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WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY? (1)

The Condemnation of Cussing

Victor M. Eskew

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    In Luke 4:22, we are given a description of the kind of words Jesus spoke.

 

And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth…

 

1.      The Greek word for “gracious” is “charis” from which we get the word “grace.”

2.      Definition:

a.      Strong (5485):  graciousness

b.      Thayer:  that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech

 

B.      When I grew up, speech, especially in public, was much more “gracious” than it is now.

1.      Very few would ever cuss in public.

2.      Television shows did not contain profanity.

3.      Very few songs on the radio had vulgar language.

4.      Children were taught not to cuss, and this included the use of euphemisms.

5.      Cuss words were only used by people who were very worldly and ungodly.

 

C.     Just one word found in a movie that was 4-1/2 hours in length caused a great commotion in 1939.

1.      The movie was “Gone with the Wind.”

2.      The word was a cuss word.

3.      Most adults can quote the line that has the cuss word in it.  It begins with the words:  “Frankly, my dear…”

 

D.    Sadly, our world of words has become much more corrupt than the words of yesteryear.

1.      Movies and television shows are filled with cussing.

2.      Television commercials will sometimes have a cuss word in them.

3.      Songs often have several cuss words in them.

4.      Many coaches, even of children’s leagues, will let ugly words fly with regularity.

5.      Parents will use them when chastising their children.

6.      There are even some youth group leaders who do not believe that cussing is wrong.

7.      Some of the most vile cuss words are found in some places.  There are some people who do not hesitate to take the Lord’s name in vain.

 

E.      The title of our lesson is :  “What Did You Just Say?”

1.      This is what my mom would say to us if she thought we said a bad word.  (NOTE:  Bad words included euphemisms back then).

2.      Picture:

Image may contain: text that says 'When you accidentally say a curse word in front of mom...'

3.      We have subtitled our lesson:  “The Condemnation of Cussing.”

 

I.                   WHAT IS CUSSING?

 

A.    Cuss

1.      The word “cuss” is an American term that dates back to 1765.

2.      It is a shortened form of the word “curse.

a.      The “r” is omitted.

b.      The “u” is shortened.

3.      It simply means profanity.

 

B.      Profanity

1.      Profane

a.      Characterized by irreverence or contempt for God or sacred principles or things; irreligious.

b.      Not devoted to holy or religious purposes; unconsecrated; secular (opposed to sacred).

2.      Vulgar or irreverent actions or speech

 

C.     Vulgar language

1.      Vulgar comes from a Latin word which means “of the common man.”

a.      The common men were uneducated.

b.      The common men did not have a good breeding.

c.       The common men did not have good taste.

2.      The language of the common man was not good. 

a.      It was indecent, obscene, and lewd.

b.      It was crude, course, and unrefined

 

D.    Indecent language

1.      Unbecoming or unseemly

2.      Not in conformity to the generally accepted standards of decency

 

E.      Obscene language

1.      Offensive to morality or decency…depraved

2.      Abominable, disgusting, repulsive

 

F.      Foul language

1.      The word has a history that means “to stink.”

2.      Grossly offensive, loathsome

 

G.     Corrupt language

1.      Depraved, perverted, wicked evil

2.      To lower morality

3.      To alter for the worse

 

H.    Evil language

1.      Morally wrong or bad; immoral

2.      Harmful; injurious

 

I.        Dirty words

1.      Dirty comes from the word “dirt.”

2.      Soiled, foul, unclean, polluted

3.      Vile, mean, sordid, contemptible

 

J.        Offensive language

1.      Unpleasant or disagreeable to the sense

2.      Repugnant to the moral sense, good taste; insulting

 

II.                WHY DO PEOPLE DO IT?

 

A.    They grew up in an environment of foul language.

1.      There are many children who grow up in households wherein their parents cuss all of the time.

2.      The children are not taught a sense of right and wrong when it comes to the use of their tongue. 

 

B.      To be tough

1.      Cuss words are sometimes used to express authority and control over others.

2.      The bully, the coach, the officer in the military

3.      They use it as a form of intimidate toward those who are weaker or who are under them in authority.

 

C.     Surprised

1.      There are times when individuals are surprised by someone else and a cuss word will fly out.

2.      Oftentimes, these are not intentional. 

 

D.    When one gets hurt

1.      We often us the illustration of a person hitting his thumb with a hammer.

2.      Why a cuss word seems appropriate more than another word, I am not sure.  (NOTE:  One article suggested that cussing releases pain-relieving chemicals in the body that general words do not release, Why the #$%& Do We Curse When We Feel Pain!? | SiOWfa16: Science in Our World: Certainty and Controversy (psu.edu)).

 

E.      Anger

1.      Anger is an emotion that can quickly get out of control.

2.      The Bible warns us to be angry and sin not (Eph. 4:26).

 

F.      Extreme stress

1.      Stress also causes many negative emotions to be expressed in our lives.

2.      Stress can cause depression and sadness.  These feelings will often pour out in a person’s life through very negative words, including cuss words.

 

G.     To afflict harm on another

1.      Words can be used as weapons to inflict harm on another.

2.      Many cuss words are nouns that are used to describe another in an extremely negative way.

 

H.    To add emphasis to a statement

1.      Some statements do not seem “powerful” enough unless a cuss word is used within them.

2.      NOTE:  This often reflects ignorance on the part of the person who is speaking.  If his vocabulary were larger, he could communicate without cuss words and have the same, if not greater, impact.

I.        Intoxicated

1.      Alcohol lessons a person’s prohibitions.  What a person would not do if not intoxicated, will be done when intoxicated.

2.      Alcohol seems to loosen the reigns of the tongue.

 

J.        To fit in

1.      Friends or co-workers cuss

2.      They do not want to be classified as a “goody two-shoes” or as “holier-than-thou.”

 

K.     Ignorance

1.      Have never been taught

2.      Do not see cussing as a “big deal”

 

L.      Influence of the world:  friends, TV, music, books, games, boss, leaders

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    Words like dirty, vulgar, profane, corrupt, and evil that describe a type of speech should immediately alert the Christian to their inappropriateness.

 

B.      Committing sin can never be justified.  In other words, the “why” of cursing is not important. 

 

C.     Psalm 19:14

 

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.