I have a friend who swears the way most people would use a comma. When she's around me and suddenly becomes aware of her swearing she feels the need to apologize. Knowing I'm a Christian she believes it offends me. I actually don't notice her swearing. Nor do I care. It's kinda cute really.
Which begs the question, why do we as a church (especially) generally believe certain words to be bad?
“But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” - Colossians 3:8 (NIV)
I think it's important we differentiate using a swear word from 'swearing'. There isn't much innately wrong with a swear word. The heart of swearing, the reason it's offensive is because it's been allied to wrath, impatience, frustration and insult. Swear words have become affiliated with these because of how they've been used down the ages. Using one of these words doesn't have to be inherently offensive, but the way you use it might.
If people started saying 'fluffy bunnies' in angry response, maybe it too could become a swear word. If used consistently and adopted by wider culture, perhaps the world at large would know the phrase 'fluffy bunnies' to be offensive.
I should hope nobody thinks I'm implying the liberal use of swearing is a good idea. There are better words to use and it's not particularly articulate. I use to swear at everything. Just for gigs and shiggles. I was pretty good at it too, but I gave up a few years ago - much to the lament of my friends. I found myself an angry person doing it and it wasn't worth the detriment of my character. Which is a shame 'cause swearing can make things funnier. Maybe it's the novelty, or maybe it's how the words sound. Regardless there are more skilful ways to induce comedy.
I've come to learn though that a swear word can be just like any other. A word isn't bad in itself because a 'u', k', 'c' and 'f' are arranged in certain order - rather from the malice they've been abused with, the malice we've connected it to.
I'm not against swear words, what I am against is the legalism that taboos them in absolute. It strikes me as absent from the redemption and freedom that Christ offers to our lives.
So the next time someone drops one from the pulpit, whether it's tacky or warranted, pointless or meaningful - look past the word and rather at the heart of what they're saying.
