The Soda Shop Message Boards

Heh, a bit of a touchy subject, but I really have been wondering
What are your guys' opinions on the subject? Personally, I tend to keep a pretty clean mouth, but not because I feel like their are certain words in our language that are downright sinful, but that I don't want to be a bad influence on those who do. What I really want to know it, though, where do you guys draw the line?

Do you try to avoid any/all media with any sort of objectionable language in it? Just stay away from "f-bombs"? Maybe you're one of those people who don't care if a movie has a little bit of swearing in it, but you'd never listen to any music that has some language in it. What are the rules you've gown up with? What are your personal convictions?

Personally, I don't care if there's a bit of a swearing in a movie, when I read the plugged in reviews I generally just look for the spiritual and sensual content. When it comes to music, though, I try to be a bit more careful because I listen to music more often.

What about you guys?

I draw the line on speaking bad words in general. It kinda depends on what "bad words" mean to some people.
I don't try to hard to avoid bad language in a movie. Bad language doesn't offend me that bad. I think I've only seen one movie with an "f-bomb" in it. And we always mute it.
I don't listen to that much music with bad language, mostly just christian music.
Just in general when we watch a movie, we mute the bad language. We would like to get a language blocker, so we can enjoy more movies together, and don't have to worry about hearing a bad word.

I view any swearing as bad. Movies, books, and esp. music. We do have a thing called a tv guardian that filters out bad words and even using the lord's name in vain, but unfortunately, it doesn't work on movies for us.

I try to stay away from swearing. I don’t like it.. Kinda makes me feel ugly and my parents don’t like it so I respect that.

I pretty much try to ignore it on movies but then again I’m a babysitter so a lot of the movies I see are The Lion King, Tangled, and The Little Mermaid… Also since I’m a babysitter I know the kids I’m taking care of are watching me so I gotta watch what I say and do.

I like listening to music and a lot of it gets stuck in my head. And if a song is in my head I’m likely to sing it a lot at random times.. and pretty loudly if I’m at my house or at a friend’s so I try not to listen to any music with language in it.

I don't like swearing (but who really does?), but I'm also not around it much.
As far as movies go, I don't like the swearing, but it usually doesn't stop me from watching a movie with it. I will usually look at plugged in reviews to see what I am getting, but I am usually looking for spiritual and sensual stuff too.
Music... I really don't listen to secular music, but what secular music I do listen to, is pretty clean (as clean as non-Christian music can be!)
My personal speech is, I think, mild... I will occasionally say, darn, shoot, ect. But really nothing worse that that. I am with Kaida on the subject of trying to be a good example. So I try not to use harsh exclamations.

I think swearing is potientally lazy.
I try not to watch movies with bad words, I try to focus on movies that are kid-friendly.
Music is easy for me,I listen to ALOT of Christian music, but the only non-Christian music that I do tend to listen to may have 1 bad word. My personal speech is good.
In a Biblical term, James 3 wraps up swearing. It talks about how we cannot curse people and praise God.

Well, the concept of "cursing people" is quite different than what "swearing" has become.

Swearing is only alright if you're doing it for no good reason. Sound weird? Good, I've gotten you're attention. When you swear because you have an apparent reason, and do it out of anger (you drop something, it breaks, and start hurling f-bombs) that is just dumb. It annoys people, and it's a really obnoxious, tasteless way to get out frustration. However, swearing casually is another matter... then it's just something for fun. Is that really so terrible? I don't do it myself, (well, basically never. I've said "not that bad" words a few times in my life.) But I'm not strongly against others doing it. When somethings just an offhand remark, it just seems more harmless.
That's the way words are. The bizarre principle I'm trying to get across is like this: when you say you're going to kill someone in jest, the chuckle. If you hold a gun to their head and growl "I'm going to kill you" that would be a bit unkind, and they wouldn't laugh. Probably be a little upset, actually.
Of course, there's the whole issue of politeness. Since swear words upset some people, it's best to avoid them.
But are they sinful? It seems logically impossible. What's a swear words in some countries, obviously, just isn't foul language in others. So, words can be bad if they're said in the wrong place? That makes no sense. For instance, in Canada, religious words are used as cussing. ("Ah, priest!) And how come a word can be harmless, but then, when the general public labels it "vulgar", then it's sinful to say it? Sure, it's lower class-ish, annoying, and silly, but sinful?
Honestly. Words being bad in of themselves fails the common sense test. It's how you USE them.

