Cana person who swears....??

[VisionOfLehi]

Teacups and applesauce!

[Guest Kamperfoelie]

i was kind of told that swearing (genuine swearing, like words coming out before your brain has a chance to intercept) is like praying in tongues only not inspired by the right.

im new here tho, and dont know anything, so please dont take my word for it and please proove me wrong, but it seemed plausible at the time

i dont understand tho, if you've the presence of mind to

a) consider: i am about to swear

b) distinguish that as a bad thing, and decide against it

c) consider what it will look like to the outside world

d) rework your exclamation in your head, into "honeybees and honkytonk" or somesuch - before you say it.

Then why dont you just decide not to do it?

[skippy740]

The first time someone uses profanity, it is to impress someone.

When was the last time you were impressed by someone using profanity?

[tiancum]

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

that's almost like a slogan...

to assert that anyone who swears is feeble minded is simply not true.

The first time someone uses profanity, it is to impress someone.

When was the last time you were impressed by someone using profanity?

I like that.

[jjrogers]

I have a swearing problem. I grew up with a mother that swore. I still haven't figured out how to kick the habit. I would love to kick the habit. Does it offend others, probably. But most of our sins offend others. According to my mother in law and father in law swearing is a worse sin than masturbation or pornography. I am terrible for swearing and can't go to the celestial kingdom because I swear.. But if I had a problem with porn, they would be telling me that it is okay and I can still go to the celestial kingdom.

By the way, I am completely active, have a strong testimony. I even served a mission. As a mom I am striving to teach my children differently. But like every single person here I still have sins I am overcoming. Mine just happens to be more noticable than other people's.

[skalenfehl]

Aside from constant prayer, perhaps giving up one swear word at a time, jj? Think of the word you loathe most and kick it out of your vocabulary. Once you've stopped using it, work on the next and continue praying. Soon you will find that you don't swear anymore.

[tiancum]

I was thinking of one of the people i know, and she is one of the most spiritual people, and powerful people i have ever met. She has literally called down the powers of heaven many times.

Most of the time, when i hear a person swear, i little part of me cringes. Occasionally, when she swears, it sounds, pure, and is not offensive in the least. When i heard her, i thought, this isn't swearing.

Is it possible to use a word we consider swearing, and have it not be ugly/offensive to the spirit? While another can say the same thing and it sounds horrible????

[sgallan]

Somebody please define swearing for me. For example - in english - I have a friend named d*ck, who has a p*ssy cat, and lives near a dam. That p*ssy cat got pregnant, and the b*tch had a littler of nine kittens. While helping the b*tch give birth D*ck got a pr*ck in his finger.

Now technically speaking there is nothing wrong with anything I said. I even put it in a context (with a real person and a real event that happened though is was me who got finger pr*ck) where it isn't remotely profane. Not even any double meanings in this context. There are people named D*ck. One can pr*ck their finger. A female cat is a b*tch. A dam is a dam. And any number of children books call cats, p*ssy cats. I am sure examples such as this could be shown in any language.

Given all of this..... what is profanity Carlins seven dirty words? Taking the Lords name in vain? Or is it a subjective "useage" determination that is in the eye of the beholder? Please clarify.

[VisionOfLehi]

Actually, it's female DOGS, not cats, so you pretty much just swore there.

It's swearing by the context, the word, the tone of voice, and it's purpose. Profanity has been decided by some court judges as "I know it when I see it." Because people do.

[Maya]

Weird thing about swearing... it is much easier to swear in an other language. I NEVER swear in my own language.. well you can count it with one hand and I am over 50. But in Norwegean it is much easier, I think I have sworn in norwegean a couple of times. I do not have a emotional connection to the norwegean language.. or english as a matter of fact. Some words are considered very strong, but to me they are not like a word connectiong meaning go away.. or the word skitt norwegean word skitten= dirty.

As I watch american movies they can use f words as much as they want to.. I may notice it, but it kind of dont stay... but IF I listen to the finnish radio, or see the movey and they use the V word or the p word or the J word ... I get sick and usually get tired of listening and close the programm. It really bugs me!

Once I by mistake heard a fight between my daughter and her husband... she is not a member... I was astonished by the language she used... actually so astonished that I closed the phone...

