cussing, cursing, and swearing, oh my!

[hopeful1]

ok, i've heard different things from different people, but how sinful is cussing (swearing, or cursing or whatever you call it from where you are)? I know it's disrespectful and vulgar, but in what cases is it mortally sinful. obviously if it's directed at God, i can see how it would be sinful, but what other circumstances. like for instance, if it's said out of frustration, have you earned yourself a trip to the confessional? also is it just "cursing' that implies you're taking the place of God and condemning someone/ something? (ex, d**n you, mr person) , making that mortally sinful, or is 'cursing' just another name for cussing? if it's tends to be habitual, is it considered venial? could you still recieve communion?

[Paladin D]

Most of the time when I cuss, it's in a joking matter.

It's a venial sin (except for using the Lord's name in vain) still worthy of confession, though not required like mortal sins.

[theculturewarrior]

EDIT: Thessalonian's post was better.

[philothea]

I think it's the intent that matters.

A word is just a sound made in air. What is "obscene" varies both historically and between cultures.

If I sit in a room by myself and say was that a sin? What if it's just a word to me, and my family used it all the time conversationally? What if I think it's the most descriptive and appropriate way to express what I am trying to say?

Obviously if I speak to harm or offend someone, or to blaspheme, that's sinful, but I don't think any particular articulated sound is inherently wrong. I can't imagine swearing itself approaching mortal sin territory, personally.

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

If used in anger, I think an effort should be made to control angry outbursts...

[thessalonian]

A little scripture for you.

Phil 4:8
8: Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

1 Pet 3
10: For "He that would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile;

James 1
26: If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this man's religion is vain.


James 3
5: So the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire!
6: And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is an unrighteous world among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the cycle of nature, and set on fire by hell.
7: For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by humankind,
8: but no human being can tame the tongue -- a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9: With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God.
10: From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so.
11: Does a spring pour forth from the same opening fresh water and brackish?
12: Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

Nuff said.

[curtins]

its not impossible to quit cursing- I did it with God's help of course. Its really not a good habbit and probably a venial sin (id only say mortal if used with God's name) plus it makes you look like the extent of your vocabulary is 4 letter words.

rather than calling someone a bleepin bleep bleeper find a nice little (or big) word here [url="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/087923928X/103-8144312-5015810?v=glance"]http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...015810?v=glance[/url]

and then you've really got them

[hopeful1]

i'm don't know if i'd label myself a frequent cusser. i never say anything like "G-d d**n this/ you" b/c that seems to imply you're taking the place of God in condemning something, and i'd certainly never address God in that way. i may have once or twice done that carelessly, but when i was conscious i did i went to confession as soon as i could. i know that's sinful. i'm more prone to cuss when i'm either frustrated or angry, or just do something careless or if i'm bewildered by something, like "oh, sh*t, i dropped my cell phone" or " d**n....just looking at that gives me a headache". i've dropped an f-bomb a few times, but it's usually when i'm frustrated with something, and even then it's not like it's everyother word. i try not to do it often, but sometimes i feel like anyother word doesn't adequately express my frustration. would any of these examples be a mortal sin?

[curtins]

no.

unless you use God's name in vein. But still not a good thing to do. But grave matter? I dont really think so.

[philothea]

[quote name='hopeful1' date='Oct 5 2005, 05:46 PM'] i'm more prone to cuss when i'm either frustrated or angry, or just do something careless or if i'm bewildered by something, like "oh, sh*t, i dropped my cell phone" or " d**n....just looking at that gives me a headache". i've dropped an f-bomb a few times, but it's usually when i'm frustrated with something, and even then it's not like it's everyother word. i try not to do it often, but sometimes i feel like anyother word doesn't adequately express my frustration. would any of these examples be a mortal sin?
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No.

You need to have had a chance to adequately consider what you're doing to commit a mortal sin. And I still don't think it's a serious enough matter.

From the catechism:
[quote]To choose deliberately - that is, both knowing it and willing it - something gravely contrary to the divine law and to the ultimate end of man is to commit a mortal sin.[/quote]

[FutureSoror]

As far as I've understood it, cursing is a venial sin. Habit would decrease a person's guilt, but not the morality of the act. Like curtins said, you [i]can[/i] stop.

Wow, I'm using what I'm learning in ethics class!

