Profanity

[Lady Bug]

Hi,

I'm trying to be a better Christian girlI have never been one to use too many swear words but I still find myself using certain words when I feel angry or in an aggravating situation, or when I'm driving by myself and I encounter an annoying driver who almost makes me get into an accident

I don't like even accidentally swearing. I just wish it could stop. But even the little amount of swearing that comes out feels ingrained in me, and I know that it isn't right. But I'm trying to kick this habit

Anyone use to have struggles stopping all swearing after becoming Christian?

 

[Hentenza]

I have to work on that daily. It is and always has been a problem for me. Mind me, I don't really swear much but it aggravates me when I do.

You are not alone, Ladybug. Most of us are in the same sinking boat.

 

[Nadiine]

I think we all deal with this Ladybug. I don't swear much at all or struggle with it in a regular day... but if I get REALLY mad... well, :o
Basically if my emotions get extreme in any direction, some fly out.
But if you keep working on it and refuse to let it become normal for you, it won't be normal for you.
Even my mom (who's 30+ years a diehard Baptist) admits that when she's furious, she lets some rip in her anger.
This is probly a common issue for most of us. When I watch a rated R movie, even the cuss words in those make me cringe -- if a movie has too much cussing, I'll even turn the channel or mute it. I hate it when it's like that, it detracts from the movie.
Just keep trying girl!!

 

[Nadiine]

I have to work on that daily. It is and always has been a problem for me. Mind me, I don't really swear much but it aggravates me when I do.

You are not alone, Ladybug. Most of us are in the same sinking boat.

amen Hen, it's just our sin nature - everybody deals with something or another.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

I did, my parents swore like crazy so all us kids swear like crazy. I've toned down a lot, I don't see the appeal, and I don't see the need really. I don't really think it's wrong if it's not used with malice, but it should be kept silent around those who'd make a big deal out of it.

 

[Nicki4Christ]

To answer your question, Yup. So you are not the only one

I have my days... But I have noticed that when I hear someone use a swear word, it makes me cringe. So when I say one I usually apologize and say that it was uncalled for. Before becoming a Christian I hardley put a second thought to hearing or saying swear words. But now when I say or hear one they seem to be amplified in my hearing (does that make sense?)

When I do get angry I have started saying blasted, but now I am even starting to think that it is not so good to say. Because when it is done in anger, it still sounds foul.

 

[vatuck]

Anyone use to have struggles stopping all swearing after becoming Christian?

Yea, you're not alone on that one. I am better than I used to be, but I slip.

 

[Time2BCounted]

amen i think everyone struggles with this at their worst moments, and really i have to wonder what God would consifer profane. Certain things are obvious, but ive often wondered if some things we overlook might be profane, and perhaps too there might be that which we consider profane that God wouldnt.

I could give examples but i dont want to seem profane lol

 

[Latreia]

Perhaps thinking of it more as a bad habit or even an addiction puts it into a different perspective.

The problem is really how you have spent that moment of the precious life that God has given to us. Just think how you could have spent that moment with something good instead of bad.

It seems almost humanly impossible not to use swear words, just as is being suddenly angry or upset. But we could maybe treat ourselves with love about this issue, instead of despairing of our sin.

It takes lots of time to replace bad habits with good ones. I think it takes a lifetime to become the best that we can be as Christians. Just keep trying, keep thinking about how we can improve, create new habits to replace the bad.

Try to redirect that anger or the need to swear with immediately turning to do a chore or a good deed.

Using bad language also will prevent you from using good language. That means both in the ability to express yourself very well and in the ability to say things that are pleasing to God.

We are all here to correct our minds and hearts so that Christ is with us always and that we show our gratitude and devotion to God by always trying to please God first.

The moment that you please yourself first or please other people first, you know you need to stop and think about that.

 

[Lisa0315]

I still slip sometimes.

Lisa

 

[Nadiine]

When I do get angry I have started saying blasted, but now I am even starting to think that it is not so good to say. Because when it is done in anger, it still sounds foul.

Right - but that's the whole point - it's what we're intending by the word or even the tone we're saying it in.
Not to be rebellious - but honestly, I don't know if that's even possible for us not to do as humans when we get so furious about something.

Maybe some people can overcome that - I have yet to.

 

[synger]

I've toned it down a LOT, but I still struggle. Lately, I've found myself muttering "oh, poop!" or in a silly-old-bear fashion, "oh bother!".

Somehow I think that exclamations are part of how we express frustration. My "oh, poop!" can be just as harsh and vitriolic in tone as a more choice phrase. It still expresses the irritation and frustration I'm feeling at the time, and it does seem to relieve it somewhat.

