{"id":2026,"date":"2010-03-26T17:04:23","date_gmt":"2010-03-26T17:04:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/frankmmartin.wordpress.com\/?p=43"},"modified":"2019-02-27T22:59:09","modified_gmt":"2019-02-27T22:59:09","slug":"cursing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/frankmmartin.com\/?p=2026","title":{"rendered":"Cursing"},"content":{"rendered":"

A few days ago Joe Biden whispered the \u201cF\u201d word into Obama\u2019s ear during a press conference and the microphones picked it up. The press has been playing the clip ever since, mostly as a tongue-in-cheek news story.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>No one seems surprised that Biden would use this kind of language, including me, just a little shocked that he would do so while the whole world was watching. Is it a staggering lack of judgment on Biden\u2019s part, or simply the result of a man who is so accustomed to foul language that he no longer notices he\u2019s using it? I\u2019m going with the latter.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not sure many people see Biden as a role model, even though he is the second-most powerful man on the planet. Most see him as just another narcissist personality who was lucky enough to stumble into a career that feeds his ego\u2014not unlike most politicians. But still, it seems sad that so many children had to witness it, along with the jokes and giggles from the press afterward. This kind of language has become so commonplace today that people aren\u2019t even shocked by it anymore\u2014and that\u2019s what really breaks my heart.<\/p>\n

I subscribe to a number of blogs, and Biden\u2019s gaff has been the topic of conversation on many of them the last few days. Not surprisingly, most people don\u2019t seem to think it\u2019s that big of a deal. A lot of the blogs I frequent are Christian oriented, and Christian teens make most of the comments. Quite honestly, I\u2019m a little stunned by how few of them were offended by Biden\u2019s language. \u201cTimes have changed, and most people don\u2019t see much harm in that kind of cursing these days,\u201d seemed to be the general consensus. Many of the Christian teens admitted to using the \u201cF\u201d word themselves, usually in conversations with their friends, though they would never do so around their parents. One teen wrote, \u201cIt\u2019s not like I\u2019m taking the Lord\u2019s name in vain or anything…\u201d<\/p>\n

It made me wonder, Is that really true? How is it not shameful and degrading to the Lord\u2019s name when a follower of Christ uses crude and obscene language? And how exactly is that not taking his name in vain?<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019m not a religious prude, advocating a return to the puritan lifestyle. And I\u2019m not so old that I don\u2019t remember what it\u2019s like to be a young person struggling with peer pressure. I know it\u2019s tough being a Christian teen in the middle of an increasingly secular world. Being an adult these days isn\u2019t much easier. But isn\u2019t this one area of our faith where Christians just can\u2019t afford to compromise? Can\u2019t we admit that using foul and obscene language is such an insult to the name of Jesus that it\u2019s simply wrong to try and justify it? Using careless and unwholesome talk is a sin, pure and simple, and not because this old fuddy-dud of a blogger said it was\u2014but because God\u2019s Word tells us it is.<\/p>\n

Paul said in Ephesians, \u201cBut among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity<\/em>,\u2026 because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking<\/em>, which are out of place\u2026 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.\u201d (Eph. 5:3-12)<\/p>\n

I\u2019m pretty certain Biden\u2019s flippant language qualifies as impure, improper, obscene, foolish<\/em>, and coarse<\/em>. That\u2019s not a cultural thing\u2014not in the eyes of God\u2014so can we please stop calling it that?<\/p>\n

I\u2019d like to issue a challenge to every Christian reading this post\u2014especially young people. No, not a challenge, a plea\u2014a gut-wrenching appeal from the depths of my spirit. Not because it\u2019s late and I\u2019m an over-reactive 50-year-old, but because this is a matter of conviction that God has been burning into my heart and mind. Pledge with me today to make this your line-in-the-sand commitment to God\u2014to decide once and for all that when it comes to maintaining purity of heart, mind and speech<\/em>, you will not allow yourself to give in to peer pressure or \u201csocietal norms.\u201d Commit in your heart to honor God with your speech\u2014both in private and public. Promise God that no matter how many of your friends choose to use crude and obscene language, that you will not join in. Pledge to be a light for Christ in the world, not another embarrassing sell-out, just trying to be \u201ccool\u201d in front of your friends.<\/p>\n

There is a reason God calls Christians to \u201crise up and be separate.\u201d Because how we think and act has a direct impact on state of our hearts. More than that, it reflects directly on God, and says volumes about the seriousness of our faith.<\/p>\n

Luke tells us, \u201cout of the heart the mouth speaks.\u201d If the language coming out of your mouth is course and crude and impure, then maybe it\u2019s time to take a good look into the contents of your heart.<\/p>\n

How can we possibly have an impact on an impure and ungodly world if we ourselves can\u2019t commit to pure and holy living?<\/p>\n

Thanks for letting me rant.<\/p>\n

Frank<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A few days ago Joe Biden whispered the \u201cF\u201d word into Obama\u2019s ear during a press conference and the microphones picked it up. The press has been playing the clip ever since, mostly as a tongue-in-cheek news story. No one seems surprised that Biden would use this kind of language, including me, just a little shocked that he would do … <\/p>\n

Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2039,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,1],"tags":[15,6,16,8,17,9],"yoast_head":"\nCursing - Frank M. Martin<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/frankmmartin.com\/?p=2026\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cursing - Frank M. Martin\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A few days ago Joe Biden whispered the \u201cF\u201d word into Obama\u2019s ear during a press conference and the microphones picked it up. The press has been playing the clip ever since, mostly as a tongue-in-cheek news story. 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