intent of the heart

[forestwalker]

In the cussing discussions several folks said that the sin lay only in "the intent of the heart" and not in the words themselves. What "intents" are we talking about and what sins?

[Ilovebigcats]

When I was 11 years old. I KNEW better. I was saved and raised right. I was on the school bus and the bus driver was backing up. I was starved for attention from classmates. I planned it all out in my head that I would be cool and cuss. I waited until it got quiet. I made a deliberate decision to cuss. I made a deliberate decision to disobey. I knew what I was doing. It was premeditated. I said Oh $h!t! Everyone laughed. I was cool. I was a sinner.

No argument you make can change my mind. I was instantly wrong and convicted. I ignored it because the attention was what I wanted not salvation. I understood my decision completely and know the feeling I felt.

On the other hand... I have said shoot out of frustration... just the SAME as if someone else said $h!t out of frustration. My thoughts were THIS IS ANNOYING ME! Not I am going to be willfully disobedient.

That is what I mean when I say... the sin lay only in "the intent of the heart" and not in the words themselves.

[Ilovebigcats]

Just the same as if I accidentally hit someone with my car and killed them. My heart wasn't wanting to hurt them. However, if I am ticked at Danny and run him over because I want to harm him... that is totally different.

It is ALL about the heart.

[Pastor Bill]

I've not really been one pushing the intent, but what I see as the issue is people throw these words around without really thinking about what they are saying.

D*** it/you is basically saying you want it condemned to Hell
F*** is referring to having sexual relations with the person
B**** is calling the person a female dog

Are any of these actions really what you mean? being careless of our words is not a good idea.

Most of the words considered cuss words are offensive and are at times used purposefully to offend (which is not right) or out of habit (being in the habit to offend?) I think it is more of a reflection of who you are than a specific sin. If you are careless of what you say, or of how others will feel about it, you are not being much of a servant as Christ taught. that is more of an issue that the specific words you say, and the same attitude with different words is just as harmful.