The use
of profane and obscene speech is an increasing problem.
I once
received a newspaper column in which a woman discussed whether parents should
allow little children to use swear words. She cited a woman
"theologian" who said the Bible nowhere condemns swearing. She
concluded there is really nothing wrong with it, unless your children use such
language around people who would be offended.
Some
people have long used profanity and obscenity privately when they are angry,
disgusted, or excited. Some use it for emphasis. Some enjoy suggestive or
off-color jokes. With others the practice is just a habit. Unfortunately, this
is even true of some professing Christians.
More
recently, such speech has become common, not just in private, but also in
public and in the mass media. Finding a TV show, movie, or novel that does not
use it is nearly impossible, even in so-called "family
entertainment." Social media have gone so far as to give such expressions
code abbreviations, so people can use profanity without having to type it out!
Some professing Christians carelessly copy and distribute on their pages
messages that include it.
Some
defend such language on grounds of "freedom of speech" and
"academic freedom." But even if all this is legal, that does not make
it moral or acceptable to God. Public media and especially schools must realize
that what they publish tends to mold the character of the audience, especially
children. If the media does not affect people's conduct, why do companies spend
millions of dollars to advertise there?
The
purpose of this study is to examine such language in light of the Bible.
*****************************************************
Ephesians
4:29 - Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your moth, but what is good for
necessary edification. The Bible definitely does discuss improper speech,
including swearing.
But
some people place all improper speech in the category of "swearing,"
but don't realize that much speech is improper for other reasons. Others just
assume that everyone knows what kind of language is wrong. The result is that
many people who object to improper language do not know how to defend their
view from Scripture.
When we
look closer, we will find several ways speech may be improper according to
God's word. So, notice the Bible teaching about the following types of speech:
Cursing
>>>>>
Definitions and Examples
===============
"Curse
... An appeal or prayer for evil or injury to befall someone ... To invoke
evil, calamity, or injury upon..." (The American Heritage Dictionary,
abbreviated AHD)
So, we
curse someone anytime we say that we wish harm would happen to them. Examples:
A curse
in an ancient idol's temple read: May the god strike X and Y with dumbness and
impotence because they caused A to lose his job. (Illustrated Wonders and
Discoveries of the Bible, Alan Millard, p154)
"Damn
... to bring condemnation upon; ruin ... to condemn to eternal punishment in
hell ..." (Random House College Dictionary, abbreviated RHCD)
"Hell ... the place or state of punishment of the wicked
after death ..." (RHCD)
So, we
are cursing when we use the above words or similar language that expresses the
desire for people to receive harm. Included are such statements as, "I
wish he'd drop dead," etc.
Bible Teaching
=========
Luke
6:27,28 - We should love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, and bless
those who curse us. Christians should love all people, and love requires us to
hope they receive what is good for them, not that they be harmed (Rom.
13:8-10).
Romans
12:14,17-21 - Do not curse others, not even those who persecute you, but rather
bless them. Do not return evil for evil or seek vengeance, but do good and
leave vengeance to God. God will punish those who sin against us, if they do
not repent.
Cursing
is a violation of love because it wishes harm on others. We should not even
curse our enemies, so clearly we may not curse anyone at all. Instead, we
should bless, which means to wish for good to come to others.
Our job
is simply to warn evildoers what God's word teaches. In doing this, we may
properly use some of these Bible words ("curse," "hell,"
etc.) that describe the punishment God will bring on the wicked. But we must
remember that God Himself will curse the wicked in the proper time and manner
according to His justice and wisdom. We must let Him handle this.
James
3:9-12 - Since man was made in God's image, to bless God and curse man would be
self-contradictory, like a fountain that gives both sweet and bitter water. We
must not curse man any more than we may curse God.
What about your lips? Do they send forth both sweet water and
bitter?
(See
also Psalm 59:12; 109:17,18; 1 Peter 2:21-23; 3:9; Job 31:29,30; Ex. 21:17.)
Profanity
>>>>>
Definitions and Examples
===============
"Profane
... Showing contempt or irreverence toward God or sacred things..." (AHD).
Profanity involves referring to anything holy in a way that mocks or ridicules
it, or otherwise fails to show proper respect or reverence for it. (Note that,
technically, cursing and profanity do not mean the same. A person may be
profane without cursing, and vice-versa.)
Some
people profane the names of God (God, Jesus, Christ, Jehovah, Lord) by using
them as expressions of anger or disgust or in a light, flippant way. Likewise,
others profane sacred things such as: hell, the destiny of the wicked; heaven,
the dwelling place of God; or the Scriptures, the word of God.
