profanity is never polite.

We are called to glorify Him at all times. If you do not want to do that, can you truly call yourself a Christian? Well, the Lord says “No!”.

Who says you have to be “polite” in your sense 100% of the time and who says everybody has to? One can swear yet still not come off a rude depending on the situation. That’s why there’s never been an absolute official Church ruling on swearing.

And what does glorifying God have to do with avoiding swearing? I can lay off saying the Lord’s name in vain (pretty easy too) and still diss ya real good if you tick me off bad enough.

 

[jmcrae]

Everyone? Tell that to those who surround themselves with gamers, gangsters, and rockers. Furthermore, this isn’t about being “cool” for what is “cool” is not absolute. Rather, it is more like trying not to stand out from within the context of your surroundings. I enter an arcade or an internet cafe (my own included) and I hear a teams of gamers cursing over a loss, over a victory, taunting online opponents, berating a members for messing up etc.

And how does it make you feel, to be around them when they’re like that? Would you take them home for a cup of tea and introduce them to your friends, or do you prefer to “admire” them from a distance?

Furthermore, swearing doesn’t exactly make it enough for you to judge a person’s moral character. Sure it might reveal a little bit about the person but if overprotective parents would instantly start fleeing from him/her just because he/she says c-r-a-p then they would have a lot to account for should their kids find out that the person turns out to be pretty decent.

Decent people don’t swear.

What ever happened to judge not by appearance? (You do know the difference between how you talk and what exactly it is you’re talking about right?)

Swearing is something you can choose to do - or not.

It is perfectly acceptable to judge someone by how he speaks and by how he behaves, since these are the things that are under his or her control - these are the marks of his character. (This is precisely why you put swear words into the mouths of some of your fictional characters when you write, isn’t it? It’s a way of revealing their character to the reader.)

Swearing is not something uncontrollable that is caused by one’s gender or skin color. It isn’t even something you wear when you’ve run out of clothes on laundry day, or something that happens to your hair when you accidentally shampoo with the wrong bottle. It’s something you choose to do, in order to deliberately give a particular impression of yourself to others - which is why it is a perfectly acceptable criterion by which to judge someone.

Those who are cool (as how you understand it) but don’t swear are usually the type who just replace the more profane words with less offensive sounding synonyms (e.g. screw replaces the f-word, “heck” instead of “hell”) as far as what I’ve seen.

Why not just say what you mean, and mean what you say?

 

[rpp]

Who says you have to be “polite” in your sense 100% of the time and who says everybody has to? One can swear yet still not come off a rude depending on the situation. That’s why there’s never been an absolute official Church ruling on swearing.

And what does glorifying God have to do with avoiding swearing? I can lay off saying the Lord’s name in vain (pretty easy too) and still diss ya real good if you tick me off bad enough.

Referring to the last paragraph, what is the point of doing something like that? As Christians we are called upon not to return an insult with an insult.

It is not a questions of being sinful. The Church has never declared that being rude is sinful. However, being rude, however you manifest it it, does NOT glorify God, and that is the point I am trying to make. As a Christian, we are all called upon to glorigy God at all times. If you are too embarrassed or afraid to do that, that is your choice. Be aware that such cowardice is not a gift of the Holy Spirit.

An action does not have to be sinful to be wrong or harmful.

Are you actually defending rude behavior and trying to say that it is justified? I am sure that makes your mother proud.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

And how does it make you feel, to be around them when they’re like that? Would you take them home for a cup of tea and introduce them to your friends, or do you prefer to “admire” them from a distance?

I let them be. Period. And if I myself end up getting my rear end handed to me in a game, you can bet I won’t stand out. It actually feels kinda nice being one with one’s environment.

Random gamer #1: Holy #$@^! It’s Bapho!! DX

speakers suddenly give whacking noise

Me: What the-switches window Oh #*@! D8< runs from sudden boss encounter

Random gamer #2: $@%@%!!! I’ve been pwned! T_T

Decent people don’t swear.

I know some pretty honorable folks and they swear mildly.

Swearing is something you can choose to do - or not.

It is perfectly acceptable to judge someone by how he speaks and by how he behaves, since these are the things that are under his or her control - these are the marks of his character. (This is precisely why you put swear words into the mouths of some of your fictional characters when you write, isn’t it? It’s a way of revealing their character to the reader.)

Swearing is not something uncontrollable that is caused by one’s gender or skin color. It isn’t even something you wear when you’ve run out of clothes on laundry day, or something that happens to your hair when you accidentally shampoo with the wrong bottle. It’s something you choose to do, in order to deliberately give a particular impression of yourself to others - which is why it is a perfectly acceptable criterion by which to judge someone.

Why not just say what you mean, and mean what you say?

Actually your two statements can be quite contradictory to each other (with the first one missing my point).

First of all, I didn’t say swearing isn’t uncontrollable (even though the idea is actually laughable to me given I’ve known others who are just as quick-tempered as I am). I said that there’s a fine line between how you say something and what you are saying. I’m talking semantics here man. The English language has long been known as the prime example of how form and meaning are wholly separate.

I ask you again, would you rather have someone give you a compliment with an f-word in it or having someone give you a demeaning monologue about how us and our religion are all one big virus? (coughSam Harriscough)

Thus, it’s not how a person says something that gives you the right to judge them. It’s what they’re saying. These very characters of mine that swear? They’re actually the most honorable guns I could think of who just happen to have it real rough in life. The swearing is an aesthetic that highlights their archetype. It is separate from the moral ethics and codes they live by (and further separate from their actions).

