End Time Prophecy

Is Cussing A Sin?

               IS CURSING A SIN?
One of the most subtle ways of lowering America's standards of morality and decency is the increasingly public use of cursing and profanity. Yes, there are laws against the use of foul, filthy language in public, but these laws are not enforced.

Consequently, young people are subjected to the kind of speech which lowers man to the level of animals and makes a mockery of belief in God. At the same time, they are taught that cursing and filthy language is all right. It is not.

What is Cursing?
Cursing is a broad term for two basic kinds of profanity: (1) Taking the name of the Lord God in vain, and (2) Making vulgar, guttural references to human sexuality, anatomical parts and biological functions.

Taking the name of God in vain may be further defined as making any light, casual, unbelieving reference to God. Those who ask God to condemn something or someone do not have a Christian attitude toward others.

In most cases, those who condemn someone else are practical atheists, they really do not believe in a God who has the power to administer eternal punishment in the first place. They make a mockery of the concept of God and the concept of damnation. Ask people, who wish condemnation on others and you discover that most do not even believe in a literal "Hell." They make a mockery of a place the Bible says does exist.

Individuals for years have made vulgar references to sex and the human body. But only in recent years have these references been brought out into the public light through the mass media and electronic communications.

The Growth of Cursing
For centuries, vulgarity was used primarily by the unlearned – those who never learned to read or who had little or no education. They picked up such words from other unlearned people, some of them in the backwoods areas of our country. Those who did have the privilege of an education did not use such language – at least not in public. Originally, the media would not reproduce curse words in print. There was the danger that women and children would see or hear such words and be made vile because of them.

This appears to have been a fear that was justified. Today, many women and children think they are more socially acceptable when they use every vile word they can think of. Children are applauded by other children on the streets of our cities when they come up with a lewd reference to sex.

The mass media – newspapers, radio, motion pictures – made themselves slowly available to spread filthy language across the world. Until 1938, moviegoers were not subjected to vulgarity; it all began – as they shockingly discovered – with the movie "Gone With the Wind," in which Clark Gable cursed in the presence of Vivian Leigh. That started a snowballing effect in the use of profanity in movies; now, the situation is hopeless. Even movies suggested for general audiences contain vile and lewd words.

Examples of Cursing
Television has popularized "God's name" to mean a general emotional outburst when something shocking has been discovered. Yet, when a person utters this phrase, rarely is he even thinking of God – he is using the holy name of God in a light, irreverent manner. Centuries ago, the Jewish people feared even to write the letters "Jehovah" because this was the holy name of God, to be treated with all reverence and respect. And now God's name is thrown around with no sense of decency.

Why is Cursing Wrong
The basic reason cursing is wrong is because God says it is wrong. Furthermore, he puts great emphasis on the seriousness of cursing.

Exodus 20:7, "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." Jesus also repeated the prohibition against using God's name in vain in Matthew 5:33-37, "Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."