Well, I Swear!

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The Dane blogs about inappropriate language. Although at first I thought it was going to be the same old line, I found it to be quite sane and well-reasoned. He links to Little Bear’s blog on the same subject. I find a lot of resonance in both, but I do have some differences of opinion with both of them on the subject.

Among his arguments, The Dane quotes two verses from Ephesians, 4.29 and 5.4. Having quoted them in the text of his blog, he then says, “I think that those two bits are pretty self-explanatory.” Nothing in Scripture is self-explanatory, Dane. From the Patristic era it has been known that,

owing to the depth of Holy Scripture, all do not accept it in one and the same sense, but one understands its words in one way, another in another; so that it seems to be capable of as many interpretations as there are interpreters. … Therefore, it is very necessary, on account of so great intricacies of such various error, that the rule for the right understanding of the prophets and apostles should be framed in accordance with the standard of Ecclesiastical and Catholic interpretation. Moreover, in the Catholic Church itself, all possible care must be taken, that we hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all. (St. Vincent of Lerins [ca. 5^th c.], Commonitory II.5-6)

Having made that caveat, it seems to me that the Dane makes an argument that falls squarely in the center of a catholic approach to use of the tongue. I think he correctly locates the focus of our attention on the witness of our words. However, I take exception to the approbrium he bestows on euphemisms. In this, I tend more toward Little Bear’s position. This is especially true when I consider the attitude of Christians outside the paltry circle of Puritanical American evangelicalism.

Of late, I myself have been convicted that my attitude on this subject has been too liberal. I have confessed this, and I have been trying to reign in my tiny little tongue. This is mostly in response to the realization that others are looking to me as a model. The more I have contemplated the responsibility this places upon me, the more it humbles me. Unregulated profane and obscene speech are uncivilized, and they are unbecoming of a Christian. They do not reflect Christ dwelling within our fleshly members.

One more note: I often invoke the name of God. My short sojourn in the Roman Catholic Church was quite eye-opening with regard to the invocation of God and the saints in daily speech. The devout Catholic who invokes, “Jesus, Mary and Joseph!” does so sincerely; she is not even in the same quadrant of the galaxy as the movie character that spews, “Jesus H. Christ!” for a ratings spike. By sincerely invoking the name of God and the names of his holy people, we acknowledge their abiding presence in our daily lives, and we beseech their blessings upon our often quite mundane situations. This is not taking the Lord’s name in vain. There is no vanity in acknowledging the presence of our Lord and the great cloud of witness.

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