On Cursing, Cussing, and Profanity

I presented this lesson to Sts. Antony and Paul Sunday school Class of St Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, Ripon CA, on the First Sunday of the Great Lent, March 6th, 2022. Subdeacon Nabil Sharkawy, my fellow servant, head deacon, and Middle School Sunday School Coordinator, assisted me throughout the lesson. For a recording of this lesson, check the compressed audio file attached to the post. Content written in italics was not originally written in the first draft of this lesson plan.

March 6-Amshir 27 First Sunday of Lent Sunday School.m4a.zip

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In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God Amen.

In our modern world, swearing became a normal and passive action in life. Something hurts badly? Swear. And if it hurts terribly, include God into the mix for emphasis. It has reached such an evil degree that researchers nowadays have created for themselves evidence that prove their lies, stating that cursing helps emotional regulation and is a more honest communication method. Through God's grace, we will dissect what cursing is and the multitude of evils it brings with it.

Why do we swear?

Swearing, or the use of profanity, is the act of using obscene, profane, and derogatory terms in a conversation. The reason people curse is three-fold

Emotive response

People can swear as an impulsive, emotional response to disasters or unfortunate scenarios in their life. This response is rather immediate without any consideration or thinking, thus why it is very much an emotive and not a rational response.

Replying to insult, abuse, and exclusion

Oftentimes people feel that the best response to an insult is another heavier, more saturated insult. This profanity is most often laid to degrade, to abuse, or to exclude a certain person from certain cliques or groups.

Fitting in

Quite the contrary to the previous reason, some people feel the need to cuss in order to fit in to a certain group setting. By seeing others cuss in a liberated sense, one feels the need to throw in an expletive every other word.

Profanity word origin:

A "fane" (fanum) was a temple, a consecrated place, to pollute which was sure, according to

common belief, to bring down divine wrath upon the desecrater and all his interests. Hence why cultures early on believed that profanity had a certain weight to it, not as lightly used as it is today.

Weirdly enough, the same people who speak to the benefits of cursing and using profanities experience the magnitude of blessings that come with silence. Many research articles show the multiple benefits of silence, a complete polar opposite to the research promoting obscenities.

Reflecting over what we speak

In the gospel of John, the Bible says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

When God chose to be human, and described Himself to the world he came to save, He chose that we know Him as “the Word.” Therefore, every word we say in some shape or way forms a piece of our identity as God’s children.

Words are by their very own the definition of our own being. With words, we express ourselves and create meaning for ourselves. When God called us to be His, he called us out of His infinite love. God’s love language is speaking love to His creation.

“Out of the overflow of a man's heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45)

There is no way that you can call yourself a true Christian if your words and your actions do not back it up. A true Christian allows God to live in His heart and out of that He bases His words for the benefit of those around Him.

How powerful is language?

Read this short story to figure out the power of words, especially when curse words are used for "good."

Several years ago InterVarsity Fellowship Regional Director Gene Thomas was looking to buy a retreat center. He heard about a dude ranch for sale in the mountains southwest of Colorado Springs. When he visited Bear Trap Ranch, Gene could hardly contain his excitement. That property was exactly what he was looking for. He went back to Colorado Springs to see George Krause, the gruff president of the company that owned the mountain ranch in addition to the historic Antlers Hotel in Colorado Springs. When Gene said he was interested in buying Bear Trap Ranch, Krause shot back, "What in the hell do you want it for?”

"Well, actually," Gene replied, "hell has quite a bit to do with it. We want to tell college students about Jesus, and Jesus has this thing about hell. He wants to keep people out of it.

Disarmed by Gene Thomas' response, Krause offered to let InterVarsity have Bear Trap Ranch for $50,000. That was an incredibly low price given that Krause's Antlers Hotel had just invested $75,000 in new plumbing and furnishings at the ranch.

The InterVarsity board agreed to the purchase on the condition that Gene Thomas would raise the money himself. Gene agreed. Then, when Gene went back to Krause to confirm that InterVarsity would purchase the ranch, Krause told him that someone else had just offered him $150,000 cash for it. Gene's heart sank. Then, Krause continued, "However, I told him ´no´, and that I was going to sell it to people who were keeping college students out of hell."

The following sections are resources to help guide your thought process as you write about this hard topic:

Verses

For more verses check out https://www.openbible.info/topics/cussing

Ephesians 4:29

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Colossians 3:8

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

James 3:10

From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

Matthew 15:11

It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person

Matthew 12:36

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak

Proverbs 18:21

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

2 Timothy 2:16

But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness

Sayings of the Fathers

It was told of a brother who came to see Abba Arsenius at Scetis that, when he came to the church, he asked the clergy if he could visit Abba Arsenius. They said to him, 'Brother, have a little refreshment and then go and see him.' 'I shall not eat anything,' said he, 'till I have met him.' So, because Arsenius' cell was far away, they sent a brother with him. Having knocked on the door, they entered, greeted the old man and sat down without saying anything. Then the brother from the church said, 'I will leave you. Pray for me.' Now the visiting brother, not feeling at ease with the old man, said, 'I will come with you,' and they went away together. Then the visitor asked, 'Take me to Abba Moses, who used to be a robber.' When they arrived the Abba welcomed them joyfully and then took leave of them with delight. The brother who had brought the other one said to his companion, 'See, I have taken you to the foreigner and to the Egyptian, which of the two do you prefer?' 'As for me, he replied, 'I prefer the Egyptian.' Now a Father who heard this prayed to God saying, 'Lord, explain this matter to me: for Thy name's sake the one flees from men, and the other, for Thy name's sake, receives them with open arms.' Then two large boats were shown to him on a river and he saw Abba Arsenius and the Spirit of God sailing in the one, in perfect peace; and in the other was Abba Moses with the angels of God, and they were all eating honey cakes.

(ABC Arsenius 38//Arabic 123)

Many times I spoke and regretted, but I never regretted my silence.

Flee, be silent, and be still

(St Arsenius the Great)

What use is it to have a clean life and a foul mouth? The Lord says that everyone will be justified or condemned by his own words. One who speaks ill cannot be thought to live well. Many vices are implied in speaking ill of another, whether this means talking basely or disparaging the good of another or telling deceitful tales or lies. All these are repugnant. But good and sober reports are gratifying to those who hear them. They set an example. God is glorified in such words, which build up faith in Christ.

A good word is one that serves to build upon the occasion, communicating grace to the hearers because it teaches them to pursue virtues and shun vices. An evil word is one that prompts them to sin and rather drives them headlong into disaster…. Whenever we say what is not in season or inappropriate for the context, or that which does not contribute to the good of the hearers, an evil word proceeds from our mouth…. Even if we do no direct harm, yet we are not thereby building up. We shall pay the penalty of an evil word. (St Jerome)

By saying, for edifying, either he means this, that he who hears you may be grateful to you: as, for instance, a brother has committed fornication; do not make a display of the offense, nor revel in it; you will be doing no good to him that hears you; rather, it is likely, you will hurt him, by giving him a stimulus. Whereas, advise him what to do, and you are conferring on him a great obligation. Discipline him how to keep silence, teach him to revile no man, and you have taught him his best lesson, you will have conferred upon him the highest obligation. Discourse with him on contrition, on piety, on almsgiving; all these things will soften his soul, for all these things he will own his obligation. Whereas by exciting his laughter, or by filthy communication, you will rather be inflaming him. Applaud the wickedness, and you will overturn and ruin him. (John Chrysostom)