(04/17/2015) Should Christians Cuss?

Today, points are shared on how Christian children are to respond to use of foul language by their own parents.  Many Christian believers feel pressured to disregard and tolerate verbal behavior of family members, loved ones, and other close associates who continually curse and swear.  Some use profanity with the idea that it is plain, colorful, and easy to understand.  Many began their habits of foul speech, profanity, and vulgar language because they wanted the appearance of being adult, self-confident, and unafraid.  Later they indulge swearing as “being myself,” or staying authentic, comfortable, genuine, honest, and “keeping it real.”  There are those who present foul-mouthed behavior as a form of addiction just like alcoholism, drug use, gambling, smoking, and lying.  It is no longer a matter of choice, or conscious and voluntary behavior they can terminate simply by applying their own will.  Such persons often condemn public displays of courtesy, gentleness, restraint and self-control as being false, fanatical, insincere, motivated by fear, opposing personal freedom, “putting on airs,” soft, stiff, twisted, unnatural, unnecessary, and weak.  Only the peculiar operations of GOD that come by the Holy Spirit can establish the permanent transformation of the addict as a new creature in Christ.  The many difficult challenges that come against the children of believers include that—without being adults—children also must demonstrate faith in GOD through their acceptance of authority and duty as well as by having to wait quietly, and to endure persecution, and suffering.  For this reason, the young also must be instructed to understand that none are exempt from the burdens and trials that are the normal course of life.  Children further learn to maintain their integrity and independence as mature persons by being in extended relationships, and meeting various trials, where they must manage expressions of anger, bitterness, complaints, disappointment, fear, pain, and sorrow.  For even where they are gifted from GOD, minor and adult children rarely are capable of responding to all the complex emotional, psychological and spiritual needs of their parents as though they are on the same level as equals and peers.  More important than speaking well, using good grammar, or even speaking in tongues, believers should always speak truth, and operate fulfilling sacred purpose as representatives and spokespersons for divinity.  However, the skill to do this consistently and continuously is acquired only by practice and gradual growth.  As believers gain in sacred knowledge, become free of fornication and pride, are deepened in conviction, and adopt the new life style as one who is saved, others should see changes in what they have to say, and how they go about saying it.  A writer at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Anonymous” (Level 1 with 118 points, a member since December 12, 2014) posted the following:

 

Should Christians cuss?

my mom is a Christian and she cusses up a storm. I tell her all the time that it’s a sin and quote bible verses that say not to cuss but she ends up finding a way to publically humiliate me and makes fun of my anxiety or tells me that I need to die. she talks about people like a dog but then goes to church and praises god. It really ticks me off because everyone thinks she’s all righteous and don’t even know that she cusses. at church she’s a Christian but at the house she’s not and she still ends up saying that i’m the one that’s going to hell and a hypocrite? I aint even Christian or at least I think i’m not but anyways should a Christian cuss?

 

THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour:  for we are members one of another.  Be ye angry, and sin not:  let not the sun go down upon your wrath:  Neither give place to the devil.  Let him that stole steal no more:  but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.  (Ephesians 4:  25-32, KJV)

 

THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Freedom of Foul Speech? (09/10/2014); Dating and Worship? (09/11/2014); Family and Beliefs of Children? (08/29/2014); Stories Repeated in the Bible? (08/30/2014); When Children Embrace Church? (08/18/2014); Condemned by the Church? (08/19/2014); The Bible and Stupid People? (07/17/2013); Destroying Justice? (07/18/2013)

 

“Anonymous”, often the key to overcoming as a Christian believer turns on our applying discernment (i.e., using ones own sacred content as a standard to recognize, respond to, or resist any ungodly spirit within events, messages, other persons, etc.), as well as correctly identifying our own spiritual needs, and remaining fixed upon our sacred (not our worldly) priorities.  Believers have no duty to change anyone; and the change they themselves experience is by willing submission to GOD.

Those who are born-again also must change and “grow up” again.  Their faith and trust in Christ as ones own redeemer and savior must increase, and become full and stable (we say, mature, perfect) over time as they continue to meet life experiences upon the earth.  Believers will be challenged by many of the same limits and tasks common among those who disbelieve.  However, believers are endowed with spirit content from the makeup of Deity that make it possible for them to endure and overcome.  Included are balance, forbearance, forgiveness, humility, longsuffering, love, patience, reverence, wisdom, and wrath against sin.

In the same way Jesus was careful not to challenge his parents following the incident at the Temple (where he became separated from them when disputing with the priests and elders), children in the Lord must continue to obey and respect their parents.  All must develop restraint, self-discipline, the ability to “hold their tongue,” and withhold judgment of their parents.  What a child can not say to their parents, they should not say about their parents.  This is specially so with their friends, and those outside of the family circle.  Gossip and slander are tools of the devil that always result in unforeseen damage and destruction within the home.