Another
problem is the practice of referring disrespectfully to acts of worship such as
prayer, the words of spiritual songs, and various Bible phrases (such as
"hallelujah," which means "praise Jehovah"). Sometimes
people pervert the teaching of Scripture to make a joke.
Bible Teaching
=========
Ezekiel
22:26 - Priests were guilty of profaning God's holy things, making no
distinction between what was holy and what was common. So, to treat holy things
as though they are common is to profane them. This passage refers especially to
profaning God's word and worship. (See also Lev. 10:10.)
Exodus
20:7 - "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."
"Vain" means empty, meaningless, without proper respect and
reverence. To refer to God's name in such a way would be profanity.
Leviticus
19:12 - You shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name
of your God. Contrary to the article mentioned earlier, Jesus said, "do
not swear at all" (Matthew 5:34). And much common speech includes the
frivolous swearing that Jesus forbids.
Matthew
6:9 - "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." A name
stands for a person. Since God is holy and reverend, so also is His name. To
profane God's name by using it as a term of anger or disgust is to disrespect
God Himself. [Psalm 111:9]
1
Timothy 1:9-11 - "Profane" conduct is contrary to sound doctrine just
like murder, fornication, etc. The word here translated "unholy" also
includes the idea of disrespect for holy things. Vine defines it
"profane." Moffatt translates it "irreverent."
Romans
1:18 - "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness..." Titus 2:12 adds that the grace of God teaches us to deny
ungodliness. "Ungodly" means "want of reverence, respect ...
piety toward God" (Thayer). So profanity is ungodly.
When a
person takes the holy name of God or other sacred things, and uses them as
nothing more than common expressions of anger and disgust, that person is
ungodly and profane. Is your speech profane, or do you show proper respect for
God and sacred things?
(See
also Lev. 18:21; Luke 1:49.)
Obscenity
>>>>>>
Definitions and Examples
===============
"Obscene
... offensive to modesty or decency; indecent; lewd ... causing or intended to
cause sexual excitement or lust..." (RHCD).
Often
jokes and humor contain sexual suggestions that tend to arouse lust. Some
expressions of disgust or anger indecently refer to reproductive acts or to
bodily processes of purification or to the private parts of the body involved
in these acts.
(Note
again that, technically, obscenity is different from cursing and profanity.)
Bible Teaching
=========
Mark
7:20-23; Galatians 5:19-21; Romans 13:13,14 - Lasciviousness, like murder or
fornication, etc., is a sin that proceeds from the heart and defiles the man.
Those who practice it will not inherit the kingdom of God, so we should avoid
making provision to fulfill this lust of the flesh.
"Lascivious"
means "inclined to lustfulness; wanton; lewd ... arousing or inciting
sexual desire ..." (RHCD). Thayer adds: "wanton (acts or) manners, as
filthy words, indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females..."
Note
that "lascivious" has the same definition as "obscene."
Words or jokes are obscene or lascivious when they tend to cause lustful
thoughts or take pleasure in improper sexual desires.
Matthew
5:27,28; 18:6,7; 1 Timothy 2:9,10 - Whoever looks on a woman to lust after her
has committed adultery with her in his heart. Women should not tempt men to
commit this sin by dressing or acting in a manner that would be suggestive.
Not
only are people wrong if they have an unlawful sexual union, but they are also
wrong if they desire to do such or if they take pleasure in thoughts of such
(fantasizing). Not only are women wrong if they indecently expose themselves,
but men are also wrong if they take pleasure in thoughts of seeing such.
Furthermore, jokes or expressions are wrong if they tempt people to have such
thoughts. (See also Prov. 6:25; 4:23.)
Ephesians
5:4; Colossians 3:8 - Practices we should avoid include "filthiness"
and "jesting" (KJV). Other translations for "filthiness"
are "obscenity" (New International Version, Vine) and
"indecency" (Goodspeed). Other translations for "jesting"
are "coarse jesting" (New American Standard Version, New King James,
Vine), "crude joking" (English Standard Version), "suggestive
jesting" (Williams).
Words,
jokes, or expressions are "obscene" when they are sexually suggestive
or when they make a joke or expression of disgust by vulgar reference to things
should be kept private. Not only are we wrong if we use such speech, but we are
also wrong if we "have pleasure in" those who do so. This would
include laughing at or enjoying being entertained by people who use such
language (Rom. 1:32; 2 John 9-11; 1 Tim. 5:22; Eph. 5:11).
Is your speech pure, or is it characterized by obscenities and
filthiness?
Substitution
of Altered Forms (Euphemisms)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Definitions and Examples
===============
"Euphemism
... the substitution of a mild, indirect or vague expression for one thought to
be offensive, harsh, or blunt..." (RHCD).
