Post #5 - Cursing

This is one of the rare topics where I feel infinitely more qualified to share than your average priest or pastor - if only based on experience.

The only language expressly forbidden in the Bible is taking the Lord's name in vain. Everything else is fuzzy. Since language tends to flow with culture, one's social surroundings tend to define what language is acceptible and which is forbidden, taboo, obscene, etc. Therefore, that which is commonly known as "cursing" is more of a cultural phenomenon that a spiritual one.

We are supposed to live lives that mirror that of Jesus Christ, and by the definition above, He cursed quite frequently and famously. In no way am I saying Our Lord and Savior ever said "Hey, Bartholomew... could you please pass the motherfucking grape leaves?" - but I am saying He would say things that offended people to the core when He knew such a shock was necessary to make a point. In the parable of The Good Samaritan, He compared a Samaritan (a most loathed subculture to the Pharisees) favorably to two different rabbis... while in a room full of rabbi Pharisees. To give you a modern equivalent of this "cursing" may cause me to go all Heath-Ledger-after-the-Joker since it would require plunging into a depth of depravity from which there would be no sane return. Similarly, the parable of the Prodigal Son boldly pointed out the impropriety of self-righteousness and legalism in a room full of self-righteous lawyers. Such strong language was required to shock people out of their comfort zones - to kick open a window into the Big Picture. God's *real* plan did not exclusively benefit the power structure of the time, and the only way to get the Powers That Be to see that was to take the floor out from under them through strong language.

And while we're at it, smartassedness can also be an effective language tool which many would find at least disrespectful if not offensive. When backed into an apparent rhetorical corner as to whether Jews should fund Roman oppression by paying taxes or violating earthly law by refusing, Jesus famously asked them to look at their coins and ask whose face was upon it. Since it was Caesar's face, He said "well, it must be his, then... so give to Caesar what is Caesar's and give to God what belongs to God." Nowadays we know why He said what He did and what He meant by it, but in His day that was a major smartass comment. The visual of "look at the coin" was a stark and efficient way of making His point. To explain the complete reasoning behind it would take a lot more time than the rabbis and Romans were willing to allow - painting a picture through smartassery got the job done.

On the whole, yes we should avoid offending people with our words. Acceptible speech is a very good way to appeal to polite society and represent Him to them. But when politeness is valued more than truth, it may become time to bring the big verbal guns.