Thoughts on cussing

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Lately I’ve been wondering if it’s wrong to cuss. I know taking God’s name in vain is wrong, and saying cuss words out of anger, and using cuss words to offend someone. But what about in music? I listen to a singer who is himself a Christian, a lot of his songs are about how drugs almost killed him and a ton of his songs have gospel themes, but he does cuss. for example, some references to his faith, “since the day you departed and talked from the tomb” or “Jesus, come talk to me”. And how he talks about drugs and similar things killing him, “my cigarette burnt my finger cause I forgot I lit it”. So his overall message is good, but in some songs he drops the F bomb. I really dont feel convicted when I hear it, but I’m scared I’ve just become numb to this sin. Also, he’s not using it to degrade or offend anyone. Do you think it’s ok to listen to that stuff?

Second, I think it’s ok to cuss in some cases. I think it’s the heart behind the word that makes words bad. So if I sing a song with cussing in it, or said “that’s really f***ing good”, would that be a sin?

Please give your opinions on this, but you need to be able to back up the things you say, not just “cussing is wrong because cussing is wrong”
 
It’s 100% wrong. James 3:10:

New International Version
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

New Living Translation
And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!

English Standard Version
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
 
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b04b03 said:
Second, I think it’s ok to cuss in some cases. I think it’s the heart behind the word that makes words bad. So if I sing a song with cussing in it, or said “that’s really f***ing good”, would that be a sin?
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Use of profanity, aside from that profanity that takes the Lord’s name in vain, is crude and is bad manners, but is not necessarily sinful. There are people who can’t open their mouths without dropping the F-bomb or the S-bomb.

I remind my son that we were not given the power of speech to use that kind of language.
 
HomeschoolDad said:
There are people who can’t open their mouths without dropping the F-bomb or the S-bomb.
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Those people come off to me as uneducated/unintelligent. They use those words because their vocabulary is severely lacking. This is a generalization I admit and anecdotal at the same time but this has been my experience.

As far as curse words I am torn. I don’t use them for the aforementioned reason and I don’t want my kids to learn them but I think it’s what is in your heart that matters most. After all, the words we use as curse words are only so because we see them as such. For example, the other word for poop is just another noun. It is only vulgar because we choose to view it as such. If I’m mad and call someone an idiot that’s just as bad as calling them an a-hole.
 
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Using foul language is not a good thing.
It is something that many of us struggle with.
Trying to learn and to practice self control is difficult.
I try. When I fail, I confess and gain absolution. Thanks be to God!
 
The answer is really simple. We are supposed to imitate Christ, would He utter any foul words? Nope, neither should we. We may not mean any harm by then but it’s not about that, it’s about respect for our Lord (who is always listening) and the virgin ears of our Blessed Mother. The origin to cuss words is usually desecrating what is holy, like a sex act, a place none of us want to go, human waste, etc…

The secular world does not care about offending our Lord, but we should. You sure wouldn’t want your grandma hearing such words, so if we are to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, how much more should we not use such words in front of Him???
 
We’ve had a large number of past threads on this. Rather than repeat all the discussions I’ve had on them, perhaps you could use the Search function and read them.
 
I don’t know if crude, uncouth, and bad manners is sinful.

I mean. If someone drops an F-bomb when stubbing their toe hard I certainly wouldn’t blame them.
 
Bushum said:
Those people come off to me as uneducated/unintelligent. They use those words because their vocabulary is severely lacking. This is a generalization I admit and anecdotal at the same time but this has been my experience.
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That’s precisely the way it comes across. Very rednecky and would-be macho.
Bushum said:
As far as curse words I am torn. I don’t use them for the aforementioned reason and I don’t want my kids to learn them but I think it’s what is in your heart that matters most. After all, the words we use as curse words are only so because we see them as such. For example, the other word for poop is just another noun. It is only vulgar because we choose to view it as such. If I’m mad and call someone an idiot that’s just as bad as calling them an a-hole.
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Growing up, we were not allowed to use the word “fool”, because of Matthew 5:22 (KJV):

but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
 
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In the age we live in, we need to set an example for our elected officials in Washington.
 
I tell my students “I’m not disappointed that you swore. I’m disappointed you didn’t notice your teacher standing right here. There’s a time and place for profanity. In class, or with Grandma, or in church isn’t one of those times or places”
 
beware of the KJV Bible it is basically heresy (it was edited for protestant support and to render things more “family friendly”).
 