Luckily my sons too do not use real bad words, but they do use some softswearing... been talking to them about it... I heard my hubby swear ab. twice in 19 years... My husband says our boys use bad words.. but how would I know I dont even know the bad words in norwegean.

[john doe]

Funny that you should bring up other languages. I have a theory that some people swear much more easily in other languages because it doesn't mean the same thing to them as it does to people who are natives. I have Mexican acquaintances who swear up a storm in english but wouldn't think of using so many bad words in spanish. They don't stop to think about what the equivalent words mean in their native tongue. The bad words they use are just words to them, with no real meaning behind them. To them, the 'f' word may as well mean 'fart'.

[pam]

When using the word "gosh" or "shoot" etc...I still feel remains with how you really feel you are using those words. I use those words but I'm not thinking of what the alternative words would be when I'm using them. If that makes sense at all. It's almost midnight and I rarely make sense this late. (okay what is my excuse for the rest of the day?) My mom, when I was growing up, used to use "beans" when she got angry.

[Maya]

If I have to say something I say "patti" which means... uh... bump, lump, knot , I do shoot sometimes or kill the pianist too.... or just simply loud and clair.. aaaaaaaaaagggggggggghhhh

John I can underline your theory! I sometimes think it is like if instead of the bad word someone would use the word... table... that would sound extreemly stupid.

If you ever meet someone who swears a lot .. try this ... Hi, table, it is nice to see you, table. What, table, are you doing these days, table. I, table, got a ,table, new job, it is, table, interesting and my, table wife is, table, happy.

well I suppose it really is not the word it is meaning of the use of it.... and besides we should not use words unnessessary...

[VisionOfLehi]

Pam, you make sense!

For some people, saying the words isn't a problem.

But it's those listening.

So, when people are saying "Gosh" and "Geez" I AM thinking of what those words come from, and it makes my slightly uncomfortable.

I think part of this is because I'm trying really hard to keep my language clean, and even hearing those replacement words enough makes me more apt to use the actual thing.

It's a personal issue for me

[bcguy]

I guess we all have at one time or another have slipped up and said a swear word. Usally when I am under pressure deadlines to bring up a network at a large department store I may slip up and say something.

I kind of lost my cool today when I had only three hours of sleap and had to be at the job site at 5am. I was borring two holes for network cableing and broke two of my hole saws. Sorry but I lost it with so little sleap I said a bad word. Of course my other employee just stood there and said nothing. He probebly thought I blew my top but it was for a micro second.

I guess the lack of sleap and being put under pressure makes somone behave in ways he is not normally.

I normally do not swear. As a teen never did. I normally use substitute words perhaps with humor such as "you cannot fit that thing though that hole! thats like fitting a elephant thoough a mouse hole!" Of course the other employees around me might snicker because its a funny comment.

But generally If I am not in a bad mood im pretty mellow. Pressure really does funny things to people's mind and turns them into some one thay are normally not.

[sgallan]

I guess we all have at one time or another have slipped up and said a swear word.

Actually, I swear probably a lot more than most on this board. Having said that, I can honestly say I have never "slipped" as a substitute teacher. I might have used language in HS as a substitute, or as a coach, but never in anything under 9th grade, and the above swearing were not slips. I think it is something I was raised with..... there is a time and place. When you are raised with this concept you don't mess with it.

A true story (I was there)..... my grandpa was a prizefighter back in his "day".... and this is an old school story (it was 1968). The women sat in the backseat, the men (even little boys) sat in the front seat. And so on. Now my grandpa could swear with the best of them, he was hardly pious as he took all of his grandkids barhopping when we became of age. It was a Scottish thing I think. He would even swear around my grandma. But that was a "she is my wife" thing. Anyhow, we are at a gas station, and the attendent (they used to have people who pumped you gas for you young-uns) had a attitude, and layed out a few F-bombs. Grandpa told him politely to stop. The attendenttold him to F off. So grandpa gets out of the car, blocks his wide punch, and KO's him with a short left hook. Grandpa is 62 and the attendent was big and in his 20's. Then grandpa finishes pumping the gas, puts the money in his pocket, and we go on our way (everybody is stone silent as Grandpa is PO'd).

