Profanity

kdet said:

These verses sum it up for me.


"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 4:29)
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth." (Col. 3:8)

We are to "shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness." (2 Tim 2:16)

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer." (Ps 19:14)

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None of these verses are talking about "foul language". Cuss words are relative and change from generation to generation, i.e "doohickey gosh darnit". corrupt communication is defined by contrast in the text. It is the opposite of edifying, which is building someone up. Hence, corrupt communication is speech that tears someone down. The context of the verse in 2Tim. 2 is doctrinal soundness not vulgar language. As for the third verse, "acceptable" must be defined as whatever God says is acceptable.

Cussing is not a sin. Profanity(Pro meaning against and fannus meaning temple) is speech that is against God, His people, or His things. To curse in scripture is to pronounce ill will upon someone. And swearing involves making an oath in an improper way. Cussing is simply not addressed in the bible.

Anovah said:

Wait... why are we defining profanity?

I think you are saying we should replace the word "cursing" with "profanity". Even if you were to make that switch, we are left with the problem of using very subjective terms to describe this. Who says what is disrespectful and harsh.

In other words, this leads me back to my original question. Is it a list of specific words that can be considered profane or is it the meaning behind those words that is considered profane.

What if I cursed at you in a foreign language? What if I did so and neither of us knew what that word meant? Would it be a sin then? What dictates when a word becomes a sin/wrong?

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Since the name of the tread is "profanity" I thought it would be more appropiate to define it rather than the word "cursing."

I'm not saying that we should replace the word "cursing" with "profanity". It seems that someone else already has already done the opposite. I'm just trying to keep the thread on track.

When someone uses profanity the sin is against God, not against the person they are talking to.

God understands all languages, therefore it woundn't matter what language you used to curse me out. God also knows the spirit of the person who using the profane language, so if you used a curse word without knowing that it was one I believe God would consider it a sin committed out of ignorance.

God dictates what is, and what is not, sinful.

Im strongly for beign able to say what ever you like. except things like shouting "fire" in a crowded theater

Yea, I know it is wrong so i try not to do it at all. From the heart the mouth speaks.

armyman_83 said:

Yea, I know it is wrong so i try not to do it at all. From the heart the mouth speaks.

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That reminds me of what Jesus said in Matt 15:11.
"Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of his mouth, this defileth a man."