Ah, but those archived threads reflect other thoughts and other personal difficulties and never seem to satisfy. As well, human interaction is lacking. I say, let the OP have their talk. You and I can state our peace, then go elsewhere, as we do on a daily basis. 😉
 
DeSales111 said:
The answer is really simple. We are supposed to imitate Christ, would He utter any foul words?
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While I believe you are well-intentioned, these arguments don’t hold a lot of water. There’s an infinite number of things Christ did not or would not have done. Is building particle accelerators sinful? How about getting married? WWJD is a nice thing to tell kids, but I don’t think it makes a good catch all tool.
 
Interesting, seemingly contrarian post.

I recall reading that “cussing” differs among different cultures. Brits, for example, tend to profanity; that is, taking God’s name in vain. I remember the account of one Native American who is recorded as saying: “…all time white man say G.D.; G.D. fire won’t start. G.D. horse kicked me… it means Great Spirit put in fire forever. White man crazy”.

Supposedly (as I have read) the most ornate cussers are Hungarians. Their cussing tends to be obscene and incredibly inventive. I can’t give an example. Don’t think I have read one. But supposedly it’s considered almost an art form in Hungary.

Italians also tend to the obscene and are supposedly artistic in its usage.

Supposedly, Germans are given more to scatology.

It has been said to be cultural. In those societies in which fear of Divine retribution is greatest, paradoxically, the use of profanity is more common because it has more shock value. In societies in which sex is more revered, cussing tends to the obscene. In societies in which cleanliness is exceedingly valued, scatology is more common.

Again, it’s the shock value. But also, it is, in many societies, considered a minor “speech art”. How cleverly can one do it?

But I agree with you, Rhubarb, that while I’m not a stickler on cussing per se, I think there is a time and a place, and I also think real artistry can be amusing and (at least to me) isn’t offensive, while mere crudity is just repulsive and I hate hearing it.

And yes, gender is a factor. Some women can “cuss well”, but for the most part it’s unattractive in a woman. Some words are exceedingly revolting coming from a female mouth.
 
The uneducated argument I think is falling by the wayside. the president cusses, the pope cusses, the former president cussed, the mayor of Chicago loved the F bomb. Most CEO’s of major companies cuss… etc. From an educational standpoint it is actually less educated to eliminate a popular segment of words from your own vocabulary on the basis that you don’t want to appear uneducated.

Now the moral aspect is certainly different.
Words themselves for the most part (with the exception of incantations or names of holy or unholy beings have moral ambiguity. Four letters describing feces that starts with an s or a c or a p do not have moral intent one way or the other. And in other cultures certain words are considered taboo that are not in others. A fanny pack is a type of luggage in the US but in Australia you cannot call it that. The C word which in the US is right up there with the n word and has surpassed the F word is common in the UK, though certainly not polite. the reverse is true with the word Bloody.

One must be polite in public and these words have no place in a grocery line checkout. But in business, politics and educational debates… I think it is quite common for the intellectually blessed and even the morally blessed to use some language that puts an exclamation on the point.

It makes no moral difference in describing what I stepped in this morning as feces or the S word, but that being said, we DO have an obligation to use appropriate respectful and polite words at all times it is necessary to do so. If one can’t control their mouth then that is indeed low class and uneducated and all that jazz, but if one has a colorful vocab that includes very well placed and appropriate words… good on them!

Words are tools, and as with any tool they can be abused and it is certainly intent that matters. With all words.
 
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edwest211 said:
It’s 100% wrong.
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Of course you are absolutely right about this.
IMHO, it is a sin to use foul language.
Ephesians 4: 29
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, 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.
Matthew 12: 36-37
"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Ephesians 5: 4
and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
Psalm 23: 4
His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
We’ve had a large number of past threads on this. Rather than repeat all the discussions I’ve had on them, perhaps you could use the Search function and read them.
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True. But honestly we could do that with any subject we all enjoy posting on…
There is nothing new under the sun and there is nothing new on CAF, now excuse me while I try to find open threads on NFP, The pope, masturbation, etc…It is an unfortunate feature on the new forums to have a 14 day death sentence on threads. Because really when we suggest to the OP to go read the other threads we are really saying “read our thoughts in the past, yours don’t matter. and you are not welcome in the conversation” Now that you mention it that sounds a lot like a phrase that would be a common swear word… LOL
 
AlNg said:
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edwest211:
It’s 100% wrong.
Click to expand...
Of course you are absolutely right about this.
IMHO, it is a sin to use foul language.
Ephesians 4: 29
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, 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.
Matthew 12: 36-37
"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Ephesians 5: 4
and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
Psalm 23: 4
His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness.
Click to expand...
Ok, but intent is key right? Why is saying someone is a piece of “S” worse than someone saying the exact same thing but using the world feces…? It isn’t, it is the intent of the thought being vocalized by the person, that is what the Bible is talking about. Not the words, most of which were invented after the biblical writings…
 
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