Swearing and the Bible

[godlytomatosoup]

There actually IS swearing in the Bible - Paul says 'shit' and an expletive regarding castration. I do believe the Hebrew for filthy rags (used in the book of Zephaniah and elsewhere) is expletive too.

When you read 'filthy rags' in the Bible, they're not talking about something you used for spring cleaning. It means used menstrual rags. In a warm climate. In a society in which you're not even allowed to touch a woman who's menstruating. So yeah, sounds like an expletive to me.

[pomology]

Dawbs, that is exactly it! :)

I get a kick out of explaining Bible stories to my pals. I went to a school where we had daily Scripture lessons and religious assembly. So I can always shock normal people by relating some of the juicier parts of the Bible. "What, it really says THAT? No, you're having a laugh now."

My brother didn't get the same dubious benefit and he's just now trying to read the Bible (he's interested in religions.) So last night I was trying to explain some things to him and realised I swear quite a lot. My explanation included the time when God said "Don't fuck with me, pal", that Jonah was a sulky bastard with a petted lip and that Paul was a fiscal, so no one would give him shite. And what all the bollocks with the gourd was about.

Yeah, that is definitely what I do. I've told several of my friends the story of Esther (because most non-Jews aren't familiar with it and I want to explain why Purim is awesome) and it always involves phrases like "And so Haman was like 'Bow to me' and Mordechai was like 'No' and Haman was like 'What the fuck?'"

[DarkAnts]

Actually it's in several places. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29 "For, Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech." 1 Peter 3:10. "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." James 3:9-12.

I do agree with you about it being the most important lesson, if you look at all the verses about loving each other and how to treat your fellow man and compare it to the handful of verses about sex and swearing it doesn't add up.

This once again shows that the most important lesson to learn from the bible is how to treat your fellow man. I am always asking myself if my words or actions are going to hurt others. If the answer is yes then I dont do it. Its such an easy principle to live, but its the one that is often overlooked.

Its sad to see people like the Duggars follow all sorts of silly rules and miss the overall message in the bible. They say that they are living a biblical life, but their actions are dont reflect this.

[Arete]

For years I kept the depth of my vocabulary from grandma. So here I was a grown woman visiting granny and her phone rang. Deep breather. This is the days before caller ID. So I said "Fuck Off!" and hung up the phone. Grandma looked at me like I had sprouted a second head and said "How dare you use that kind of vile language!" " But, but, granny, it was a deep breather!" "I don't care who it was, next time that happens I'm getting the soap!" :naughty:

As to swearing in explaining biblical stories, I wouldn't sweat it JFC. We are talking about a book that describes, among other things; incest, rape, castration, genocide, adultery, talking animals, witches, "spilling your seed", sacrificing your child, killing your brother, cruising in the belly of a whale for 3 days, crucifixion, hanging with women of ill repute, stoning your bratty kids and burning forever in a lake of fire. And that's with centuries of editorial clean up. Some profanity, a drink, and a little recreational vegetation while reading or performing exegesis hardly seems out of order given some of the material.

[Lady]

This once again shows that the most important lesson to learn from the bible is how to treat your fellow man. I am always asking myself if my words or actions are going to hurt others. If the answer is yes then I dont do it. Its such an easy principle to live, but its the one that is often overlooked.

Its sad to see people like the Duggars follow all sorts of silly rules and miss the overall message in the bible. They say that they are living a biblical life, but their actions are dont reflect this.

It's much harder to treat your fellow man well than it is to wear a skirt and not swear.

[darareaksmey]

I remember getting in trouble for "Egads" as a kid.

And I remember being a high-schooler, writing a 'humor' section of my student newspaper which mom saw (not intentionally) and getting reamed out for being a bad example because I used "#@%!".

Apparently pretending to swear in keyboard characters was a big fucking deal. :roll:

I teach catechism, and I thought I would drop my teeth when I sat in on a co-teacher's lesson this year about not taking the Lord's name in vain. She kept emphasizing how one shouldn't even write or say "OMG" because it means Omigod, and not in a prayerful or praising sense. My daughter, never a shrinking violet, is in the class; and I held my breath hoping she would not pipe up "BUT MY MOM SAYS IT ALL THE TIME!!" I guess she must not have been paying attention that day because she didn't volunteer that info.

[Guest Anonymous]

IMO (and I'm just speaking about my own behavior only), swearing while reading the Bible or in church is just plain wrong. And yes, that makes me a hypocrite since do let some colorful language fly out of mouth at times. What other people do in this regard is none of my business, and for me to say anything or pass judgement would make me an bigger hypocrite.