Is habitual cussing a mortal sin?

[Holly3278]

Hey everyone. I have a habit of cussing whenever I get angry. I try very hard not to ever take the Lord’s name in vain but I do occasionally slip up on that. For the most part I am just using other cuss words. When I do this, I don’t even think of what I am doing before I do it. I don’t stop to think that what I am doing is wrong, it just happens. It usually happens when I am alone but every now and then it will happen around other people too. Is this a mortal sin for me?

 

[mdgspencer]

I don’t think it generally is nowadays. It becomes so ingrained in some people that they have little awareness of what their words mean. Their words often seem like a knee-jerk reaction, produced with little thought. To commit a mortal sin you have to fully know what you are doing. This is not to say that it couldn’t be a mortal sin in some cases, but from what I see it isn’t necessarily a mortal sin. Perhaps though it is a venial sin often or usually.

 

[aicirt]

Try harder. I think it is a mortal sin as per the 10 commandments. Also consider how disturbing it is to others to have to listen to your cursing. I have a family member who exerts little control over his mouth. It ruins the whole atmosphere and makes the rest of us think less of him. Plus we’re tired of his lame excuses.

 

[chrsbrosky]

A very useful way to cut back on profanity (that I use often) is to keep a rubber band on your wrist. Every time you let loose a curse word, take the rubber band and snap yourself.

But onto your question, I do not believe that cursing is a mortal sin when you do it without thinking, even if you use the Lord’s name in vain. If it was an accident and you didn’t curse on purpose, then it is still fine to recieve Jesus in communion. However, I am not saying that its okay to curse. Try to cut back as much as you can, and do bring it up at your next confession.

 

[smichhertz]

Hey everyone. I have a habit of cussing whenever I get angry. I try very hard not to ever take the Lord’s name in vain but I do occasionally slip up on that. For the most part I am just using other cuss words. When I do this, I don’t even think of what I am doing before I do it. I don’t stop to think that what I am doing is wrong, it just happens. It usually happens when I am alone but every now and then it will happen around other people too. Is this a mortal sin for me?

Hi Holly3278!

Doing something out of habit usually is not a mortal sin, as there is not significant reflection beforehand. So if you just happen to let a bad word slip without fully intending to, that can’t be a mortal sin.

However, you should break the habit. I recommend that anytime you let a bad word slip, say The Divine Praises as a way of atoning for it. This is a great psychological trick too as it forces you to take stock of what you are doing, and it helps to retrain your mind to no longer use those words. Also, if you are in the company of others when you say a bad word, apologize to them for saying it.

You’ll be amazed how quickly you can break a bad habit with prayer. Good luck! I will be sure to say a prayer for you!

 

[Rascalking]

It’s a nasty habit (I curse as well, I’m not perfect) but it’s not mortally sinful.

Be very careful not to label everything as a “mortal sin”. A mortal sin is something truly grave and very serious. Not to be taken lightly.

 

[Big_Dummy]

James 3 The Tongue

1 My friends, not many of you should become teachers. As you know, we teachers will be judged with greater strictness than others.2 (A)All of us often make mistakes. But if a person never makes a mistake in what he says, he is perfect and is also able to control his whole being.3 We put a bit into the mouth of a horse to make it obey us, and we are able to make it go where we want.4 Or think of a ship: big as it is and driven by such strong winds, it can be steered by a very small rudder, and it goes wherever the pilot wants it to go.5 So it is with the tongue: small as it is, it can boast about great things.
Just think how large a forest can be set on fire by a tiny flame!6 (B)And the tongue is like a fire. It is a world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself.7 We humans are able to tame and have tamed all other creaturesâwild animals and birds, reptiles and fish.8 But no one has ever been able to tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable, full of deadly poison.9 (C)We use it to give thanks to our Lord and Father and also to curse other people, who are created in the likeness of God.10 Words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth. My friends, this should not happen!11 No spring of water pours out sweet water and bitter water from the same opening.12 A fig tree, my friends, cannot bear olives; a grapevine cannot bear figs, nor can a salty spring produce sweet water.

The Wisdom from Above

13 (D)Are there any of you who are wise and understanding? You are to prove it by your good life, by your good deeds performed with humility and wisdom.14 But if in your heart you are jealous, bitter, and selfish, don’t sin against the truth by boasting of your wisdom.15 Such wisdom does not come down from heaven; it belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and demonic.16 Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil.17 But the wisdom from above is pure first of all; it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy.18 And goodness is the harvest that is produced from the seeds the peacemakers plant in peace.

Cross references:

A.James 3:2 : Sir5:9-Sir5:15;;Jas14:1;;Jas28:13-Jas28:26;.&version=GNT"> Jas 3:2; Sir 5:9-Sir 5:15; ; Jas 14:1; ; Jas 28:13-Jas 28:26; .B.James 3:6 : Sir5:13;;Jas28:22;.&version=GNT"> Jas 3:6; Sir 5:13; ; Jas 28:22; .C.James 3:9 : Jas 3:9; Gen 1:26; .
D.James 3:13 : Sir19:20-Sir19:30;.&version=GNT"> Jas 3:13; Sir 19:20-Sir 19:30; .

 

[Lexagmor]

I imagine cursing in biblical times meant something different than the kind of cursing/cussing used today. I understand that if you tell someone,“Curse you, may you never______” or similar to that is a sin, but it is very different from saying, “Sh**” if you slip or hurt your knee.

Often we call them “bad words.” But what makes a word bad? Often we tell children, “Billy, Susan, don’t say that it’s a bad word.” But why? Take the above word I used earlier. Sh** (I won’t type it for those who get scandalized easily, as if asterisks make all the difference). Is it wrong that we should come up with a slang word for the word manure or feces? It is vulgar and uneducated to be sure, but why is it considered sinful to come up with slang? Should it follow that all slang that refers to something lowly ought to be considered inappropriate and therefore sinful?

Some things are obvious, like calling a woman a female dog. No woman should be degraded in that way (nor any human).

Such words are reflective of our level of education (sometimes) and class as well as level of morality and values, but should we be heading to reconciliation for simply being vulgar (uneducated) in language?