Back in 2018, when Beto O’Rourke ran for the senate against Ted Cruz, I received a political phone call from O’Rourke’s campaign. I decided to make a point. I told the worker I would never vote for someone who used profanity in campaigning, like he did. It floored the young lady. “But, he is so passionate about his positions.” She couldn’t understand why profanity could be considered such a negative. She had never heard such a thing!
Beto was fairly novel at the time. Of course, societal use of profanity has a long history in our nation. But in the public discourse of political speech (not in the backrooms, but in campaign speeches and television appearances) it was still rather uncommon.
We can’t say that anymore! Profanity has left its “acceptable” place on cable TV and DVD’s, and now it is everywhere. I have intended to write this article for several weeks, but finally did after over 20 Democrat politicians went to social media preceding President Trump’s address to the joint houses last night. The messages were coordinated, all almost identical, and all with a “catchphrase” prominently showcasing a filthy, scatological term to make their point.
In fact, both parties commonly curse to make their points heard. It doesn’t phase most people because it has become so common. Unfortunately, even among those who profess their faith proudly.
Profanity is the parlance of the fool. Why curse when there is such a magnificent language with which to discourse?
Theodore Roosevelt
Let me give you another example. There is an app that is being advertised on TV called Hallow. It is an app that is supposed to help remind you to pray. I’m not familiar with it, but I am familiar enough with the two representatives of the app that appear in the commercials. Mark Walberg and Chris Pratt, both Catholics who are movie stars. Both do not hesitate to use profanity in their performances and social appearances. In other words, though considering themselves devout Christians (and receiving such consideration from others), they have no problem with using the Lord’s name in vain, and using other corrupt speech in their daily lives. Most people in our country and culture use profanity frequently. Most people in our country have no clue what God thinks about it, or do not care. We do! What does God have to say?
First, consider the great reverence the Jews had for God’s name. This was required of them. This was codified in the 10 commandments, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7). Here the threat of God here was not an empty one. On another occasion, priests of God offered something “profane” (common or unclean) in their offerings to God, and He executed them! (cf. Leviticus 10). God’s explanation? “By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy” (Leviticus 10:3). And, it was God, not Nadab and Abihu, who determined what “regarded as holy” was to be!
Jews became so concerned about violating this command that they stopped using the Lord’s name (the tetragrammaton, YWHW), substituting the word Adonai, meaning “my Lord”, to avoid the sin of blasphemy.
But more is made clear in the New Testament. For example, the control of the tongue is extremely important for Christians. “But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” (James 3:8-10). Put simply, to ANY who claim to be Christian, but use curses, blasphemies or other types of profanity, “these things ought not to be so.” If you think I am a prude, naïve, or too easily put off by something so ‘unimportant’, take it up with the Holy Spirit!
The foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing…is a vice so mean and low, without any temptation, that every man of sense and character detests and despises it.
George Washington
Finally, consider in this short article the words penned by Paul in his letter to the Colossians. “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth” (Colossians 3:8). You will note that anger, wrath, malice and blasphemy can all be expressed verbally. They are sinful uses of the tongue, as is gossip and lying. But there is a blanket condemnation of any type of profanity in the phrase, “filthy language out of your mouth.”
Regardless of societal usage and acceptability, God will not let profanity go unpunished because we otherwise do what is right. That is false and foolish. We can’t serve God that way. We must surrender our whole heart and soul to the Lord. As Paul wrote, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
