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Profanity. What is Profanity?. Defined Profane – unhallowed, common. “not concerned with religion or religious purposes” (Webster) “not holy because unconsecrated, impure, or defiled” (ibid.) Verb – “to treat (something sacred) with abuse, irreverence, or contempt” (ibid.)
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What is Profanity? Defined • Profane – unhallowed, common. • “not concerned with religion or religious purposes” (Webster) • “not holy because unconsecrated, impure, or defiled” (ibid.) • Verb – “to treat (something sacred) with abuse, irreverence, or contempt” (ibid.) • Profanity – “the quality or state of being profane.” (Webster) • As it pertains to language – “profane language.” (ibid.)
What is Profanity? Defined • Profaning the holy – God’s name – Leviticus 19:12; Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew 6:9 • Profane language – Colossians 3:8; Ephesians 5:12; 4:29 • NOTE: The world acknowledges there is profane speech, or profanity.
What is Profanity? Defined Language in General is Hallowed • “In the beginning was the Word” – John 1:1 (Logos – something said) • God planned to use language to convey His will to us – 1 Corinthians 2:13 (And we use the same to reciprocate.) • Example of profaning language/speech – Genesis 11:1-9 (Tower of Babel)
What is Profanity? Defined Language in General is Hallowed Profanity is a Linguistic Manifestation of the Inner Man • What comes out of the heart defiles a man – Matthew 15:18-20 • Profanity is characteristic of the old man, not the new – Colossians 3:8-10
God Forbids Profanity The Christian is an Instrument of God • Created for good works – Ephesians 2:10 • All we do should be to God’s glory – 1 Corinthians 10:31 • Our bodies are to be presented as instruments of righteousness – Romans 6:12-14
God Forbids Profanity The Christian is an Instrument of God Language is Designed by God for Good • We are to lay aside evil speaking – 1 Peter 2:1-3 • We are to speak as God speaks – 1 Peter 4:11 • Language is for praising God – Psalm 105:1-2 • Language is for evangelism – Mark 16:15 • Speech is to be seasoned to edify – Colossians 4:5-6; Ephesians 4:29
God Forbids Profanity The Christian is an Instrument of God Language is Designed by God for Good The Christian is Not to be Conformed to the World • Not conformed but transformed – Romans 12:2 • Proposed purposes for profanity: • Abusive swearing, intended to offend, intimidate or otherwise cause emotional or psychological harm • Cathartic swearing, used in response to pain or misfortune • Dysphemistic swearing, used to convey that the speaker thinks negatively of the subject matter, and to make the listener do the same • Emphatic swearing, intended to draw additional attention to what is considered to be worth paying attention to • Idiomatic swearing, used for no other particular purpose, but as a sign that the conversation and relationship between speaker and listener is informal
God Forbids Profanity The Christian is an Instrument of God Language is Designed by God for Good The Christian is Not to be Conformed to the World • Not conformed but transformed – Romans 12:2 • Euphemisms of profane words are simply profane euphemisms! Profanity is profanity whether its plain or euphemistic.
Avoiding Profanity Spend Time in God’s Word – Philippians 4:8 Spend Time in Prayer – 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Avoid Evil Company – 1 Corinthians 15:33; Romans 13:14