Is swearing a sin?

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Pieman333272

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Is swearing, in the sense of using profane language, a sin by Ephesians 5:4? What is the Church’s teaching on swearing?
 
Swearing mean different things to different people. But in any case, are we spiritual people trying to please God, or is it all about getting in under the law?
 
Quote from the Haydock Commentary on Epheisans 5:4
What is here meant by this word, S. Chrys. tells us at large in the moral exhortation after his 17th homily; to wit, jests with immodest suggestions or a double meaning, and raillery or buffoonery against the rules of good conversation, scarce made use of by any but by men of low condition and of a mean genius, which is not to the purpose of a Christian, who must give an account to God of all his words.
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So, sexual innuendo (which would include a great deal of our swear words, being as most of them are not just innuendo but abruptly sexual in nature and definitely would be ‘immodest suggestions’). Not the specific comment on ‘against the rules of good conversation.’ Which means that if we know that is considered impolite, we shouldn’t be saying it, even in jest.
 
I don’t think it’s a mortal sin.
People swear without even knowing what they’re telling !
If you swear and really think about what you have just said, agree with it, then you have [probably] sinned, but I don’t think it’s of mortal manner.
Hope that I helped.
God bless you all, one by one.
 
I believe its a venial sin as it shows disrespect towards yourself, others, and God (if you are taking His name in vain). Aside from the morality angle, to me swearing just cheapens language and emotions. Now I understand when someone swears if they are taken by surprise or are caught up in a moment (doesn’t make it acceptable, but just understandable). But when I hear someone swearing casually in normal conversation I tend to automatically develop a low impression of that person.

My rule, don’t ever swear. But if I do, bring it up the next time I go to Confession.
 
Yes, swearing is a sin. JESUS teaches us in { Matthew 5: 33-37}

"33 Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients: ‘You shall not swear falsely. For you shall repay your oaths to the Lord.’

34 But I say to you, do not swear an oath at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

35 nor by earth, for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king.

36 Neither shall you swear an oath by your own head, because you are not able to cause one hair to become white or black.

37 But let your word ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ For anything beyond that is of evil."
 
Since my return to the Church, i’ve tried hard to not break the Second Commandment, but sometime it just slips, especially in traffic or when I get frustrated at work.
 
The man of impure speech is a “person whose lips are but an opening and a supply pipe which hell uses to vomit its impurities upon the earth.”
-St. John Vianney
 
A very good priest of my acquaintance has been known to use the odd four-letter-word while in conversations with me, albeit in private and without any other audience who might be offended. He knows that I’m a man of the world and that colloquial language uses ‘cuss words’ for ‘literary effect’ and that I don’t take offence or scandal by his use of them. So in that instance he’s not sinning, although my instinctive respect for his office means that I don’t deliberately and commonly use similar words in conversation myself, although I’ve used mild ones for ‘effect’ on one or two occasions, usually out of sympathy for an injustice he has had to suffer…

Were he or I to do so in front of a little old lady of demure nature and who was easily shocked, then there would be a difference, but I’m pretty sure he doesn’t and I certainly don’t!

As ever with these sorts of things, context is key.
 
“Bad language” is a social construct, nothing more. I do not believe that “bad language” (what the heck does that mean, anyway?) is ever a sin unto itself, but only when it is said with a specific negative purpose (to belittle, demean, etc.)
Barbra67 said:
Yes, swearing is a sin. JESUS teaches us in { Matthew 5: 33-37}

"33 Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients: ‘You shall not swear falsely. For you shall repay your oaths to the Lord.’

34 But I say to you, do not swear an oath at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

35 nor by earth, for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king.

36 Neither shall you swear an oath by your own head, because you are not able to cause one hair to become white or black.

37 But let your word ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ For anything beyond that is of evil."
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Re-read for bolded sections. This does not address “naughty language,” but rather, dishonesty and fraud. Way different.
 
Barbra67 said:
Yes, swearing is a sin. JESUS teaches us in { Matthew 5: 33-37}

"33 Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients: ‘You shall not swear falsely. For you shall repay your oaths to the Lord.’

34 But I say to you, do not swear an oath at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

35 nor by earth, for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king.

36 Neither shall you swear an oath by your own head, because you are not able to cause one hair to become white or black.

37 But let your word ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ For anything beyond that is of evil."
Click to expand...
I think Pieman333272 meant swearing by using profanity:
Pieman333272 said:
Is swearing, in the sense of using profane language, a sin by Ephesians 5:4? What is the Church’s teaching on swearing?
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not about swearing oaths. They are two different things. For example, one can say: “I swear I didn’t do it” in defence of oneself, however, this has no profanity attached to it
 
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