People
who are angry or upset, will sometimes use altered forms of a word in place of
the curse, profanity, or obscenity. Yet the substitute means the same, is used
the same way, sounds similar, and is obviously an altered form of the objectionable
word.
"dem"
(found rarely in British literature) - "Is he in heaven or is he in hell,
that demmed elusive pimpernel? (Scarlet Pimpernel). The word sounds similar, is
used the same, and is obviously an altered form of "damn." If the curse
word is wrong, is the substitute right?
"Gosh ... euphemistic alteration of God" (RHCD &
AHD).
"Golly ... euphemistic alteration of God" (RHCD &
AHD).
"Darn
... to curse; damn" (RHCD). "Alteration of DAMN" (AHD).
(Sometimes combined with "gosh" as "gosh darn")
"Gee ... euphemism for Jesus" (RHCD). "Alteration
of Jesus" (AHD).
"Doggone ... to damn" (RHCD & AHD).
"Heck ... euphemistic alteration of hell" (RHCD).
"Hell" (AHD).
"OMG
... Initialism of "oh my God" (Wiktionary); "abbreviation - oh
my God" (Merriam Webster online)
Bible Teaching
=========
The
point is not that all expressions of surprise are wrong, nor that all
euphemisms are wrong. Not all euphemisms are substitutes for bad words. We
often substitute words that mean the same as perfectly good words. We may say
someone "passed away" instead of saying he died. If it is not wrong
to say he died, why would it be wrong to say he passed away?
But if
the substitute means the same as a bad word, is used in the same way, even
sounds similar and is obviously just an alteration of a bad word, then how can
it be right to use the substitute in place of the bad word? Why wouldn't all
the Bible principles that condemn the improper word likewise condemn the
substitute?
Someone
may respond, "But that's not what I mean when I use those words."
Granted, some people may not think about the meaning and so may use them
without realizing what they mean. But what about our influence on people who do
know what they mean?
Matthew
18:6,7; 1 Timothy 4:12 - Christians must always consider the way our conduct
affects others (especially young people and new converts), so we do not tempt
them to sin. Many people do know the meaning of these words, and many of the
words sound so much like their original meaning that they are easily
recognizable with just a little thought.
1
Corinthians 8 - Paul discussed the practice of pagans who used banquets in
their temples as a form of worship to their idols. Eating meat that had been
sacrificed to the idol was as act of worship. A person who knew the truth may
think the idol is just a hunk of metal, but the meat is good food. So he can
eat the meat in the temple, and to him it is just food.
But to
people who are accustomed to idolatry, that act is worship to the idol. If a
person sees a Christian eating that meat in the temple, he reasonably concludes
that the Christian is doing the same thing everyone around him is doing:
worshiping the idol. So he eats too; but he does it as worship to the idol, which
would be sinful. Note vv 9-13 - The Christian has become guilty of sin because
he influenced someone else to sin.
Compare
this to the use of these substitute words. Like the man eating the meat in the
idol's temple, you may think you don't mean it that way. But this is what the
words mean, and they are so similar to the bad words that it is quite
reasonable to make the connection. So a young person, non-Christian, or weak
Christian, may hear you use the words; so he picks up the expression, as people
often do. But he knows what they mean and he concludes it must be OK to use
them this way, because you do it. So, because of your influence, he uses them
knowing what they mean, or violating his conscience or his parents' authority .
The principle is the same as eating the meat in the idol's temple.
Matthew
12:36,37 - Remember, we will be judged even for our idle words - those we think
are the least significant.
Conclusion
=======
Christians
should consider carefully the effect of our words, especially in times of
anger, frustration, or surprise. Here are some questions we should ask to help
us apply the lessons we have considered:
1) Do I
have my temper under control? In a calmer moment, after second thoughts, would
I think it proper to use this word or joke? (Ephesians 4:26; James 1:19,20)
2) Will
this hinder my influence for Christ?
3) Does
it bother my conscience to say this? (Rom. 14:23)
4) Will
this be beneficial to those who hear, or will it draw them away from Christ?
(Eph. 4:29; Colossians 4:5,6)
5) Do
my words express love for others? Do I truly desire them to receive what is
good for them?
6) Does
my speech show proper respect for the name of God and all that is holy?
7) Are
my thoughts and motives pure? Am I causing myself or others to dwell on
thoughts a Christian should not take pleasure in? (Phil. 4:8)
8)
Would Jesus say this? (1 Peter 2:21-24)
Is Jesus pleased with your speech? Is He pleased with your life?
(C)
Copyright 1984, 1994, 2013, David E. Pratte
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