What makes a curse word a curse word?

[Acts 1:8]

General consensus? It's context? The underlying attitude of the heart that uttered it?

The King James Bible has the words piss and bastard in it.

A lot of sayings also come from the Bible such as
"robbing Peter to pay Paul" or "Woe is me", "fight the good fight", "see eye to eye" & "its better to give than to receive"

What if a saying that meant someone was looking for trouble came from 1 Samuel 25:22 KJ and was stated "like pissing on a wall" I don't see how you could hold that against someone. There's no sin in using that saying. If someone found it offensive, I'd be inclined to think that objection to it was simply a learned behavior and isn't really based on anything. It would be kinda like asking a person "Why do you find that offensive?" "because it's a bad word!" Why is it a bad word? It dirty language and it offends me! Why does it offend you? because its a bad word! I think its safe to say that some people get offended at things and they don't even know why.

What constitutes "filthy" language or communication as stated in Colossians 3:8?

"But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth."

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

Personally, it is a cultural thing mostly for me. The only time it was ever acceptable for me to use language like that was in the context of me actually reading a passage from the Bible (and even then, I sometimes didn't feel comfortable doing so and would use an alternate word with the same meaning). But, the other side is that it is also contextual. For example, if someone calls something that another person wrote on this board ---inine, then that is certainly not using the word in the Biblical context, and I would say that they are using profanity because the word is used in a profane manner. Or, if someone were to call another someone a jack--- or a b-----d, I would say the context of these words make it profanity.

Joseph Botwinick

PS: I have seen the a word used in a profane manner described above here on this board. This is one reason that I, as a parent, would be very leery of allowing my child to participate in the discussions here as it seems to be allowed by the moderators. I don't like it, but it is their board.

Joseph Botwinick

 

[KenH]

Originally posted by Joseph_Botwinick:
For example, if someone calls something that another person wrote on this board ---inine

You didn't spell that correctly, Joseph, as you put in too many dashes. It is --inine.

In fact, let's just cut to the chase here for everyone else, Joseph.

Here's what he has a problem with ya'll -

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Daniel David:
Cats are so stupid. They are just like agile rats.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To which I replied: I had a cat for 13 years, DD. I think your statement is asinine.

I have used the word "asinine" for decades and have heard other people with quite good vocabularies use the word for decades and Joseph is the first person I have come across that has a problem with the use of it.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

I have no problme with the word asinine. I use it all the time when needed in context. Never considered it a bad word.

 

[Roy]

The Bible isn't exactly overflowing with language which could be considered dirty. I am not even sure that "bastard" was a bad word in 1611, because it refers to a child who doesn't know who his father is.

In commenting on the scriptures below, J. Vernon McGee accused Peter of using foul language to convince people that he was in no way associated with Jesus.
Matt.26
73: And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
74: Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

I guess we should choose our words carefully.

Roy

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Culture makes a huge difference and when posting in a public forum with international connexions we must be aware of that. While we cannot possibly hope to make everyone in every culture happy, we should strive to be as careful as possible not to purposefully offend.

Now that I know that the above mentioned word is offencive to some I should strive not to use it in this forum, for example.

 

[Gib]

Jacka-- = tail hole
What in the Hell = What in the world
D-mn = Darn
sh-t = dookey-squat
pi--off = ticked off

Several words I grew up with on the left, only to learn that you could use the words on the right and that's just okay.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

I don't like the words - left or right.

 

[Salty]

Many years ago I was teaching a Jr SS class. I askfed on of the boys to read a verse. It happended to have the word "hell" in it. He stopped and told me his parents did not allow him to say that word. My what is a teacher to do?

By the Way what kind of animinal was it that Jesus rode on?
When I get a chance I will take a look at several translations. (maybe this belongs on the KJV board)

 

[Helen]

Just a note here: even English is different in different parts of the world. Where it is perfectly normal to say your child has a bloody nose here, that adjective is rather violent swearing in other English-speaking countries. Here, the middle fingeer up is an obscene gesture; in other countries, it is the polite finger to point with.

Aside from the cultural differences, my father taught me something that might be thought about here: anytime a person uses a word to express himself which he knows to be a vulgar word, all he is doing is advertising to those in hearing how deficient he is in the English language....

