Cussing

[William777]

Thank you all, I greatly appreciate it! I feel that I've been much more mindful lately, I've even begun to notice things on tv I used to overlook - it's amazing!

Your a blessing ill be praying for you

 

[JustAsIam77]

I was wondering, how do you break this habit? I know I need to pray and be mindful, is there anything else?
Thanks!

If all else fails, just growing older, (maturing), seems to solve the problem. Aside from the religious aspect of conviction of the spirit to turn away from it. I continued to slip for a long time with hunting buddies, even though I was a Christian.

 

[kangitanka]

...

 

[kangitanka]

Awww SHOOT.
Darn it all to heck, I have no way to answer this freakin question.
(note the bowdlerized "cussing" there that is accepted by "darn" near everyone I have ever "freakin'" met)

 

[van_s]

I seen some humor attempted and some serious replies. At the end of the day I do not want to be a stumbling block for others. We are all leaders. We are either leading someone to the cross or away from it by our actions.

 

[LiveInSpirit]

In this case, an occassional f-bomb might actually be "useful for building others up according to their needs."

The world owns profanity. Profanity is not of God, it is of the world. Using profanity tarnishes your witness because it reflects the world and not the glory of God. There is no reason for a Christian to consciously drop a f-bomb. Period.

If you are a Christian you are called to be a child of God. Using profanity cannot exist within that calling.

You wanna be useful in building up others? Share the gospel and walk in the light of the Lord. Leave the f-bombs to the heathens.

 

[dies-l]

The world owns profanity. Profanity is not of God, it is of the world.

The same could be said of all language and many other things. This sounds like the whole "in the world, not of the world" nonsense. I say nonsense, because it is the phrase often used to condemn those actions about which Scripture says nothing negative, but about which some Christians take issue. The problem is defining those things that are "of the world." I turn to Scripture for that, and nothing in Scripture says anything about "profanity." In fact, Paul even used at least one Greek word, in Scripture, that would have been regarded as "profanity" in his culture. What it really boils down to is you don't like certain words, so you think it is immoral for anyone to use them. Out of respect for you, I won't use them in your presence (or in the presence of anyone who finds them offensive), but I see no reason, in Scripture or otherwise, to believe that they have no place in my vocabulary.

Using profanity tarnishes your witness because it reflects the world and not the glory of God.

Being a prude about an arbitrary list of words tarnishes one's witness as much if not more so than "cussing." In situations where cussing is inappropriate, I agree that it tarnishes your witness. However, I believe that there is room in this area to "be all things to all people."

There is no reason for a Christian to consciously drop a f-bomb. Period.

There is no reason not to in the right circumstances.

If you are a Christian you are called to be a child of God. Using profanity cannot exist within that calling.

Sure it can. I already gave an example of a situation where "profanity" (which, in this case, is more accurately called "vulgarity") can be beneficial, which is the standard we are to use. It is not that certain words "cannot exist within [our] calling" and "child[ren] of God." It is that you don't personally like those words and prefer not to use them or hear them. I respect your right to feel that way. I don't, however, agree with you that one's use of them makes one disobedient, unfaithful, or ineffective as a Christian.

You wanna be useful in building up others? Share the gospel and walk in the light of the Lord. Leave the f-bombs to the heathens.

How exactly does one decide what behavior is for "the heathen" and what is "walking in the light of the Lord"? I use Scripture to make that determination. What is your standard?

(The bolded part is a serious question)

 

[William777]

Two passages come to mind.

Proverbs 8:13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

 

[dies-l]

Proverbs 8:13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

What makes speech "perverse"? Is it the words used or is the message presented?

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

What is "corrupt communication" (or in some translations "unwholesome talk"). I would argue that it is the meaning that makes communication corrupt or unwholesome, not the choice of words used. In fact, in the example I cited above, using vulgar language may actually be effective in "ministering grace unto the hearers" to quote your translation.

My point is that to suggest that either of these passages is about "cussing" is a great example of eisegesis, that is, inserting your belief into the Scriptures, rather than extracting it from the Scripture.

 

[William777]

Alright then what do you feel about Isaiah when he came before the presence of the LORD?

Isaiah 6:5
"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.

I understand what you are saying about the etymology of words but when man takes a word that is blameless and then uses it to convey a corrupt concept over time and when accepted by the masses it is no longer blameless. We can't forget that in spite of the over emphasis on the love of God in this day and age (I think rightfully so) that our God is a Holy God.

The main word He uses to describe himself in the Word of God both in the Old testament and in the new testament is not love but Holy. Six times, over in Isaiah 6 and yonder in Revelations 4. The LORD is not so dependent upon us that He will accept any and all methods to reach the lost. He does not need our corrupt communication to reach his sheep, in all honesty we are just not that important for the LORD to lower his standards.

In Christ,

William

 

[LiveInSpirit]

The same could be said of all language and many other things.

We are specifically talking about profanity and filthy language. If you are a Christian, you understand that the world system owns the darkness. Profanity and filthy language is of the darkness and not of the light.

This sounds like the whole "in the world, not of the world" nonsense. I say nonsense, because it is the phrase often used to condemn those actions about which Scripture says nothing negative, but about which some Christians take issue.

Scripture says plenty negative about profane and filthy language.

(2 Timothy 2:16) “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”


(Colossians 3:8) “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”


(1 Corinthians 15:33) “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”


(Ephesians 4:29) “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”


(Ephesians 5:4) “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.”


List taken from here.


Whether or not you want to submit to the authority of scripture is your own decision and comes from the heart.

The problem is defining those things that are "of the world." I turn to Scripture for that, and nothing in Scripture says anything about "profanity."

