Why is profanity in public getting worse?

Does it seem to you that public profanity is getting worse?

If so, you’re not wrong.

Politico published an article over the weekend titled, “Frustrated Dems unleash the F-bombs.” It quotes a number of Democratic politicians using language to describe President Trump and Republicans that was once not heard in public. Republicans are not immune from this growing trend, either.

Nor is the larger culture: the film that recently won the Academy Award for Best Picture used the “f-word” 479 times, according to Oscars host Conan O’Brien.

One psychology professor attributes this trend to a growing level of casualness in all parts of life, including how we work and how we dress. But he also cites increasing levels of anger, noting that about two-thirds of swearing comes from anger and/or frustration.

Unfortunately, this trend is affecting society at large: in a recent survey, 74 percent of young adults said profanity use doesn’t bother them at all, or only a little.

But it should bother us. Christians should be different from our fallen culture. Consider these imperatives from God:

• “Put to death . . . anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth” (Colossians 3:5, 8).
• “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving” (Ephesians 5:4).
• “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so” (James 3:10).
• “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29).
• “Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

Jesus warned us, “On the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” (Matthew 12:36). 

How can we be sure our language honors our Lord and leads to his best for us?

“Our words reveal our character”

Jesus stated: “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45, my emphasis).

Three facts follow.

One: Our language reflects directly on our Lord.

If people don’t know you’re a Christian, they should. We should be so public about our faith that everyone who knows us knows we follow Jesus. If they don’t, this is another issue altogether.

If they do, we should then remember that every word we speak reflects on the Lord we claim to serve.

This is unsurprising. We evaluate Islam by the words and actions of Muslims, and Germany by the speech and acts of Germans. Rather than seeing this as a negative, we can treat it as a positive. The darker the room, the more obvious, powerful, and attractive the light.

Two: To keep our language pure, keep our hearts close to Christ.

If we are walking with Christ in his Spirit, these “fruit” will be obvious: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). Do you see any room for profanity on the list?

If we are not, however, the “works of the flesh” will be evident, including “impurity,” “enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, [and] divisions” (vv. 19–20). Doesn’t each lead often to profane expression?

Which list best describes your character these days?

Three: View public profanity as an opportunity for intercession.

If we saw an injured person on the side of the street, I hope we would be good Samaritans who pray for them and then seek to help them personally (cf. Luke 15:25–37). One way to know if someone has an injured “heart” is to listen to the words their heart expresses. If we hear speech that dishonors God and harms others, we can know that this is a person who needs our intercession and compassion.

Erasmus said Satan hates nothing so much as for his evil to be used for good. Let’s make the devil hate the way we respond to hateful speech today.

Charles Swindoll noted,

“We need to think of our tongue as a messenger that runs errands for our heart. Our words reveal our character.”

What “errands” will your tongue run today?