Christian speech

[God's lonely asperger]

This is a topic that always confused me. What type of speech should you avoid once you turn to Christ? What type of speech should you try to emulate? Should you even overanalyze this? Should you learn old Greek and only open your mouth with words directly from the earliest instance of Scripture?

I noticed this first when distancing myself from bugman type atheists. Profanity was never a big deal for me, but Scripture tells you to avoid it regardless. In the secular sense, it just has a stigma, but on the Christian sense, you are advised to not do it for MANY reasons. The one that hit close to me was that children are watching your speech, and childlike behavior is a common theme in the path of righteousness.
Another more obvious theme is blasphemy. Never did blaspheme, yet there is debate on what really is blasphemy (Matthew 12:31 comes to mind) and what is just misguided joking (I got in trouble as an atheist for joking that my favorite priest was a Moe Lester in trial at the time). Heresy and false teaching is something else, and the line was always blurred when I was raised Catholic. It is harder for the average Joe to really have an audience for his misguided interpretation, however.

Jokes are also confusing. Spirituality is very serious, yet some people don't have very serious speech (intentionally or not), which I struggle with. There were quite a few jokes cracked on my last Catholic church, which was confusing to me.

And finally there is the more obvious thing. A linear definition of words to avoid. "God damn", "damn", "bloody 'ell", "hell". I was raised Catholic so a lot of these were debatable. Yet when you said something like this, there would be someone saying "that's a sin!", or at least in my first schools.

 

[GodfatherPartTwo]

I'm one to talk but profanity should be avoided. It is not God honoring.

I hate when people take the name of Jesus Christ in vain. Totally unacceptable for a Christian.

Some words are considered more profane simply by convention, and so I think there is some liberality that can be applied there, but blasphemy or taking the Lord's name in vain are absolute no-go's. Whenever I hear someone use the name of Jesus as a curse word, I tell them that they should be careful in how they use that name.

 

[God's lonely asperger]

I hate when people take the name of Jesus Christ in vain. Totally unacceptable for a Christian.

You see "I swear to God" all the time when you're having a long argument in person. I've heard it be called a sin, but I don't consider it good practice regardless. Desensitizes the truth and uses faith as a crutch. "Hand in the Bible" I use sometimes because they do that on some judicial trials(?). Lies are a different topic, but I like to think I only lie over unnecessary things, or "for the greater good".

To say something is in vain is to draw a standard for what isn't in vain. I'm not quite sure about the distinction, and it's very blurred thanks to atheists.

Some words are considered more profane simply by convention, and so I think there is some liberality that can be applied there, but blasphemy or taking the Lord's name in vain are absolute no-go's. Whenever I hear someone use the name of Jesus as a curse word, I tell them that they should be careful in how they use that name.

I used to drop "Jesus!" when [thing] happens. My father loudly says "Ave Mariah" with a certain tone, followed by hands on his forehead, when something truly terrible happens. Obviously Mary is not the Lord, but the ave part could be idolatry.

I've read more into it since making this thread. I believe blasphemy is very much spiritual, compared to just a slip in words. You need to have an absurdly proud (one of the 7 deadly sins) attitude to have a "try me" attitude with the Lord. What is upsetting is that secularism pushes this attitude of blaming God for every neurotic behavior and adversity in life.

Sacrilege in itself I'm pretty sure only one group is really practicing towards Christians. Outside of that, most people will probably sacrilege Mormons or Jehovahs or the habibis, myself probably included. I wouldn't mock a Church that is truly practicing and "apostolic", but I will probably mock the obvious grifts on the TV and maybe Francis if I like beating dead horses. Mocking is different from joking, and on who gets offended, that's usually on the person.

 

[Wutang]

I remember being at some sort of Christian week-long retreat that my mom signed me up for without asking me and talking to an older kid (who was like 15-16 and since I was in middle school he seemed way more mature) about cursing and he quoted the verse in James about "taming the tongue". I pointed out that curse words are cultural specific and what's super offensive in one part of the world might not be in another. A good example if the use of the word cunt which is highly offensive in the US but seems to be pretty tame in other Anglo countries. To me "taming the tongue" seemed more about the spirit of how something is said. I think you can be extremely un-Christian with your speech without uttering a vulgar word.