I agree with PF exactly. Well formed argument.

I agree too PF! It is so true that societies pick words, that aren't bad, but make it bad!!! To be honest, I had never really thought about it, but it's so true!
But, I do believe that there are some truly sinful exclamations, when used in a negative way. And they are when you take the Lord's name in vain! So where I do agree with your statement, I do believe there is an exception... Because no matter where you are, Christians are (or should be) sensitive when people abuse God's name! That's my personal opinion... And, why would you want to if you love him?

I don't consider using God's name swearing. In all seriousness, I agree with you. I did make it very clear swearing is sometime a bad idea. Using our Lord God's name in connection with it would certainly seem to qualify.

I agree.

Also, it doesn't say in the 10 commandments "Thou shalt not use words deemed by your society to be inappropriate for some situations", it says "Thou shalt not use the Lord's name in vain".

it also does say "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.", so really, it all depends on the situation, and your heart. It also says to obey your parents, and if you're still living at home, and your parents have decided that you shouldn't use certain words, you shouldn't use them. There's also a spirit of rebellion behind the concept of fowl language to some extent. There are many kids who would simply use these words as a way of showing they're independent from what their authority has told them.

Ultimately, God looks at the heart.

I agree completely with your statement Aaron!!! It is so true that people only use words (and make them 'bad') out of the condition of their heart!
Though, I don't really understand what you are saying PF. You can make anything a 'swear' word if used in anger. You can even make 'lolly pop' a swear word if you use it to exclaim your anger. So, I agree with you that 'God' and 'Jesus' (ect.) are not swear words, but people do use them as swear words (and out of rebellion, sadly).

I agree with a lot of what was said here.

I personally am very conservative with my words. I stay away from just about any word that could be considered inappropriate, simply because I don't want to take the risk of offending someone or sinning. I've decided that I would rather spend time thinking of a way yo say something without bad words than spend the time apologizing to whoever overheard me. With reading, if I know before hand that there are certain words in the book, I generally give it a wide berth. However, if it (or they) are buried in the middle of a book, I will most likely keep reading so I can see how the story ends. For example, a book I had waited 7 months for had several bad words I didn't know about before opening it, and after waiting so long I decided to plow through the rest of it.

My general rule is not to make a habit of reading books with curse words, but reading one every once in a while should not be damaging.

As for television, I have three little siblings, and so I really don't get a chance to see something with bad words.

Preach it sister!

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Meaning Liz'Alike.

Evidently you're right when you say you didn't really follow what I said, Liz, because you just 100% agreed with me. My post was saying, in part, that words aren't necessarily bad in of themselves, it's saying things in rotten manner that makes them uncouth.

That's what I thought you might be saying . But I wasn't sure ... So, I am glad we all agree and are on the same page now ! lol

Well, I don't think that using The lords name in vain is swearing, I think it wrong.And pound foolish, even if nobody is listening, or if you do it for no reason, swearing is bad, and wrong. now maybe its not really my buisness what you are alowed 2 say, but swearing, I believe is wrong.

That is true... We are supposed to be set apart from the world, we are it's ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20)! If our speech sounds like the world, how will people know we are set apart??? And, even if no one hears us, God does!

I cannot believe I missed this topic, as I have a lot of opinions on swearing...

I, for some reason, get very uncomfortable when someone swears, no matter who it is, where I am, or who I'm with. Even a relatively harmless swear word such as the d-word can bug me. I don't honestly know why this happens, perhaps it's because our parents and superiors have made swearing seem like some horrible, awful thing. But is it? Who decided that these words are taboo? Why did they have to be created at all? Is it just another reason that a movie is rated R? But why would the movie be rated R, particularly if the person isn't swearing out of anger? Apart from the f-bomb, none of the swear words really have inappropriate meanings that children shouldn't talk about. I'm just angry at the guy who came up with swear words and decided they had to be inappropriate and taboo, apparently to ruin a lot of good movies and songs. I try to stay away from listening to music and watching movies with swear words because of my conscience, but why my conscience gets like it does when someone swears is beyond me. If society hadn't made swear words so taboo, this whole problem might be solved. But really, swear words shouldn't have been invented at all. I suppose it goes back to "The War of the Words", it's not the words that are the problem, it's the meaning behind them. But for a lot of swear words, I don't see any horrible meaning behind them.