[thessalonian]

While bad language is not usually a mortal sin, we must bridal our tongue. I used to have problems in this area and it lead to using the Lord's name in vain. I really recommend that you get control over it. You'll be happy you did. Further we must not minimize it as venial sin. We want to root these out as they tend to weaken us toward more serious sin and they are offensive to God whom we should stop at nothing to obey. Confessing them will help a great deal.

[hopeful1]

so i'd be good to go for communion then, knowing that communion takes away venial sin (correct?) but still wouldn't be a bad idea to go to confession for it and trying to cut back on it?

[philothea]

[quote name='hopeful1' date='Oct 5 2005, 06:25 PM']so i'd be good to go for communion then, knowing that communion takes away venial sin (correct?)  but still wouldn't be a bad idea to go to confession for it and trying to cut back on it?
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Sounds perfect to me.

[Norseman82]

Colossians 3:5-8 (NAB):

"Put to death whatever in your nature is rooted in earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desires, and that lust which is idolatry. These are sins which provoke God's wrath. Your own conduct was once of this sort, when these sins were your very life. You must put that aside ow: all the anger and quick temper, the malice, the insults, the foul language."

[Paladin D]

Consider that "cuss" words are indeed real words that have other purposes, examples include:


- [b]D*mn*[/b], refering to hell.

- [b]B**ch[/b] is a female dog.

- The other b word, [b]b**st*rd[/b] is a son born by parents who aren't married.

- Even the word [b]j*ck*ss[/b] is another way of calling someone a "fool" (or refering to a male donkey). I saw this same word in a classic [b][i]Looney Tunes[/b][/i] cartoon, Elmer Fudd's face turned into a lollipop and the word [b]j*ck*ss[/b] appeared, when he ran off a cliff chasing Buggs Bunny.

- [b]D**k[/b], a name.


I do not advocate the use of such words in someone's daily vocabulary, but the point I'm trying to make is this: "cuss words" are simply words that have been transformed to be used in a degrading matter.

If this is the case, why are words like [b]darnit[/b], [b]shoot[/b], [b]fudge[/b], and etc, aren't considered cuss words? Afterall, they are used in the same fashion as the previous words. Society (and the local culture) decide which words are obscene, and which others aren't. If I visited a country where the word [b]"cook"[/b] is a slang word and is obscene, yet in the United States it isn't, am I cussing?

But one thing is for sure, using the Lord's name in vain is a [b]sin[/b], no matter where you are.

[toledo_jesus]

I maintain that jackass isn't a cuss word precisely because I saw it in Looney Toons.

I don't swear though. I find it indicative of poor vocabulary.

I like to say Blast it, or By jingo.

[Paladin D]

[quote name='toledo_jesus' date='Oct 5 2005, 08:06 PM']I don't swear though.  I find it indicative of poor vocabulary.
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It's annoying seeing punk teenagers drop the F-bomb, believing they're some hot shot when their parents aren't around. Yet again, it's awfully hilarious in certain "comedic" situations.

[b]Blast it[/b], and [b]By jingo[/b] are not indicative of poor vocabulary?

I believe it's the [b]excessive[/b] usage which makes it a sign of such.

Edited October 6, 2005 by Paladin D

[philothea]

FWIW, I decided to avoid profanity when I was about thirteen. Same time I decided not to chew gum. Neither seemed ladylike.

I still refuse to give the Puritans or the FCC or my grandmother the power to decide for me which words are "bad." I don't see why, say, one word for feces is obscene, and another isn't. One may be more or less appropriate in certain contexts, but they're still just words to communicate with.

[Paladin D]

[quote name='philothea' date='Oct 5 2005, 08:15 PM']FWIW, I decided to avoid profanity when I was about thirteen.  Same time I decided not to chew gum.  Neither seemed ladylike.

I still refuse to give the Puritans or the FCC or my grandmother the power to decide for me which words are "bad."  I don't see why, say, one word for feces is obscene, and another isn't.  One may be more or less appropriate in certain contexts, but they're still just words to communicate with.
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The word "gay" used to refer to happiness, now it's used to refer to homosexuals, and as another way of calling someone lame.

There is no universal, concrete, "canon" of cuss words. Such words are subject to society, and culture, in that particular historical period.