Swearing- Mortal or Venial?

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Obviously taking the lords name in vain is a mortal sin but what about using profanities would this be a venial or mortal sin?

I have always been under the impression it’s venial. Also are there any good ways to combat it, as when things go wrong I usually mutter a swear word or two?

Yours in the risen Christ

FAH
 
Do you mean is swearing grave matter? I would say no, it is not grave matter and therefore can’t be a mortal sin. Remember, mortal sins must meet three criteria to be mortal.
 
Matthew 5:22
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

James 3:6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

1 John 4:20
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

Matthew 15:18
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

Psalm 50:23
Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

Ephesians 2:3
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Ephesians 4:22
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

1 Timothy 4:12
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1 Peter 2:12
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

2 Peter 2:7
And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

Genesis 1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
 
Gal 5
13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
 
He didn’t specify necessarily swearing at another person, but even then I would doubt it to be grave matter. Those verses you are talking about I think refer to a more serious matter then just swearing at someone. But swearing is certainly a sin, just venial, in my opinion but a priest would know better.
 
I assume your meaning here “profanity” or “so called swear words”…

can be venial…

(perhaps at times mortal. …)

or no sin at all even depending…

(the misuse of Ours Name can also be “profanity” in a venial way…but please avoid that one with great care!)

But let us avoid all such…and more and more conform ourselves to Jesus the Christ and children of light!

Praised be Jesus Christ now and forever!
 
A wise priest in my parish once did a sermon on this.

He specified that it was vulgar and rude.
And also specified that such language is a far cry from the ‘cursing’ that people consider it to be. Were we to hear a real curse, our blood would run cold.

He did not consider it serious.

Myself…I look at it slightly differently.
The real harm here is the scandal created to others and the harm it does our own image.
I can see a distinction in how language is used and how it changes what we see in others. When you turn on some movie and you know there will be profanity in it, are you really surprised with the language? Does it change how you view these people?
I imagine not…so where could the sin possibly lie.
However, consider the proverbial sweet old lady in your Norman Rockwell paintings.
Scandal caused by profanity…absolutely.
Sin…absolutely.
Serious…I doubt it.
 
Wait a minute. Don’t we read the Old Testament?

A curse is the opposite of a blessing. When you curse at someone, you are basically saying, “I hope you die and spend eternity in Hell” This is bad. Very, very bad. And swearing is no better. “I swear to G-- I"m gonna kill that guy!” You just promised an oath to God that you were going to commit murder!

Swearing oaths and blessing/curses are the basis’ upon which covenants are established. We no longer take covenants, blessings, curses or swearing seriously but the langauge is some of the strongest we will ever use and often punishable by death in the Old Testament as was using God’s name for vain purposes. I cringe when I hear people flippantly preface every third sentance with “Oh my God.”

This is one of the things which modern society says is silly and old-fashioned. But my kids are severly punished for cursing, swearing and taking God’s name in vain.

Scott Hahn writes about this in his book on the sacraments titled “Swear to God.”

-Tim-.
 
Cursing reflects poorly on Christians. Even people who curse enthusiastically, would not curse in front of their mothers. Shall we curse in front of God?

Even those who are not religious expect Christians to speak in a manner befitting a Christian
 
Why would saying “Oh my God” be sinful? I don’t think that is necessarily using God’s name in vain. I think using God’s name in vain would be much more serious than that. I could be wrong on this though.
 
TimothyH said:
Wait a minute. Don’t we read the Old Testament?

A curse is the opposite of a blessing. When you curse at someone, you are basically saying, “I hope you die and spend eternity in Hell” This is bad. Very, very bad. And swearing is no better. “I swear to G-- I"m gonna kill that guy!” You just promised an oath to God that you were going to commit murder!

Swearing oaths and blessing/curses are the basis’ upon which covenants are established. We no longer take covenants, blessings, curses or swearing seriously but the langauge is some of the strongest we will ever use and often punishable by death in the Old Testament as was using God’s name for vain purposes. I cringe when I hear people flippantly preface every third sentance with “Oh my God.”

This is one of the things which modern society says is silly and old-fashioned. But my kids are severly punished for cursing, swearing and taking God’s name in vain.

Scott Hahn writes about this in his book on the sacraments titled “Swear to God.”

-Tim-.
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Yes, but there is plenty of cursing that doesn’t fit that description.

Most scatalogical and sex-act based cursing neither curses anyone, nor take the name of the Lord in vain. At worst they are crude, and venial sinful.

The f— and s— curses are far less serious than the blasphemous uses of Our Lord’s name that are more tolerated.

God Bless
 
FAH said:
Obviously taking the lords name in vain is a mortal sin but what about using profanities would this be a venial or mortal sin?

I have always been under the impression it’s venial. Also are there any good ways to combat it, as when things go wrong I usually mutter a swear word or two?

Yours in the risen Christ

FAH
Click to expand...
Think of Jesus standing next to you.

Go through the dictionary and find better words for when you are angry. There are a million of them, and people will be impressed with your vocabulary.

When you start to say one of those words, pucker up and whistle instead.

Don’t live with teenage males. 😃
 
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