Cana person who swears....??

[tiancum]

Someone in my ward made this comment...I thought it was funny.....NO....laughable.

"It is impossible for a person who swears to have a strong testimony."

[Hemidakota]

I guess Elder Golden J Kimball is a problem then....LOL

[rosie321]

Impossible probably not but it certainly would make it more difficult to have a strong testimony.

Other members may find it difficult to hang around with someone who swears. A persons social influences will then change creating a change in the social pull to stay on track.

While it may make a person seem more acceptable to non-members they may in actuality become a laughing stock for those outside the church. Members should avoid all appearances of evil and be an example of the faith. If a member is swearing how different are they? Why should non members follow?

The easier it is to justify one wrong the easier it is to justify others.

If they are swearing using the Lords name in vain then they are breaking one of the basic commandments. According to the scriptures wickedness never was happiness.

It may seem like just a few words who cares. Ask the Lord and see what He thinks.

[Canuck Mormon]

Well than my testimony must not be as strong as I think it is.

That's a joke. My testimony is quite strong, in my opinion, and I occasionally slip in a swear word or two.

[Hemidakota]

Apostle Kimball was quick to repent as I suspect others due when it slips.

[NeuroTypical]

"It is impossible for a person who swears to have a strong testimony."

I want to say something flippant and insulting like "that's a d*mn lie". But after thinking it over, I think a better response would be something like "The same goes for the unrighteously judgemental!"

LM

[StrawberryFields]

I don't think it has much to do with a testimony.

I think swearing shows a lack of respect for ourselves and those around us.

[Aphrodite]

I think if you let one slip occasionally that statement is untrue. But if you swear like a trooper, maybe yes. Me and hubbys language is quite bad actually....I should sort it out in case I end up swearing in front of someone I really dont want to lol.

[Hemidakota]

How many us are still using the word 'GOSH' replacing 'GOD'? Is this still wrong?

[VisionOfLehi]

How many us are still using the word 'GOSH' replacing 'GOD'? Is this still wrong?

At my state of progression, yes, it is!

It's a minced oath, a "replacement" for taking God's name in vain... The same applies to "Geeze!" and "Sheesh!", which are minced oaths of the Lord Jesus.

"For Pete's Sake" is another, Pete referring to Peter the Apostle.

"Dern" "Dang" "Darn" seem pretty tame, but we all know what they're replacing.

"Flip" "Fetch" "Fudge" "Freaking" are again obvious replacements.

L. Tom Perry, “Thy Speech Reveals Thee,” New Era, Jul 2007, 2–5

Many times in our effort to refrain from improper speech, we find words to substitute. Sometimes they are so close to vulgar phrases everyone probably knows that we are substituting words and have not really improved our vocabulary.

I have been appalled at times as I have listened to returning missionaries speak in sacrament meeting. I have heard the words, phrases, or sentences they have picked up in the mission field that were really substitutes for vulgarity, demonstrating their inability to master a proper vocabulary and give the correct impression of what they had been doing on their missions.

How to Improve Your Speech

To anyone who has followed the practice of using profanity or vulgarity and would like to correct the habit, could I offer this suggestion?

• 1. Make the commitment to erase such words from your vocabulary.
• 2. If you slip and say a swear word or a substitute word, mentally reconstruct the sentence without the vulgarity or substitute word.
• 3. Repeat the new sentence aloud.

That's what I try to do. I slip a lot, but usually just with the substitute words, but if you're really trying, you improve quickly!

Anyway, I still swear sometimes. I was shocked at myself that I let an f-bomb slip after I parked my car and found out I was parked wrong, after I'd already gotten out. The rain today had stressed me out and I wasn't thinking. However, I have a VERY strong testimony that I'm happy to share with others.

[Hemidakota]

Good to hear that...it was a response to questional terms we still use and should not.

[john doe]

How many us are still using the word 'GOSH' replacing 'GOD'? Is this still wrong?

I think it depends on you. Are you thinking 'GOD' when you are saying 'Gosh'? Or are you thinking 'GOSH'?

[rosie321]

I think it boils down to what kind of men and women do we want to be?

What will help our testimony or potentially hurt it? What good does swearing do for us?

Sure it may be possible to say a few swear words and still have a testimony. Everyone slips up and forgiveness is possible. But how much is too much? When does a little become uncontrollable or lead to other things?

Substitution in order to continue swearing in an exceptable way makes me think of a wolf in sheeps clothing. While it may be more culturally accepted a wolf is still a wolf no matter how you dress it up.

"It is IMPOSSIBLE for a person who swears to have a strong testimony is an extreme statement but something worth consideration. Each thing we do bears some consequence. How do we want to be known?

"All things are possible not all things are profitable".

[JohnBirchSociety]

Someone in my ward made this comment...I thought it was funny.....NO....laughable.

"It is impossible for a person who swears to have a strong testimony."

"Profanity is the attempt of a feeble mind to communicate effectively"

[WillowTheWhisp]

I think I must be totally lacking in testimony because I say "gosh" and "crumbs" and "flippin nora!" and when I am particularly frustrated or stressed I say "rats" or "rabbits". I don't associate the words with profanity or with taking God's name in vain. It was a teenage lad who informed me that when I said "crikey" I was actually inviting Christ to kill me. I wasn't even aware that it was a substitute for anything. It has always simply been an exclamation of amazement to me.

[VisionOfLehi]

I think we need some expressions of exclamations.

I've made up one of my own. "Tasty macaroons!" Just utter nonsense for when the brain doesn't know what to say.

Feel free to use it

[Moksha]

Judas Priest and Land 'O Goshen!

(never did understand what was meant by that latter-day Mormon cuss expression)

[WillowTheWhisp]

I've never heard that 2nd one. The first one is a rock group isn't it?

[tiancum]

It's a minced oath, a "replacement" for taking God's name in vain...

like a "Postum" of swear words? It seems to me that replacing them would be a good idea, not bad. 'cept for.....

"Tasty macaroons!"

THAT IS offensive!! my dad choked on that cookie and died, two years before i was born. I remember like it was yesterday.

[Elphaba]

THAT IS offensive!! my dad choked on that cookie and died, two years before i was born. I remember like it was yesterday.

T,

Since I swear like a truck driver, but have been absolutely pristine while posting on the board, I'll tell you my favorite substitution (mostly because I made it up myself):

"I'm gonna mow your grass!"

Actually, I used it in real life once. It worked really well because one has to pause to make sure he/she heard right. Of course, it was my daughter and she thought it was stupid, just like everything else I do.

You figure it out.

Elphaba

[john doe]

T,

Since I swear like a truck driver, but have been absolutely pristine while posting on the board, I'll tell you my favorite substitution (mostly because I made it up myself):

"I'm gonna mow your grass!"

Actually, I used it in real life once. It worked really well because one has to pause to make sure he/she heard right. Of course, it was my daughter and she thought it was stupid, just like everything else I do.

You figure it out.

Elphaba

That's interesting. Among my coworkers, to 'cut (insert name here)'s grass' means to make a move on or do something that may impress their boy/girlfriend. It's a common phrase in our conversations.

[erichazelle]

Though I agree that public cursing is unbecoming a Saint (and I say this not without this sin on my conscience), I think there's a more serious side to this argument. When we swear, it usually comes from feelings of anger, contempt or other un-Christ-like attitudes in our hearts. I think swearing is just the tip of the iceberg, an indication of darkness in our hearts that we need to examine. Christ used epithets, referring to Herod as a "fox" (though a cool term for females in our time, it wasn't then), and the Pharisees as "whited sepulchers", a strong denunciation of them. Joseph Smith said he'd prefer a man who swore a streak as long as his arm but treated his fellowman justly, than the smooth-faced pious hypocrite who will backstab his fellow-man. (Sorry, paraphrase, don't know where the original quote is.) So, obviously, there is a mix here; when Christ used epithets, it was proper, and when Joseph Smith placed swearing in context with other worse sins, it was enlightening. We shouldn't get too hung up on the minutiae of obedience be it swearing, Word of Wisdom, or most anything.

[NeuroTypical]

"Profanity is the attempt of a feeble mind to communicate effectively"

That's one explanation for the phenomena, but not the only explanation.

[tubaloth]

erichazelle kind of stole my thunder. But that answer was better then anything I could say. I think the key here is the word "strong." Can you really have a "Strong" testimony if you swear? That leads us to what is having a Strong Testimony over having just a Testimony. Like erichazelle, kind of showed swearing is just the tip of something a little deeper, are we quick to anger. I are we loose with our tongue.

Really can we be feeling the spirit as “Strong” when we are in our swearing mood vs when we use our replacement words. My dad would have his occasional swearing when he gets frustrated or mad. It has always bothered me when people swear. I never understand it. I don’t understand it more now when people swear I guess to be cool?

I think this is kind of one of those WWJD type of things.

[Elphaba]

That's interesting. Among my coworkers, to 'cut (insert name here)'s grass' means to make a move on or do something that may impress their boy/girlfriend. It's a common phrase in our conversations.

Hi John,

I've never heard of that. You are in Utah, aren't you? I am as well, so you're right. It is interesting because I have never heard that phrase before.

Sort of makes mine difficult to decipher, as it defnitely is NOT what "I'm gonna mow your grass" means.

Elphaba