Is Profanity okay for Christians?

What’s Wrong with Profanity?
“Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” – (Psalm 141:3)

Our culture today makes cussing casual, comedic, even celebrated, and it permeates music, books, and television. Society will make you feel out of step for caring about language, and ridicule you for bringing it up! But is cussing really a big deal? 

God speaks clearly in both Old and New Testaments that profanity belongs to the realm of darkness; It is the language of demons.

Words do not merely express the heart, they expose it. Profanity flows from vulgarity, contempt, mockery, anger, and cruelty, and trains us to treat people and sacred things with casual disrespect.

Profanity is never necessary. Many people assume that strong emotions require vulgar language to get their point across, but consider best-selling author John Grisham, whose novels feature vivid villains with dark moral corruption. He conveys evil and malice with remarkable intensity—without using profanity!

Profanity cheapens the message, diminishes the speaker, disrespects the listener, and corrupts your heart.
Until as recently as the late 1980s, it was unnaceptable for a man to use profanity in front of a woman, and women were expected to not swear at all. Such language signaled a lack of self-control and dignity, and was usually associated with poor education.

Let’s look at what Jesus said about words: 

Jesus said: “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” – (Matthew 12:36–37)

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”   –  (Luke 6:45)

St. Paul says:
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths” (Ephesians 4:29)

“…rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” (Colossians 3:8)

Misusing the Name of Jesus
"You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His Name. (Exodus 20:7 - the 10 commandments)

One of Society’s go-to angry exclamations is the name of our Lord, Jesus. To use the Holy name of Jesus as an expletive is a mockery of His power, holiness, and sacrifice, and it is such a grave sin, God put it in the 10 commandments. We do not curse using the names of those we love, yet so many people who profess to love Jesus still willfully abuse His holy name! 

Demons always push people to do anything that harms our souls, and exorcists warn that habitual blasphemy hardens the soul and weakens its defenses.

The Catechism teaches that using God’s name carelessly, angrily, or as a verbal intensifier is sinful:

““The second commandment forbids the abuse of God’s name… Blasphemy is directly opposed to the second commandment. It consists in uttering against God—internally or externally—words of hatred, reproach, or defiance.”
(CCC 2148)

The Sobering Truth
Self-mastery is not optional in the Christian life. It is a necessary condition for virtue.

One of the clearest real-world demonstrations of this happens when people are drunk or high. It is common to see someone who rarely cusses begin to swear freely after drinking or using drugs.

Using substances impairs our God-given ability and responsibility to govern our judgment, self-control, and prudence—the very virtues Scripture tells us to cultivate. When we ‘loosen up’, surrendering our self control, what has been stored in the heart spills out through our mouth. What emerges is anger, vulgarity, blasphemy, cruelty, and other sinful behaviors. You become vulnerable, inviting influence, aligning the soul away from the Holy Spirit. St. Paul said, when we are not governed by the Spirit, we are governed by the flesh—and the flesh does not produce holy speech. Scripture links loss of sobriety with spiritual danger:  

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” – (1 Peter 5:8)
“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” – (Ephesians 5:18,)

Words That Give Life
Guarding our language is an expression of love and respect for God, for his creation, and for our own souls, reflecting the dignity of those made in God's image, and the Holiness of Jesus's powerful name. Scripture equates words with saltwater and freshwater. People can die of thirst stranded near an Ocean because saltwater dehydrates and makes the land barren; while fresh water gives life. In the same way, our words either give life—or destroy it. And just as a salt spring corrupts fresh water, careless words poison the soul, the heart, and those around us. 

Words form habits. Habits form character. Character forms destiny.

If your speech needs cleansing, do not delay! Repent. Confess. Ask God to purify your heart and retrain your tongue. Choose words that honor the One who died to save you.

Because your every word matters, and every word you speak has eternal consequences.

As St. Paul reminds us:
“Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.” – (Colossians 3:17)

• James 3:6-11 - "the tongue also is a fire… it corrupts the whole body, sets the course of one’s life on fire,  and is itself set on fire by hell… it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison… With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be! Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?"