Secondly, if I were to say something as I mean it to say, then that pretty much gives me all the right to use swear words if I ever run into someone so vile and intolerable who befits such terms.

Referring to the last paragraph, what is the point of doing something like that? As Christians we are called upon not to return an insult with an insult.

Yet Jesus returned sacrilege with harsh condemnation and frightening violence. You’d be surprised how some people are so up on their high horses that only a good, in-your-face spit could knock 'em off it. I won’t allow the Turn-the-Other-Cheek card to be played as an excuse to let others push people around.

It is not a questions of being sinful. The Church has never declared that being rude is sinful. However, being rude, however you manifest it it, does NOT glorify God, and that is the point I am trying to make. As a Christian, we are all called upon to glorigy God at all times. If you are too embarrassed or afraid to do that, that is your choice. Be aware that such cowardice is not a gift of the Holy Spirit.

An action does not have to be sinful to be wrong or harmful.

Hey as long as I won’t end up in hell post-haste, I’m not living in a bubble. Nor will I force others too. Besides, there are so many ways one can not glorify God as much as one can. Avoiding one is pointless if there are other things about your character that are probably more degrading of God’s glory than the usage of mere words.

Someone mentioned that actions speak louder than words. I’ll add a third link to that chain.

“Actions are louder than words. Words sound less than meaning.”

Are you actually defending rude behavior and trying to say that it is justified? I am sure that makes your mother proud.

My mother isn’t exactly something to proud of at the moment Mr. Ad Hom. What is “rude” can be relative to the environment/situation. I won’t swear in a church or in the formal presence of the Pope, but that doesn’t mean I won’t refrain from a bad word or two when talking to my friends.

 

[celticsfan1983]

For the people in this forum that say swearing at all is sinful, I’d have you take a look at Phillipians 3:8.

“More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ”

That word rubbish jumps out at me.
jeffwofford.com/2006/11/wading-in-skubala.html

According to this greek scholar (and anyone else that studies ancient Greek), the word Paul used instead of rubbish was skubala. Which was a very vulgar word for feces. Basically our version of sh*t.

Decent people don’t swear.

I’ll be sure to pass that along to St. Paul. Probably the holiest man aside from Christ that ever lived, and he used words like this in sacred scripture.

Which makes me wonder, if Paul actually used “vulgar” language in sacred scripture, what right does anyone have to tell me that I can’t use “swear” words to make a point? Dropping them carelessly isn’t the best way, I’ll concede, but if using the f-bomb or s**t is the best way to get my point across, it’s not sinful at all.

The blog author also points out Isaiah 64. “All of us have become like unclean men, all our good deeds are like polluted rags, we have all withered like leaves, and our guilt carries us away like the wind.”

That polluted rag? It’s a soiled tampon. Yet if I were to use that phrase to make a point in life, no doubt I’d be labeled as foul and vulgar.

I think our intentions are the things that count. If I use a pseudo-swear when I’m angry at someone, yelling “Darn you to heck!” with such rage and malice, it’s not ok just because I didn’t swear. The hatred, not the words, make it a sin. Likewise, if I were to turn my shoulder and actually see Christ standing beside me, and in shock and bewilderment I used the F-word, how is that sinful? There’s no hatred or malice, just shock and surprise and amazement that my savior is standing there, and the F-bomb was the first thing that came out of my mouth to describe my feelings.

Let’s clean up our lives first. Our heart needs more work than any of our tongues ever will.

 

[jmcrae]

For the people in this forum that say swearing at all is sinful, I’d have you take a look at Phillipians 3:8.

“More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ”

That word rubbish jumps out at me.
jeffwofford.com/2006/11/wading-in-skubala.html

According to this greek scholar (and anyone else that studies ancient Greek), the word Paul used instead of rubbish was skubala. Which was a very vulgar word for feces. Basically our version of sh*t.

Yes, and you can use the word sht if you mean to say sht. The problem is that most of the time, people don’t mean to say sh*t when they use that word. Usually, they are just using it as an angry noise to make, or to mean something else.

For example, the woman who said, “Oh s***, I stepped in some poo.” (What she meant to say was, “Oh, poo, I stepped in some s***.”

Now, that would have been proper English.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

My question to you: When we are young we are taught that cussing/ cursing is wrong and that there are ‘bad words’. But is it a sin to cuss? Any evidence that 'cussing/ cursing is in the bible? And from my memory that ‘cursing’ is in the bible…is this the same meaning of the word that we use it for today? Or does it pertain to witchcraft? How is saying a ‘bad word’ / ‘cussing’ the same as saying a ‘curse’ in the bible if it is pertaining to witchcraft/ pagenism etc?–Is there a difference between cursing and cussing? I believe that they are interchanged words simply used in different parts of the country as part of local dialect (from the US here). Show evidence for your opinion, biblical quotes are best! Thanks

I wish the moral principles had been stated . Knowing that saying X is bad, is not the same as being able to work out why the Church says X is bad. Having the principles, also means that one is in a position to work out whether saying Y or Z or A or B or C is bad; as well as why, in case they are.​

The Bible is not able to show why calling someone a c…t is offensive - Chaucer used the word in the form “queynte”, in the Canterbury Tales. ISTM there are no bad words - only words that in certain cultures or times are considered unfit for use in company.