For those of you who know me really well, you should know that I enjoy debating. I love arguing with someone, and having a deep discussion about something, anything really. I've been known to argue about hockey ("Why Bertuzzi was unjustly labelled a goon", "Why Crosby is over-rated", "Why the Leafs will be the next Canadian team to win the cup"), to movies ("Johnny Depp is the best actor ever", "Syriana was the worst movie I have ever seen"), to Ethics ("Why abortion is sometimes ok", "Is homosexuality really as bad as we make it seem?"). But the one thing I love to argue most of, is philosphical ideas. I love to stir the pot, turn up the heat, and get things sizzlin. Sorry, I'm married to a chef, so those analogies just sort of poured out of me.
During my time at Bethany College, some of my favourite moments were times when I would sit on the couches, and just begin debating and arguing with people. Sometimes I would legitimately disagree with someone, other times I would play the devils advocate, and secretly agree with them, but argue on behalf of a position that I don't condone or agree with. I loved it! Sometimes people would get fed up and leave, other times more people would join the discussion. I remember a few occasions when people were legitimately angry with me (those times I'm not proud of). Anyway, all this to say, that this blog of mine is intended to get people thinking. I don't want this to be a blog about what I'm doing with my life, although there will be aspects of that. I want this to be a blog about things I believe, and things that are possibly controversial. I want discussion. I want people to say what they think...whether agree with me, or completely disagree with me, just voice your opinion.
This post isn't really about how I love to argue....I just began with that to warn you that this post may offend some. I apologize in advance.
I've been thinking a lot lately about swearing. Ok, perhaps not a lot, but I have thought about it. I feel kind of ashamed to say this, but I have become a bit more loose with the tongue lately. I say things now, that I wouldn't have imagined I would have said a few years ago. Words that I thought were horrible and disgusting now exit from my lips. Does it have to do with music and movies that I watch and listen to? Perhaps partly, but not completely. Before I went to Bible School, I thought I knew a lot about the Bible. I translated everything as literal. I didn't believe that the bible would exageratte, or write 'legends'. Of course, now I see things differently. I beleive now that there may be things in the Bible that are stretched a little bit...as the culture in the day saw things differently than we do now. It was ok to smudge the numbers a bit, or to exagerate at times. I'm not saying that I don't believe the Bible is true, I'm just saying that a completely literal translation of the Bible could be dangerous. Anyway, that's for another post...I want to talk about the verse "Let no unwholesome talk come from your lips" (Ephesians 4:29).I was told, growing up, that swearing was wrong. Anything remotely close to a swear was taboo...which is probably why as a kid, I remember being mortified that we would say 'ass' in church...even though we were referring to a donkey. This teaching was mainly because of the verse mentioned above..."Let no unwholesome talk come from your lips". But what exactly does that mean? Well, in my opinion, that doesn't necessarily include swears. What the verse is about is encouragement, and building one another up. In essence, what the verse is saying is "Don't say anything that is going to discourage, or tear someone down. Be uplifitng!". Can swears tear someone down? absolutely, and in those cases swearing is 100% wrong. But at the same time, can Scripture not tear someone down too? Hear me out on this one...I'm referring to Scripture used out of context, or Scripture that is used at an inappropriate time. For example, if someone is praying hard for something, and the opposite happens, and you were to go up to them and say "if you only have faith the size of a mustard seed, that mountain will move" (paraphrased), will that not discourage them, and tear them down? Did they not have faith before when they were praying? (Now I do want to say that there are times when people need to be torn down...if someone is extreemely cocky, or is misusing their power, then they need to be taken down a few notches, but that's not what I'm referring to here).
I beleive that there is a time and a place for swearing. In times of intense frustration, such as the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or other agonizing moments, then I feel a swear is not only justifiable, but encouraged. In my opinion, swearing isn't a sin. Is it appropriate? No, not usually...but a lot of things are rude and inappropriate but aren't sins (such as burping, or chewing with your mouth open). Yes, there is a limit to how much one should swear, but should we judge someone based solely on if they swear or not? I remember, as a kid, I would hear someone who claimed to be a Christian swear, and I would immediately think that they weren't a Christian at all, and would think of them as a heathen. Is that fair? No, of course not. There are a lot of influencial Christians who swear, and not just a little either. I think of Bono. Many may disagree, but Bono, in my opinion, is one of the most influencial and most radical Christians alive today. The things he stands for is amazing...his organizations, and passions are unbelievable...but he swears a lot. GASP! Does that make him any less of a Christian? No.
