by Jay Younts

Seventy years ago, in Gone with the Wind, Clark Gable uttered the first curse word in a popular movie. How things have changed! What was shocking in 1939 has become common place, even casually accepted, today.

In training your children, it is important for you to understand what makes words inappropriate. If you focus only on what is wrong you will miss the mark of bringing honor to God. For example, you compile a list of words that are “bad.” In their place you have a list of words that are acceptable alternatives. For example, words like darn, shoot, heck and doggone it, are seen as acceptable alternatives to their similar sounding bad counterparts. So, when you can’t find your keys, instead of using an unacceptable word, you use the corresponding acceptable word to express your frustration. But does the substitution of words rise to the standard of doing all that you do in the name of the Lord Jesus?

Consider this scene: your six-year-old son is carefully observing your search for the keys. As time passes your search becomes more frantic. You say, “Where are the _____ keys?” You fill in the blank with a word from the acceptable list. If your child sees a parent who is increasingly frustrated, angry and irritated, the language from either list is a symptom of a deeper issue.

Fast forward to the afternoon – you hear angry words coming from the playroom. You come in and see your six-year-old angrily storming around the room looking for a favorite toy. He says to his sister, I can’t find my darn truck! You correct your son and tell him he should not be angry and that if he is calm he will have a much better chance of finding his truck. He looks back at you with a look of confusion and, perhaps, exasperation.

You walk off thinking you have given helpful instruction. However, the real instruction took place in the episode with the keys in the morning. What happened in the afternoon was hypocrisy.

This is an example of at least one way to provoke your children to anger (Ephesians 6:4). What was overflowing from your heart in the hunt for the lost keys? Was there confidence in God’s care? Was there trust in God’s sovereignty over something as seemingly mundane as misplaced keys? Was there any thought of showing your child that being short, irritable and frustrated with lost keys is okay for parents but not okay for children?

Using a word from the accepted list does not really address the primary heart issue. And, if you mentally congratulate yourself at not using a bad word, the real issue – lack of trust in God – has been buried in misguided self-righteousness.

Don’t settle for merely substituting one set of words for another in an attempt to make your language pleasing to God. Rather, look to your heart, then to your mouth.

http://www.shepherdpress.com/what-makes-bad-language-bad-2/

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Oracio

Thank you for the blessed word of thought and enlightenment.
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elizabeth

There is also language that is not considered bad, but it is derogatory.

Such as 'stupid'. Concerning the context, to say something is stupid, might not be offfensive, but to say someone is, that's different.

Also, to refer to someone in animal terminology, like pig, or cow or whatever, is an insult.

Okay, so Jesus called Herod a fox. I thought I'd throw that in before someone else did. By the way, He knew what He was talking about.

Also, consider this scripture.

Matthew 12:36, "But I say to you, that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment."

Also, verse 37 says, "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

So, let's guard our speech.

God bless.

Thanks for posting this! My wife and I were just having a conversation about this a couple of nights ago after listening to an audio message by J. Vernon McGee.

My wife asked what makes a "curse word" a "curse word." I really didn't know how to answer her. However, I told her that words can be spoken with an attitude and motivation that is sinful.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire" (Matthew 5:22).

The word "raca" was an Aramaic word of contempt. According to the Blue Letter Bible, it means the following:
1) empty, i.e. a senseless, empty headed man
2) a term of reproach used among the Jews in the time of Christ

So, it is, in effect, the word "raca" and "thou fool" is name-calling. This rebuke about using such language is true even if you believe that the person is an "empty headed man" or "fool."

It brings to mind the sin of gossip. The Book of James is very specific when it comes to the taming of the tongue. The tongue is a weapon that can be used to do much damage. Yet, Christians often "gossip for Jesus" by spreading things that are or, most often, they think to be true.

Gossip doesn't even have to be an outright lie for it to be sinful gossip.

The motivation of detest or disgust for someone (often over petty differences of opinion) and/or our own pride is often the sin that motivates our tongues (or, in this day, pens and keyboards) to engage in "spiritual" gossip. They can also be attributed to "wicked imaginations" when we want to "find out" what someone else thinks or claims to know about someone else.

I have often wondered if Alexander the coppersmith -- who "did much evil" by opposing Paul's message -- was engaged in little more than gossip (II Timothy 4:14).

My wife was also wondering about particular curse words and profanities that aren't directed AT a person.

I reminded my wife just why they are called "curse words." Even if you don't direct such words at a person, they can effectively be considered "curses" because they are literally cursing an object, animal, job or any other tangible thing that you are involved with.

In addition to the verses mentioned by enid, I also reminded my wife that it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person (Matthew 15:11). I also pointed out that even the world censors certain words on television, books and movies that are deemed "profanity." We must be wiser than this world!

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Christopher