There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually understood.  (For example, while children are to minister to their parents (we say, serve) they are accountable for neither the damnation, nor the salvation of their parents.  As the spirit of GOD is present within their sons and daughters, multiple sacred works may go forth invisibly and silently; including cleansing, correction, healing, and regeneration.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC

(07/18/2013) Destroying Justice?

An account from Scripture regarding divine wrath against children is the topic, today, along with more on labeling others as “stupid”.  A “Yahoo! Answers” writer using ID “biggalloot2003“ (Level 5 with 9,162 points, a member since July 9, 2006) posted the following:

A question about justice…?

In 2 Kings 2:23-24 there is the story of the prophet Elisha who was angered because a group of children mocked him for being bald.

Elisha cursed them in the name of the lord and two she bears came out of the woods and slaughtered the 42 children.

Which do you think best describes this story;

A. This was another example of gods love. It was for their own good that god murdered them and sent them to hell.

B. This is another example of a just and merciful god. It was for their own good that god murdered them and sent them to hell.

C. God gave them free will, the children chose to die.

D. This was god’s day off and satan was filling in for him.

E. The little bastards had it coming! Hell is too good for them!

THE BATTLE AXE:  The Bible and Stupid People? (07/17/2013)—While the Bible uses the word “bastard” to describe those born out of wedlock, who therefore have no legitimate status as heirs, or lawful portion in Israel through the allotments from GOD established under Joshua, cheap talk, obscene language, profanity, slang and vulgarity do not appear in the holy writings.  Where the Scriptures uses such words to describe and label others as defiled, unclean, unwise or wicked, the usual intent is to alert and caution believers against accepting ungodly standards, copying poor examples, and becoming complacent with sin.  Racist slurs (e.g., dego for Puerto Ricans, kyke for Jews, Mick for Irish, nigger for African Americans, wop for Italians) and such common name-calling terms as “dork”, “dweeb”, “faggot”, “fatso”, “knucklehead”, “loser”, “punk”, “queer”, “retard”, “shorty”, “sissy” and “spaz” also do not appear in the holy writings.  Yet, Jesus is on record specifically teaching against the use of insulting, proud, and unkind language to belittle, mock, and scorn others.  Use of raca and “thou fool” are identified as expressing unacceptable and unreasoned anger against ones brother in covenant, and therefore makes one subject to public condemnation, and divine punishment (see Matthew 5:  21-22, KJV).  As children, many suppose that it is acceptable to use name-calling with good intentions to motivate change, improvement, and self-correction.  Children attack, challenge, joke with, and tease each other through the use of harsh labels.  Victims include their own siblings, playmates, friends and teammates.  Christian parents, coaches, teachers and those who work with children are cautioned to council their charges that such behavior usually misfires, is destructive of healthy relationship, and is hateful to the spirit of others.

THE GOLDEN ARROW:  And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.  And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.  And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,  Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.  And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.  And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.  And he said, Behold, I make a covenant:  before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD:  for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.  Observe thou that which I command thee this day:  behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.  Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:  But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:  For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:  (Exodus 34:  4-14, KJV)

DOUBLE DAGGER:  Theoretical Forgiveness? (07/03/2013); The Return in Glory? (07/04/2013); A GOD of Love? (05/07/2013); Commanding the Storm? (05/08/2013); Why So Much Murder? (01/12/2013); Confusion 2013 (01/13/2013); Justice Comes by Love? (10/01/2012); A Daily Revelation? (10/02/2012)

“biggalloot2003”, here are some points that strengthen faith for many Christian believers, and help them to avoid spiritual confusion:

(1)  The Bible includes many reports of divine wrath against sin, and thereby becomes a special tool to assist created beings and living creatures, who otherwise are unable to detect and resist sin as an obstacle to their own continued being.  Sin is not a carnal, material, physical or spirit substance from GOD; yet, sin may dominate self-will (we say, willingness and will power) in the living.

(2)  Sin is invisible, subtle, and difficult to identify as a foreign or outside influence.  Like many adults today (and some writing here on the Internet), the children described in the Scripture you cite blasphemed and challenged GOD by saying “go up thou bald head.”  They could not see the full consequence and effect of their behavior and conduct from the divine perspective, because they did not properly contain the spirit substance from GOD that allows fellowship with the Holy, obedience, and respectful submission to those sent from GOD.

There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended.  For example, in Scripture, children, covenant, dynasty, inheritance, kingdoms, and promise are examples of mechanisms whereby finite beings continue in presence and relationship with immortal, unchanging GOD.  However, sin opposes the existence of divine law, sacred person, eternal purpose, and all that has been created of GOD.  Divine justice, therefore, goes far beyond the peculiar considerations of one feelings and emotions toward children.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC