Bible Study Is HEARING cussing a sin?

[Destructus86]

I recently was in a discussion with someone over the idea ofplaying games that contain cussing. Theyof course brought up Psalm 101:3 astheir biblical support for why it’s wrong to hear cussing. However, that scripture says nothing aboutHEARING…only visually seeing un-pure things specifically, this scripture isused often for musical content as well when it clearly has nothing to do withaudible things. (unless you want to twist it)



So, I would loveto get into a discussion on if HEARING cussing is truly a sin.



My personal belief and one that is supported in the bible ina few places is that if something feels like a sin or you feel convicted of it,then it’s sin. If it doesn’t bother youor you don’t feel convicted of it then it’s not a sin to you. (this applies to “grey†areas of thebible. Parts that it does not speak on,but can be defined as personal sins that apply to people differently. This is the idea of “personal sin†Sort of like how some feel convicted not toeat meat. It’s not sinful to eat meat,but if you feel very wrong about it ten don’t do it…likewise someone who eatsmeat should refrain from eating meat around you so as not to offend you. This is also referred to as the sin ofomission or commission.



So, please give me your opinions on this issue as I amhighly curious on the various stances.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

Sin is sin. When we hear someone sin, though we are not actually doing the sin, we can become defiled by it. The best thing to do in such situations is recognize the defiling nature of sin, and turn to the Lord in recognition that he cleanses sin 24/7. Fountain of life. IMO Israelites offered guilt offerings for sins that they didn't commit (or couldn't remember committing), but that defiled their conscience.

 

[Nathan Alterton]

Regarding Psalm 101:3 specifically, this is part of a statement by David that he will set his mind on the things of God and let his actions reflect the will of God, that he will not seek out or be affected by the unrighteous and passing things of the world. It has absolutely nothing to do with unrighteous things he may happen to see or hear.

We are only responsible for our own actions, God will not hold us accountable for the sins others commit in our vincinity. What if you witnessed a murder while pumping gas on your way to work? Would that be sinful? Of course not (Personally, I would much rather witness stray cussing than murder, but that's just me).

Jesus himself spoke on this issue:

Mark 7:15, 20-23 ESV
"There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him. ..." And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."

While this passage was explicitely about unclean food, the principle applies far more broadly - What goes into a man does not defile him, but what comes from out of his heart defiles him. In other words, if I have determined to intentionally seek out and witness sinful activity either visually or audibly it's still not the seeing or hearing that is sinful, but that I would desire to witness such things.

 

[2bfoundinhim]

Hi everyone,

These are the scriptures that came to mind...

Tit 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

Rom 14:22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

Blessings

 

[reba]

I hear cussing all the time, I hate it... I hear it in my home on the street just every where...
Some places i can,t do any thing about it.. I do not 'hang out' say in a bar, some place i know to be prone to that kind of talk.. I hear that stuff in the store....

For me i will not 'pay' to bring that into my home... I do not rent movies not watch them on TV etc. For me it is just too easy to pick it up again...

About 50 years ago Mom let me go to the movies (movies were somewhat of a sin then) She figured better the movies then "parking". What she said was " Reba don't go see any movie you wouldn't take Jesus with ya to see". That request has staid with me after a bit of rebellion...

 

[Prentis]

It is not what comes into man's ear that makes him unclean, but what comes out of his mouth!

It is what is in US that matters. If we are cussing, we must wonder, why? It flows from the heart!

 

[Acebopata]

I can't remember the exact passage, but Jesus said that if our eye caused us to sin, then cast it out, and if our hand causes us to sin, to cut it off. Now he probably didn't litterly mean cut off your hand or toss out your eye, but if cussing is a sin, then cut off the cussing form your entertainment.

 

[Adullam]

Not at all. It is an observation of another's sin. But we should seek to minimize our influence to men who are very angry. If we sought to avoid all sinners then we would not be able to live in the world. We need to deal with what we see and hear.

 

[jesus4life]

It is not what comes into man's ear that makes him unclean, but what comes out of his mouth!

It is what is in US that matters. If we are cussing, we must wonder, why? It flows from the heart!

