Greetings.
I identify as Christian. I'm from the Uniting Church in Australia which is a blend of Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregationalist denominations. I lean Methodist but also learn from some Evangelical sources. I'm a fairly new Christian, so bear that in mind, please.
Thanks. I was raised Methodist, but left. I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
My opinion on cussing is that it should be minimised in most speech because it's not very polite. But to focus just on not cussing misses the greater point of scripture. It's like being married and sleeping with another person is adultery, sure, but it's also not great to sit there with a slack jaw ogling every pretty guy or gal who walks past. Likewise with our language, we should try and speak properly, not with hated, not with dirty jokes (a real challenge for me to avoid...) or gossiping, and not with cussing.
Yes. I agree, cursing is not the only vice Christians should avoid.
Our words reflect our thoughts and Christians should be turning towards God as much as they can. Does a face before God speak unwholesome words?
Good point.
Personally, I don't see a problem with cussing in the appropriate context, like when you get a big fright or stub your toe. Although these days I'm more likely to blurt "sugar!" than "sh!#" haha. And sometimes we need to use strong language to make a particular point.
Why do you view those as "appropriate" times?
I know there are some people that ask God for a few minutes to "tell off" someone... not in the nicest of words.
I don't think you agree with that, but swearing when one makes a mistake... Isn't that like saying, there are appropriate times to behave like a worldly person, similar to asking God for a second... but in your mind?
How would one be able to say they have a Christian identity, if they strip off their 'Christian garment' momentarily, so that they can have a moment with a worldly jacket?
Are we not required to strip off the old personality?
Romans 6:6
6 For we know that our old personality was nailed to the stake along with him in order for our sinful body to be made powerless, so that we should no longer go on being slaves to sin.
(Ephesians 4:22-31)
22 You were taught to put away the old personality that conforms to your former course of conduct and that is being corrupted according to its deceptive desires. 23 And you should continue to be made new in your dominant mental attitude, 24 and should put on the new personality that was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.
29 Let a rotten word not come out of your mouth, but only what is good for building up as the need may be, to impart what is beneficial to the hearers.
31 Put away from yourselves every kind of malicious bitterness, anger, wrath, screaming, and abusive speech, as well as everything injurious. 32 But become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another just as God also by Christ freely forgave you.
(Colossians 3:9-10)
9 Strip off the old personality with its practices, 10 and clothe yourselves with the new personality,. . .
That seems to be saying make a transformation... Like from a caterpillar ro a butterfly. The butterfly does not revert to being a caterpillar at any time.
Understandably, change may take time, and during that change slipups can happen, but none of us are perfect, so mistakes are understood.
However, if we don't hate the bad, we won't make the effort to stop.
Many persons do not see the danger of giving into a treacherous heart, but I am sure you would agree with this scripture...
(Jeremiah 17:9-10)
9 The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate. Who can know it?
10 I, Jehovah, am searching the heart, Examining the innermost thoughts, To give to each one according to his ways, According to the fruitage of his works.
Jesus himself said, ". . .out of the heart’s abundance his mouth speaks. . ." (Luke 6:45)
Thus, words coming out of our mouth is revealing what's in our heart.
In other words, it's a tell tale sign that our heart is treasuring up the desires of this world - holding on to the part of the world we inwardly do not want to let go of.
So what is the Uniting Church teaching on entertainment promoting profanity?
There are quite a lot of movies with cussing and swearing.
Gone are the days when children were not subjected to hearing profanity in "family" movies, but nowadays, I find they squeeze them in. almost as though deliberately.
I think it is deliberate.
It's similar to the porn that pops up on social media sites, where children frequent.
Satan's design is writen all over these things. 1 John 5:19
Just as an aside...
When I was searching for the gif in the OP, I came across gifs with children doing some really inappropriate things, in what is known as subliminal images.
Though not obscene in itself, I think these images may be too suggestive to share here.