[Teancum18]

You know, this is a fine line in my life. I prefer not to voice my entire opinion on the matter in a place on the internet for the whole world to see. So just let me say this:

Always be pleased with your efforts to chose what is right and follow the Prophet. However, on issues like cussing, don't be afraid to research the issue yourself and draw your own conclusions. If you are not comfortable with that, or don't like the conclusion you come up with, then you are always safe sticking with the guiding standards of the General Authorities. This is what they're here for.

[sgallan]

then you are always safe sticking with the guiding standards of the General Authorities. This is what they're here for.

I have no problem with good advice from any source.... what exactly are those standards in a specific way?

[Greenroom]

Im Aussie and the words damn and hell arent swear words.

Also R rated movies in Seppo Ville are only rated M15+ here in Oz.

To tell someone you are "pissed" or "piss off" is swearing to me.

Im a huge Simpsons fan and a missionary couple looked down on me for admitting that, then in the following sentence the Elder used the word geez. To me thats offensive.

I think that if you cant say it in front of your mum, children, bishop, the prophet or heavenly father, then it must be wrong.

But definately doesnt reflect on the strength of your testimony IMHO:D

[Adeipho]

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."

Quotes from J. Golden Kimball:

"Cut me off from the church? They can't do that! I repent too damn fast."

"I may not walk the straight and the narrow, but I sure in hell try to cross it as often as I can!"

"There are not enough general authorities to do all the thinking for the membership of the church."

"I love all of the brethren, but I love some a hell of a lot more than I do others."

"I don't know how the people of St. George can stand the heat, the Indians, the snakes and the flooding Virgin River. If I had a house in St. George and a house in Hell, I'd rent out the one in St. George and move straight to Hell."

"This city (Brigham City) looks like hell. You need to clean things up, mow the grass, paint your houses and barns. And you sisters, you could stand a little paint yourselves."

"Young men, always marry a woman from Sanpete County. No matter what hard times you experience together, she has seen worse."

"I understand you brethren can't go on missions because you swear too much. You can overcome it. Hell, I did.' ....

[Guest HEthePrimate]

Sometimes I think we as LDS confuse 'having a testimony' with righteousness. They're really not the same thing. You can have a testimony, even a strong one, and be unrighteous. So to answer the question, I think that yes, one can have a testimony and swear.

DH

[lilered]

I view swearing as a bad habit (not in same vain as using the lords name in vain). If we are to improve ourselves morally and spiriually, we should have a desire to improve in our reliance on the use of swear words. A lot of folks simply use swear words often as a result of not being consience that have become a part of their everyday vocabulary. I have on occassion used swear words, but usually it is in time of stress and I am cognizant that I did. Each time I do, I make a mental note to work a little harder at trying to overcome this habit. As for Apostle Kimball, his example in this regard is certaintly not above reproach but he will have to answer for his actions.

As an aside, during Sacrement Talk this past Sunday, the speaker used the word Cow Pooh! during his talk. Is that a swear word?

[SMG]

Some of us grew up in homes where our parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles/siblings/etc swore enough to make sailors tell them to watch their language. (As a side note, I DO have a friend in the navy and he HAS told me to watch my language! *blush*)

Believe me when I say that I could come up with a whole lot worse than "heck, darn, dang, frack and crap." In fact, my first word was a curse word. Some of us have a harder time than others dropping the habit, but it doesn't mean that our testimonies of the Savior and church are any less than other people's.

[jjrogers]

Hetheprimate,

It sounds like you are saying that people who swear are unrighteous. I have to say, on the list of sins that people can commit swearing is not at the top of it. Don't get me wrong, it is a sin. But so is gossiping and backbiting. So in my opinion, if you are saying that people who swear are unrighteous, you had better figure that we are all unrighteous because everone is doing some sinning. And it is easy to point the finger at other people's sins and say they are awful, while our own sins aren't so bad. And yes that includes me.

[Misshalfway]

My father was raised on a farm and he felt that D and H weren't swear words at all. They were "farm words" he used to say. Having said that, I only heard him swear once and that was when my brother drove the bronco into the garage!!!