At 56 years of age now, I have found that to be true.

 

[KenH]

Originally posted by Christ4Kildare:
I don't like the words - left or right.

What in the world is wrong with what in the world?

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Okay - you win on that one

 

[Dr. Bob]

Short English lesson. A number of good old English words are not appropriate for genteel conversation. That is the choice of modern society and HAS NOTHING to do with the Bible, or even right/wrong.

They are considered crass and vulgar, though once were common descriptive terms. Many of the "four-letter" words are from early anglo-saxon/german/celtic language. The "k" sound ending words is prominent.

As a result, English has words from French/Latin or Greek that are considered more refined. And we have TWO words (sometimes 3 words) for exactly the same thing!

Kingly - Regal - Royal
F**k - Intercourse, coitus
Folk - people
Oak - guess we still use that one!
Bucket - pail
Elk - hind, stag
P**s - urinate
F**t - pass
S**t - deficate

And so on with most of our words. And most words, now considered "vulgar" because of their use by the "folk", not the "hoi polloi", were used commonly in normal English use in the 17th and 18th Century.

Trust everyone is mature enough to handle this post. It's about time somebody said four-letter words have a place in our language. I personally REALLY hate one of those 4-letter words = WORK

 

[Acts 1:8]

Originally posted by Helen:


Aside from the cultural differences, my father taught me something that might be thought about here: anytime a person uses a word to express himself which he knows to be a vulgar word, all he is doing is advertising to those in hearing how deficient he is in the English language....

Very true. Whenever you hear someone speaking and every other word out of thier mouth is f-this or f-that, deep down you know the're a moron. I find it more creative to come up with my own colorful phrases that usually contain the word monkey. like if I injure myself I'll yell out something like "stupid monkey!" and the severity of my injury or anguish is directly related to the number of negative adjectives that describe the monkey such as "dirty, stupid, rotten, monkey"

 

[Dr. Bob]

Are you a "cheeky monkey"? I remember THAT phrase from old Saturday Night Live . .

 

[Trotter]

Ever see the movie "Matchstick Men"?

Pygmies!

Pygmies! Pygmies! Pygmies!

Just thought that needed to be said...

In Christ,
Trotter

 

[Dr. Bob]

Obviously I've led a sheltered life . . .

SAY WHAT???

 

[Artimaeus]

Originally posted by Helen:
anytime a person uses a word to express himself which he knows to be a vulgar word, all he is doing is advertising to those in hearing how deficient he is in the English language....

The is exactly what I taught my students for 16 years.

 

[Marcia]

I agree that words have to be thought about in a cultural context. And I think since we are admonished in the Bible to be careful of our speech and not to use unwholesome words, it's a bad witness for Christ to use words considered vulgar or obscene.

After becoming a believer, I used to use "darn" for "d-mn" and "shoot" for "sh_t." But I try not to even use those substitute words anymore as they are so close to the other words and are used precisely because they are like the others. In fact, my mother, who was only a nominal Christian and was very worldly (but raised as a Southern lady) would not even allow my sister or myself to say "darn it" when growing up. I've been pretty strict with my son, who grew up with a generation using terms like "it sucks" (which I did not allow), a horrible expression, in my view.

There is no need for these words. One can change one's speech patterns. The Lord has really been convicting me about my speech - not that it was ever very dirty, but I used to be quite careless in using these words and calling people names like "idiot" (not to their face).

It actually does effect my outlook and attitude to cut some of these words out of my automatic responsive vocabulary.

BTW, I saw "Matchstick Men" but cannot recall the Pygmies connection. Is that what he called people he didn't like?

 

[Artimaeus]

Originally posted by Marcia:
I used to use "darn"...and "shoot"...But I try not to even use those substitute words

You know what happens to people who don't believe in Gosh...they go to heck! (I'm sorry, I just love that joke.)

who grew up with a generation using terms like "it sucks"

I don't want to say I'm getting old but I was in college before I ever heard that expression.

It actually does effect my outlook and attitude to cut some of these words out of my automatic responsive vocabulary.

A very wise statement. Good is good and better is better but best is best.