This is false and refuted. See list above.

What it really boils down to is you don't like certain words, so you think it is immoral for anyone to use them. Out of respect for you, I won't use them in your presence (or in the presence of anyone who finds them offensive), but I see no reason, in Scripture or otherwise, to believe that they have no place in my vocabulary.

Don't bite your tongue for my sake. I am not the authority of what is moral and what is not. I am merely showing you what scripture says about a believer's speech. I have listed scripture in order for you to see "reasons" why you should not use profanity.

Being a prude about an arbitrary list of words tarnishes one's witness as much if not more so than "cussing."

By not using filthy language I am tarnishing my witness....ok. I'm sure people would receive the gospel with more zeal if I would cuss more in their presence. This is ridiculous.

However, I believe that there is room in this area to "be all things to all people."

You cannot violate scripture in order to "be all things to all people." I've shown above that using profane and crude language is a violation of scripture.

It is that you don't personally like those words and prefer not to use them or hear them. I respect your right to feel that way. I don't, however, agree with you that one's use of them makes one disobedient, unfaithful, or ineffective as a Christian.

Look, we are all adults here. We all know what words are filthy and what aren't. My initial reply to you was on the f-bomb. You know that that word is crude in all instances and contexts and is exactly the type of language scripture is speaking of.

I never said crude language makes a Christian unfaithful or ineffective. It does, however, fall short of representing the holiness of God and the position you have been chosen for in the body of Christ.

 

[mlqurgw]

There is a difference between cussing and using vulgar language. The fact is that folks often form an impression of you by how you talk. When you speak you are presenting yourself to others and may not be able to overcome that impression when you present yourself poorly. If you use vulgar language you present yourself as vulgar. I never call anyone on the use of vulgar language as long as they do not use the name of my God in vain. But I do form an opinion of them because of it. It is only natural to do so. I never use language that I wouldn't use in my home in front of my wife and grandchildren.

 

[dies-l]

We are specifically talking about profanity and filthy language. If you are a Christian, you understand that the world system owns the darkness. Profanity and filthy language is of the darkness and not of the light.



Scripture says plenty negative about profane and filthy language.

(2 Timothy 2:16) “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”


(Colossians 3:8) “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”


(1 Corinthians 15:33) “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”


(Ephesians 4:29) “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”


(Ephesians 5:4) “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.”


List taken from here.


Whether or not you want to submit to the authority of scripture is your own decision and comes from the heart.






This is false and refuted. See list above.

This issue has already been addressed. These Scriptures address the nature of one's speech, not the vocabulary used. Vulgarity, by which I mean those words that are generally not used in "polite company" is used in Scripture. Clearly, Paul did not in one breath say "don't use vulgar language" and in another breath use the very same language that he said not to use. I agree that we need to be very careful about how we use language. This is the very reason that I am not content to say simply that a certain arbitrary list of "cuss" words is off limits. This is not what the biblical authors above were talking about when they refer to things like "corrupt communication."

Don't bite your tongue for my sake. I am not the authority of what is moral and what is not. I am merely showing you what scripture says about a believer's speech. I have listed scripture in order for you to see "reasons" why you should not use profanity.

But, biting my tongue for the brother or sister who may be offended by the language that I use is exactly the type of thing that the Scriptures above are talking about. Like I said, it is not about the words, but about the effect that the words have. We should not seek to offend (without good reason) with the words that we use.

By not using filthy language I am tarnishing my witness....ok. I'm sure people would receive the gospel with more zeal if I would cuss more in their presence. This is ridiculous.







You cannot violate scripture in order to "be all things to all people." I've shown above that using profane and crude language is a violation of scripture.

I disagree that those passages have anything to do with "cussing" if by "cussing" you mean using that arbitrary list of words that are generally frowned upon by certain people and censored from the ariwaves and such. There is no such thing as an inherently bad word. There are, however, plenty of ways that we use language that are harmful, which have absolutely nothing to do with the specific choice of words one uses.

Look, we are all adults here. We all know what words are filthy and what aren't. My initial reply to you was on the f-bomb. You know that that word is crude in all instances and contexts and is exactly the type of language scripture is speaking of.

That is your opinion, and it is one that I don't happen to share. In many contexts, that word is not regarded as crude at all.

I never said crude language makes a Christian unfaithful or ineffective. It does, however, fall short of representing the holiness of God and the position you have been chosen for in the body of Christ.

I disagree, but I don't think we're going to come to agreement on this issue, so perhaps it's wise to agree to disagree on this point.

 

[dies-l]

There is a difference between cussing and using vulgar language. The fact is that folks often form an impression of you by how you talk. When you speak you are presenting yourself to others and may not be able to overcome that impression when you present yourself poorly. If you use vulgar language you present yourself as vulgar. I never call anyone on the use of vulgar language as long as they do not use the name of my God in vain. But I do form an opinion of them because of it. It is only natural to do so. I never use language that I wouldn't use in my home in front of my wife and grandchildren.

I can respect that, and generally I do try to be mindful of vulgar language, but I have found that in some circumstances it is not harmful (and even sometimes beneficial), if certain words do come out of my mouth. But, by no means do I "cuss like a sailor" or anything like that. I just choose not to feel that bad about it when I do use an occasional "vulgar" word. And, I too draw a line at using any of God's names as an expletive (not that I never do it, but it is something I feel the need to repent of when I do).

 

[bighammy29]

i think the most of us have the swearing prob i will pray for all of us because when you have people that do it all the time its that much harder because i am trying to let it go to

 

[bighammy29]

i just want you to know god is the way and the only way no matter what denom we are we are all potentially good but also we can be jeffery daumer too