That said, swear words are usually pretty much always said in the context of when someone isn't really watching their speech. The clearest example would be when someone is raging mad or stepped on a tack or whatever but I would also include things like the below example where the girl speaking isn't exactly raging but she's still sprinkling swear words in her speech just because she doesn't really seem to be thinking through what she is saying

 

[God's lonely asperger]

A good example if the use of the word **** which is highly offensive in the US but seems to be pretty tame in other Anglo countries.

This a bit of a problem for this specific thread. The filter filters almost every profanity including sh1t, which is one I still say.

That said, swear words are usually pretty much always said in the context of when someone isn't really watching their speech. The clearest example would be when someone is raging mad or stepped on a tack or whatever but I would also include things like the below example where the girl speaking isn't exactly raging but she's still sprinkling swear words in her speech just because she doesn't really seem to be thinking through what she is saying

Close people notice my uptick or downtick in profanity, when talking casually. This is almost exclusively a stress thing. What helps is talking to more Godly people, but choosing and avoiding people who talk profanity is very hard. Brazilian speech is an obama nation (City of God has this), and even some churches have pastors going off with profanity about the government and others. Profanity in general is a direct indication of emotional thinking, without the cultural thing.

I'd be wary of the frequency, and slip ups in public places, more than thinking linearly eliminating X word will level up your Christianity. "Ass" is in the KJV Bible, and I found the word humorous as a kid.

 

[Matsufubu]

Also be aware of a couple of 'sanitised' phrases. I used to say them until I learned what they meant:

Blimey = God blind me
Crikey = Christ Almighty

The 'c' word is considered extremely offensive here (UK), but seems to be every other word for Aussies. I took to saying "kurwa" (pronounced core-vah), which is Polish for "whore". They use it like we use "bollocks", in that it is very interchangeable as a bad word, and nobody knows that I'm cussing.

 

[Thomas More]

Blimey and crikey are not common in the US, but I've certainly heard of Brits and Aussies using them. I never knew what they meant. It's like good bye meaning God Be With You, but in a bad way.

 

[God's lonely asperger]

What is you guys' standards for vain uses of His name? Not really related but my dad says "ave maria" all the time when something out of line happens.

 

[Wutang]

I would make the same point that I did on coarse language where the use of it is typically an indication a person isn't watching their speech or "taming the tongue" as it says in Scripture. There's also the point that people who tend to use Christ's in that manner tend to be people who are very much anti-Christian. The purpose of the use of Christ's name in that context is typically to mocking.

 

[Thomas More]

What is you guys' standards for vain uses of His name? Not really related but my dad says "ave maria" all the time when something out of line happens.

I absolutely avoid saying G*d damn or J***s Ch***t as a way of swearing. I do say O my G*d, which some consider using His name in vain as well, but I don't. I used the * in case other people here would be offended.

To me, some references to God in ordinary language, like Thank God, or God Bless You, or Goodbye (God be with you) are a way of recognizing God's continuous presence. I see Good L**d or O my G*d as being in this same vein, even though these are exclamations instead of thanks or blessings.

Using the Lord's name like a swear word is where I draw the line.

 

[God's lonely asperger]

To me, some references to God in ordinary language, like Thank God, or God Bless You, or Goodbye (God be with you) are a way of recognizing God's continuous presence. I see Good L**d or O my G*d as being in this same vein, even though these are exclamations instead of thanks or blessings.

Absolutely. I use thank God all the time. It fits gratitude and a recognizing of it, like you said. My pastor says God bless you all the time, but I'm mildly shy to say it to strangers. I use Godspeed in a more general sense when English comes up.

 

[Shaquilleoatmeal]

I absolutely avoid saying G*d damn or J***s Ch***t as a way of swearing. I do say O my G*d, which some consider using His name in vain as well, but I don't. I used the * in case other people here would be offended.

To me, some references to God in ordinary language, like Thank God, or God Bless You, or Goodbye (God be with you) are a way of recognizing God's continuous presence. I see Good L**d or O my G*d as being in this same vein, even though these are exclamations instead of thanks or blessings.

Using the Lord's name like a swear word is where I draw the line.

Oddly we are really socially conditioned as children to use those as swear words. It’s a virus in some ways.