be honest

[MrDanger]

Sorry, meant KEYBOARDING type, because I teach kids to...um, keyboard

Just messin...

have to find something to replace the swearing since I am giving that up for Lent starting tomorrow.

...but till then....

[Pastor Bill]

ok I will admit that I catch myself saying "freaking" and many times think is this just a by word for not using another word. I try to not do that as much but what is looked at in the public eye as curse words i do not do, i feel it would considerablly hurt my testimony

They are not sinful words as in the Bible saying.. Thou Shalt Not Say ****.

But they are, by standards WE have created, offensive words to some.

I don't use them for that reason. But I don't see the words as specifically sinful. I can say "Get away" and do more harm than any cuss word. It is ALL ALL ALL about the heart.

Taking the rea out and putting in uc in freakin' doesn't change your heart or your status with God.

This is pretty much where I stand, Uttering those syllables is not a sin, but is offensive. Probably not the way a Christian wants to be known. Intents of the heart are the same if you are saying "God Bless" when you bang you toe (in fact, I would be a little leery of that since that is probably more blasphemous, since you are speaking out of pain/anger/frustration, i.e."in vane" rather than in honor or worship to Him), but speaking certain words are not sin in and of themselves.

That does not mean I use them, or like them, but Biblically we can't call it sin unless we can show it there. I think anyone seeking God will probably realize that these are not the best way to express ourselves, and that they are inappropriate, but that's different than calling something a sin.

[scooter]

If the Bible says let no corrupt communication proceed forth out of your mouth I'd be careful making people comfortable in doing so.

One can play games with what corrupt is, but vulgarity is corrupt.

It starts small like any other vice, but we love playing with the fire and flirting with the edge.

[Pastor Bill]

The only problem is that vulgarity is subjective. It also doesn't pertain to specific words, in that I could be very vulgar using only words that are perfectly acceptable. Or I could say something perfectly acceptable but use a word that someone might take offense to while I meant nothing by it.

We should consider others in our speech, and no one is saying otherwise, but if we aren't careful, we create "laws" that aren't supported scripturally, and just miss the point.

I am actually fairly picky about what I say, and my kids get in trouble even for alot of the by-words because they are not neccesary, nor pleasant, but I teach them that isn't a nice way to talk, not that there is a list of words that are "sin".

[scooter]

The only problem is that vulgarity is subjective.

Response: As a Christian it is fairly clear to me what is vulgar and what is borderline verses what is wholesome. So is it with you when bringing correction to your children. It is only subjective to those who want to do it or those who lack understanding. If we have to play the other countries/languages card, we are attempting to mask the issue.

It is only one symptom of today's lack of understanding concerning personal holiness and the inflitration of the world's culture into the christian's lifestyle.

[Pastor Bill]

Not exactly, your wife has mentioned that to your son the "F word" is fart, while I have never really known people to have a problem with that word. Am I trying to mask a problem in letting my kids use that term?

On the other hand, there may be terms you use that to me are a little off color.

Without a specific list, yes it is subjective, even if we all can agree on a large portion of that list.

I think the issue is not the words, and that is my point, the word itself is pushed as sin, rather than the real issues.

While reading a scripture from the pulpit I saw an 11 year old girl shocked that I said "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:16). So is that a cuss word? If it's sin to speak, why is it used in the scriptures? The fact is if you look at the actual definition of the word, you can see, uttering the word is not sin, using it as the scripture does (by it's definition) is not wrong, but when someone exclaimes it toward something or someone, they are basically saying they want that person/thing to be condemned, not an attitude a Christian should have no matter the wording. Too many people let the words fly without really thinking about what they are saying, and that is a problem, uttering the syllables is not.

[Shellie]

Pastor Bill wrote:

Not exactly, your wife has mentioned that to your son the "F word" is fart,

Actually that is the younger kids at school which still makes a good point. If even LITTLE ones know that this is not a nice word, why then are we so casual with it.

while I have never really known people to have a problem with that word.

