Speaking Up

[Paisley]

Do you remember always being told that if someone were to take the name of the Lord in vain that the proper response was to say, "I'd appreciate it if you'd not talk about my Father that way." If a co-worker cursed, we were told to tell them that we were offended and to please not use that language. Or, my favorite was the one where if someone was listening to rock music (in their own car), that we should ask them to please turn it off. Did anyone here ever have the guts to do that? Or were you like me and you sat through the sermon thinking, "No way am I going to do that!"

[Josh]

I was (and am!) like you, but I know a few people who had the guts to confront people who swore. Or at least that's the impression you get when you hear them tell the stories a few years after the fact. I'm sure many people came to Christ because of such polite, thoughtful behavior*.

* Please check to ensure that your sarcasm meter is working before getting offended.

[exOBCstudent]

I remember once when at Boot Camp we had a preacher's kid in our Platoon. One guy was talking and said "G*dDamn" somewhere in his sentence and the PK interrupted him mid-sentence and said "God don't need a dam, he can walk on water!". It was too funny at that moment because nobody expected that.

[pastor's wife]

When I went to public high school after being in a Christian school, I never corrected anyone, but the others must have noticed that I didn't curse because if they were talking to me and used a swear word, they'd often say, "Oh! Sorry!" That was awkward because I didn't know what to say: if someone had bumped me accidentally and said, "Sorry!", I would have said, "That's OK!", but I didn't like saying "That's OK" to someone swearing, because I didn't think it was OK, but I also didn't think it was my place to be the censor of **** High School.

I don't reprimand random strangers, but if I had a long friendship with someone who consistently used the name "Jesus Christ" as a swear word, I think I might gently explain that it bothered me, but often I try to just love the person and pray for them and let the Holy Spirit work in their life.

[Darrell]

Quote:the others must have noticed that I didn't curse because if they were talking to me and used a swear word, they'd often say, "Oh! Sorry!"

People still do this to me.

I think it's my haircut.

[senda wales]

I don't think my church preached about reprimanding others around us for language. The only person I recall being kind of uptight about language was my mom and my ex, neither of whom were fundies. Not really, anyways.

People have never really asked if it's okay to swear around me or apologized for swearing. The only time I recall hearing apologies is if I hang around a bunch of guys and they start trash talking.

But people do often ask if I drink. I'm not sure if they're just asking to make sure and it's polite or if I'm triggering a "I don't drink" vibe.

[lucrezaborgia]

(12-08-2011 01:53 AM)Paisley Wrote:  If a co-worker cursed, we were told to tell them that we were offended and to please not use that language.

I have quite the foul mouth and have had no problems with co-workers and friends asking me to tone it down.

[Tiarali]

Ok, I grew up in a family where swearing was just normal.

I feel frustrated with the whole notion of swearing being so exceedingly sinful. Some of the people who pride themselves on never swearing have themselves the foulest mouth imaginable. They gossip, slander, tease, and verbally abuse something horrible. Some of them use the pulpit to excuse atrocities and tell victims to stay silent. If we're going to have clean mouths, we should have clean mouths. Not claim that some words are uber offensive while spewing other filth without blinking an eyelid.

Also, I think that the whole distaste for swearing has in its roots a cultural elitism. If you look at a huge sample of the population, you'll find more swearing amongst poorer people and minority groups/lower classes. So when religious people make swearing an evil thing to do, what they're saying is that there are certain people who are welcome in their church, and those are the people who were like them to begin with.

Yes, I know I shouldn't swear. And I know that there are people here who don't swear who honestly are careful to use their tongues for good. But I just disagree with the way I've seen swearing treated in some churches in the past.

[senda wales]

My dad swore all the time and my mom didn't swear at all. And yes, it has a lot to do with cultural elitism, and yes, just because you don't swear doesn't mean you don't hurt people with your words. I'd much rather be around my dad dropping the s and f-bombs all the time than sit through my mom's criticisms.

[SirJack]

OMG =/= Taking the Lords name in vain. Can it? Possibly. But perhaps taking something great and mighty and using it for base human purposes is what he meant. Telling people that we are speaking God's words, and then using them to tear down relationships, break spirits, and curse others. Not that I should judge, since I've been there myself, and sometimes still am.

By the time I figured out what actual swearing was, I was at a point where it really didn't bother me, and so far I've never ran into a situation where I thought it was necessary to say anything.

But, that didn't stop me from mocking, and/or preaching to people who used "heck" "dang" etc. or even just slang. I'm ashamed of that now, but I was only doing what I was taught and didn't know better than to be a parrot of what I saw around me. As far as music goes, I remember watching many the argument with the restaurant waiter over whether the speakers could be turned off(not down, OFF).