Language is fascinating.

 

[Nadiine]

I've toned it down a LOT, but I still struggle. Lately, I've found myself muttering "oh, poop!" or in a silly-old-bear fashion, "oh bother!".

Somehow I think that exclamations are part of how we express frustration. My "oh, poop!" can be just as harsh and vitriolic in tone as a more choice phrase. It still expresses the irritation and frustration I'm feeling at the time, and it does seem to relieve it somewhat.

Language is fascinating.

tone says alot... you talk to a dog and it won't understand your words, change your tone to high pitch excitement & they wag their tails,
use an angry tone and they'll run and cower in a corner.

I think it's more how we mean something than the words we use in place of the vulgarity.

 

[Latreia]

Perhaps changing the words we use can help in changing a habit about how we get angry.

How you feel and act is affected a lot by how you are dressed.

If you are clean and dressed nicely in clean clothes and feel you look your best at the moment, that tends to improve your attitude towards others.

You wish to present yourself in the best way, you are considering how you affect others who see you.

Just wearing my cross necklace makes me feel so open and friendly to all strangers that I do not hesitate to smile at them and just say a few friendly or funny words.

How we feel about our own hearts means more than just being satisfied with ourselves. It addresses our behaviour towards others.

It certainly affects the way that we treat ourselves, with patience and kindness, remembering that each of us, though imperfect are still trying to be better.

Forget perfect.

Good habits gradually amend bad ones.

 

[IamRedeemed]

Amen, I also cringe and change the channels if cursing starts, because I don't want my ears to become dull to it.
I really hate it when they use God's name in vain. That's why I usually watch a Christian station or animal planet, discovery channel and the history channel (I watch CSI Miami and Law and Order Criminal Intent and Court TV with Dr. G too) anyway, it cuts down on the chances of that coming into my livingroom.

When I get really upset in any direction, I also have to watch my tongue and put a guard over my mouth.

Ladybug, if you didn't worry about it any more, then that might be a sign to have a good reason to worry. But you are conscience of it and eager to move forward and conquer it, so just keep persevering, pray for help from the Lord who is willing and able to help.

One of the things that helped me was to develop or find some replacement words, and begin to use those instead. For instance I had a friend from Arkansas and she always said, "fiddlesticks" and that cracked me up, and I adopted it because it was satisfying to the tongue, but wasn't harmful to me or those within earshot.

I think we all deal with this Ladybug. I don't swear much at all or struggle with it in a regular day... but if I get REALLY mad... well, :o
Basically if my emotions get extreme in any direction, some fly out.
But if you keep working on it and refuse to let it become normal for you, it won't be normal for you.
Even my mom (who's 30+ years a diehard Baptist) admits that when she's furious, she lets some rip in her anger.
This is probly a common issue for most of us. When I watch a rated R movie, even the cuss words in those make me cringe -- if a movie has too much cussing, I'll even turn the channel or mute it. I hate it when it's like that, it detracts from the movie.
Just keep trying girl!!

 

[3girls2dogs]

I'm glad you brought this up, because I have always wondered about one thing regarding this issue. I always try not to cuss, and if I find myself starting to think of a bad word when I hurt myself or something bad happens, I always try to change it to something innocuous.

For example: I use Sh....nitzel with noodles. But my question is that, I still thought it, so is it still bad? Do I get credit for stopping a bad behavior, or does the fact that I thought the cuss in the first place remain the big issue?

I have to admit, I used to have a pretty bad mouth. But once I had my kids, I have tried so hard to curb it. When they aren't around, though, I tend to slip. This is one of the areas I slip most in. I live around nothing but Marines, and I work at a large high school. Not that the fact that it is all around me is an excuse. More of a reason that I am so bad about slipping in this area. I am working on it.

 

[Rhamiel]

I cuss sometimes, but I try not to cuss infront of people who are offended by it

 

[ContentInHim]

I cuss sometimes, but I try not to cuss infront of people who are offended by it

LOL, do you check with them first?

I have to say once I realized how offensive my language was, I prayed to be released from that stronghold and it disappeared almost overnight. That was 6 years ago. I've not guarded my garden as closely as I might have and it's been gradually filled back up with cussing weeds. I watched the re-runs of the Sopranos on A&E, for instance, and the day after even though the bad words were bleeped out, my mouth ran foul. So we are what we watch.

I'm trying to clean things up, but it sometimes feels like the dam has burst. Why couldn't I have kept myself out of trouble? It pays to be vigilant!

 

[JPPT1974]

I admit to cussing and if
I could just wave a magic wane
Really, would love to stop cursing
Among many things as also I do the
Best not to take God's name in vain.