See above. EVEN the little guys know that it is a "potty" word. Why don't we have a problem with it? Because it has become acceptable. When I was a child, I wasn't allowed to say this word and if I did, my mouth was washed out with soap. AND, that was in a non-Christian home with a non-Christian mother.

So, it is not that words are not "bad" or inappropriate, it is that they've become so commonplace that we are not offended by them ANYMORE.

[Pastor Bill]

OK, so here comes the big question, what makes this word wrong to say?

If it is due to it being offensive, but people aren't offended by it...?
If it is due to it being a "potty word" what if you are using it in correct context describing a "potty event"?

As for the argument that "even kids know..." That is because those kids have been taught that the word is wrong, muslim kids are taught that Allah is God, but that doesn't make it true.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not encouraging these words, but I don't want to see us (as the church) run off on a tangent here and not really address the real issues.

[Shellie]

Bill,

Here is my point. It is not necessarily words in themselves that are offensive, but how we have become so accepting of talking about "ugly" things. There is nothing professional, acceptable, or attractive about a bunch of people sitting around talking about farting.

Bathroom and bedroom happenings, to me, should be a little more private than what they have become.

That is aside from actual "cuss" words.

On to the at hand subject... I know several people that own their own businesses or are responsible for the hiring. Every single one of them will not hire nor give a second interview to a person that uses even a "mild" cuss in an interview. Why?

[Pastor Bill]

Exactly Shellie, they are unprofessional and unneccesary.

I couldn't agree with you more, and that should be enough, but it's not about the words themselves. If someone was saying the same things but using acceptable words (poot, poop, etc.) it wouldn't be any more appropriate. That should be the real issue.

[Ilovebigcats]

We look at fart and poot as medical terms. It all depends on what happened internally to receive the proper name.

A poot is just a poof of air.
A fart just darted right through some colon matter on the way out.

Redneck medical terms, that's funny I don't care who you are.

[Dr. Ron]

You are all reprobates and headed for a devil's hell!!!!!

Ask Tim Coulter what his dad and that generation would have said about this thread......

But then ask Elwood Matthews......hummmmmmmmmm

Oh well.....here's the up shot of it all.

Cussing is the evidence of a lack of knowledge of the vernacluar. It shows that one can only add emphasis by using words which can be used as a noun , verb, adverb, pronoun,......all the same word. That way you don't have to carry a dictionary around in your brain.

Cursing is a different thing all together. Those words are the ones used by the intelligencia to add emphasis...that can never be misunderstood by the hearer.

The first president in modern day to curse was Harry S, Trueman. He was called "Give em hell Harry" He used cursing to accomplish that.
Of course he wasn't COG material....but then what President has been?

Is it always offensive to everyone? No.....but it is not the most desirable form of communication.....imho.

We Christians have a tendency to use the terms "dirty or ugly or nasty" when discussing some subjects. That is not a good idea. And the reasons are myriad. Maybe that will be a spin off of this subject.

[Brenda]

We look at fart and poot as medical terms. It all depends on what happened internally to receive the proper name.

A poot is just a poof of air.
A fart just darted right through some colon matter on the way out.

Redneck medical terms, that's funny I don't care who you are.

When I was a kid it was called a poot. Then I moved to the north and got re-educated. Found out it was also called a fart. (hate that word for some reason )

I finally came to the conclusion that what ever you want to call it, its still a burp. Just from the opposite end. Which traveled over many curves and went off into a downward spiral and announced it self with an odor.

[Ilovebigcats]

We look at fart and poot as medical terms. It all depends on what happened internally to receive the proper name.

A poot is just a poof of air.
A fart just darted right through some colon matter on the way out.

Redneck medical terms, that's funny I don't care who you are.

When I was a kid it was called a poot. Then I moved to the north and got re-educated. Found out it was also called a fart. (hate that word for some reason )

I finally came to the conclusion that what ever you want to call it, its still a burp. Just from the opposite end. Which traveled over many curves and went off into a downward spiral and announced it self with an odor.

You crack me up girl!

[Susie Hamilton]

My niece says her tail burped.