I honestly believe that Jesus swore. I know, "How dare you say that!"...I can hear the hate mail and the mumbles of blasphemy...but let me explain myself. I'm not saying that he made a habit of saying bad words...but I strongly believe that when Jesus walked into the temple, and saw the debacle going on inside, and he got angry and turned over the tables, that he said some words that were "innapropriate". I highly doubt that avoiding the taboo words were on his mind, when the house of God was being used in such profane ways. I truly, honestly believe he swore. It's not in the Bible, and I don't know for sure, but that is my opinion.
Wow, I'm just realizing that I am all over the map on this one, and not being very concise with this. All I'm trying to say is, perhaps swearing isn't as forbidden or sinful as we may think, provided as we are aware of our surroundings, are doing our best to not cause people to stumble, and focus on encouraging eachother and building one another up. That's my opinion...what's yours?
5 comments:
I will give you that there is a time and a place for swearing.
Unfortunately, in todays society the extent that swearing is "ok" is unacceptable.
The Bible also calls us to set ourselves apart from the world, and if not swearing sets us apart then maybe we shouldn't do it.
That is just a short 2 cents worth since I am on break.
Keith I think that swearing is considered taboo because of our cultural context. Our culture tells us that a short list of words are "wrong."
But as all words do, even swear words have a definition. I think there is a way to use them properly and in context. As for using them to curse... well meanings evolve over time from their literal definition. Think of the word Gay... originally meaning happy now refers to Homosexual. It is our culture that says the new meanings are wrong.
I agree... we should not use any words to tear others down, even swear words. But I do think that the topic of whether they are wrong words is not a Biblical debate - simply because it is our culture that makes them wrong.
Here in Peru I am learning something about that. For instance the equivalent phrase of "Oh my God" is used A LOT in Spanish. Even the most spiritually in tune believers say it. It is not considered wrong in this culture. But in ours it is terrible.
Basically Keith... if you want to swear, go ahead. Be careful when or where you do... be careful how you do it too. But by all means... swear! You are called to be set apart... but not swearing is a REALLY WEAK argument on how to do that. You are a real person too. All too often Christians are accused of being fake. Doing things like saying "oh sugar!" usually only makes people think we want to say "oh shit!" and are too concerned with keeping face to swear. It's not set apartness... often it is fakeness... swearing doesn't make you less Christian, more worldly, and a worse person.
Thats my opinion. And damn-it I'm sticking to it!
There is no "Black and white" answer when it comes to swearing. However, when it comes to things like this I think, "would I allow, or want my kids saying these words?" not at all. So then, for me, personally,if I won't let them say it, it's wrong for me. But that goes for other words in my house too that I don't want them repeating, like frig, heck, and we even try to avoid the kids saying "stupid"!
Coming from a home that swore ALOT, I hate when people use the excuse "It's just rubbing off on me from people i work/go to school with". I was around it my WHOLE life, and feel NO need whatsoever to swear, and no, it doesn't just 'slip'.
If you think you could swear in front of God without any guilt, than I think you should do it...otherwise, don't!
Oh, and I wanted to add to that comment that no one should judge the depth of your Christian walk if you swear. Then they have a problem...
Wow... so I barely ever read blogs and I didn't even know you had one until now Keith (I am rarely on Facebook for more than 5 min).
Between your comments and the ones from Nate, this is a slap upside the head...
I spent a LOT of time and effort last year working to be a more positive person, less negative and less pessimistic. My constantly degrading situation at work has contributed largely to reversing a lot of that most unfortunately. And surprisingly to me, the "swearing" has come along with that.
I now find myself saying things that I never would have dreamed of before. I have been really hard on myself for it so thanks guys for showing me I am not so completely terrible.
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