What makes swear words sinful

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tori2323

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why is it that certain swear words (like the f-word) are sinful, and how do they become sinful?

I’m just curious–what is it about these words that makes them bad? Were they not bad before, but then later on they did?
 

Finally, profanity itself is wrong, even though such words may not specifically involve the name of God. God gave mankind the gift of language which should be used positively. Language should build good relationships with other individuals, and enable people to share their lives intimately with each other. […] We also hear people speak profanely about good and holy topics; for example, they profane human sexuality or the act of marital love. Such language is not only negative, vulgar, impolite and offensive, but also debases the dignity of each human being. Moreover, this language reveals not only a person’s bad attitude and lack of respect for others, but also his own immaturity and insecurity in dealing with others. In using these words, the person builds barriers rather than bridges with another person.

Peace.
 
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I couldn’t possibly comment on the question of sin, but I think that the degree to which words are acceptable or unacceptable is determined by the society in which we live. There are words that are completely unacceptable today which occur in Chaucer and Shakespeare as nothing more than bawdy double entendres. On the other hand, there are plenty of words that we use quite freely today which would have been considered taboo just a few generations ago.

In general, earlier generations were relatively tolerant of sexual terms, but strongly proscribed religious terms, whereas people today are generally not particularly concerned by the use of religious terms, but have strong taboos concerning sexual terms.

We also know from, for example, the correspondence of Mozart, that it was once fairly common for educated people of both sexes from respectable society to use graphic terms for bodily functions that we would today consider unacceptably vulgar.

Obviously taste and respect religious beliefs prevents me from giving many examples. Religious people obviously do not use the name of God or Jesus Christ inappropriately. However, even people who are religious do not these days seem to be particularly worried about the use of words referring to heaven and hell or the concept of damnation, for example.
 
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