Character: Swearing and Self Restraint
I've heard many people ask a valid question – “Where in the Bible does it say 'not to swear?”. Often this question is coupled with whether swearing is a minor 'sin' when compared with failing to help the poor and needy.
As a person who loathes swearing (but falls in this area myself) - I thought that I would see whether there was anything in the Bible that answers this question:
Hos 4:1-4 “There is no truth or mercy, Or knowledge of God in the Land. By swearing and lying, by killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break all restraint.” Interesting that swearing is, coupled with both lack of mercy and lack of truth – and well as with ‘breaking restraint’.
I guess we should aim for the whole deal – the social concern as well as discipline over our tongues.
3 Comments:
Welsome... Interestng Blog so far. :)
I always attributed the definition of the word "swearing" in Hosea to "making an oath." Does the translation of the Hebrew actually mean "saying bad words"?
In my opinion (albeit a fairly recent one), swearing isn't the problem. Swearing, in and of itself, is pretty harmless in most circumstances -- and allows us to offload a lot of stress/frustration/anger/etc. in a non-violent way. The problem with swearing occurs (mostly) when it is directed at another person (i.e., the love is then lost). Even swearing at God isn't so bad, considering His grace and forgiveness for us -- and we all get angry at God now and then. But when it is directed at our neighbors... That is when we sin.
Using the Lord's name in vein as opposed to swearing... Swearng, to me, is just swearing. Even the traditional view of using the Lord's name in vein. To me, the sin of using the Lord's name in vein is using His name to curse or smite another person without direct consent from Him... And, really, who of us ever has direct consent to do that? By using the Lord's name in this way, we are basically dishonoring what God might have done Himself. This is bad.
I'm in a 2 cents mood this morning. :)
By
timsamoff, at 6/04/2004 9:32 pm
g'day lionfish - found you via Rod Olson and have been following the comments on Phil's blog.
If you've read my comments then you'd know I am not in favour of being foul mouthed, but I am also very cautious about US being the language police.
What I consider to be swearing may be very different to you. I agree with Tim that maybe Hosea is not too concerned with whether we say crap or bugger or whatever.
By
backyardmissionary, at 6/04/2004 9:39 pm
Thanks for your comments Tim and Hamo...This Blog only went up last night and I didn't expect any feed back just yet any way - but hey - that's great.
I'm not a judgemental guy (well maybe only a little bit), so dont get me wrong...but as part of my own journey I write to think out loud and deal with certain issues.
Not sure about the Hebrew translation but I've always taken the 'swearing' thing to mean a variety of things from oath's to the use of "vulgar slang" as a number of words are classified in the dictionary. Its when it causes offense to others it becomes a problem - where there is offense there is a risk of love being lost (hurt). It may also lead to us being less than we are designed to be in terms of being restrained or self-controlled if it (swearing) becomes a habitual ouburst and consequently part of our character.
Cheers guys :-)
By
Lionfish, at 6/04/2004 11:20 pm
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