OF COURSE AMEN TO ALL OF YOU, but THIS IS THE FIRST THING GOD PUT ON MY HEART AS WELL!! But, HE HAS PUT MORE AS WELL and OF COURSE HE WILL PUT MORE ON OTHER PEOPLES' HEARTS TO HELP THIS QUESTION! Read below:


MATTHEW 15:10-11
1 What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,'http://www.biblestudytools.com/matthew/15-11.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-1 but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'

and to add to that

1 CORINTHIANS 8:9
Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

and add to that

1 CORINTHIANS 8:13
Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

and add to that

ROMANS 14:13
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.

and add to that

1 TIMOTHY 4:12
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.


jesus4life

 

[God&DogGirl]

One of my favorite movies has 1 or 2 words I would never actually say. The movie itself isn't dirty so I choose to ignore them. If hearing cussing was a sin, we'd all be in trouble.

 

[Dev]

I recently was in a discussion with someone over the idea ofplaying games that contain cussing. Theyof course brought up Psalm 101:3 astheir biblical support for why it’s wrong to hear cussing. However, that scripture says nothing aboutHEARING…only visually seeing un-pure things specifically, this scripture isused often for musical content as well when it clearly has nothing to do withaudible things. (unless you want to twist it)



So, I would loveto get into a discussion on if HEARING cussing is truly a sin.



My personal belief and one that is supported in the bible ina few places is that if something feels like a sin or you feel convicted of it,then it’s sin. If it doesn’t bother youor you don’t feel convicted of it then it’s not a sin to you. (this applies to “grey†areas of thebible. Parts that it does not speak on,but can be defined as personal sins that apply to people differently. This is the idea of “personal sin†Sort of like how some feel convicted not toeat meat. It’s not sinful to eat meat,but if you feel very wrong about it ten don’t do it…likewise someone who eatsmeat should refrain from eating meat around you so as not to offend you. This is also referred to as the sin ofomission or commission.



So, please give me your opinions on this issue as I amhighly curious on the various stances.

Well, as no one else seems to be addressing the actual point of your post, playing video games that contain cussing, I'll remind you of this verse:
"But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin."-Romans 14:23(emphasis mine) This is one of the hardest verses in the bible for me to follow, and it makes me question everything I do. Is it for the glory of God? If not, it is sin. We have a limited amount of time on this earth, all a gift from God, to waste time playing video games, or watching TV, to me seems like a sin. You can make up your own mind, but I'm now refraining from all things not from faith.
Heres a great sermon from John Piper if you're interested in learning more: http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/whatever-is-not-from-faith-is-sin

 

[jesus4life]

BROTHERS and SISTERS in CHRIST,

Love to all of you. When someone asks a question, may we remember and realize that the answers people give are what they feel is an answer. Their methods, reasonings, and understandings we may not all understand. But, that's why GOD made us all different with different gifts.

May we learn to be more supportive of all those that chose to answer. Only GOD knows what the mind sees and comprehends. There is always something to learn and take from any answer ( if our minds our open to it). There is always something to learn from anything, or else GOD would not have put it on this earth. We can learn from all of HIS creation.

Just a note GOD put on my heart to all of you here on this post and webite. Let's encourage more. BIBLE says to LOVE ALL PEOPLE, and TREAT YOUR BROTHER and SISTERS with a HOLY KISS ( which just means treat them special). Lets be careful not to use words that can push our believers away.

Some of you are doing this, and some are not. I dont point fingers, but look into your heart and re-read posts and replies all of you put on this website ( or others). Then ask yourself if you would really want to be talked to the way you talk to others in public around people you know ( or dont know).




PRAISE JESUS!!

jesus4life

 

[Dev]

BROTHERS and SISTERS in CHRIST,

Love to all of you. When someone asks a question, may we remember and realize that the answers people give are what they feel is an answer. Their methods, reasonings, and understandings we may not all understand. But, that's why GOD made us all different with different gifts.

May we learn to be more supportive of all those that chose to answer. Only GOD knows what the mind sees and comprehends. There is always something to learn and take from any answer ( if our minds our open to it). There is always something to learn from anything, or else GOD would not have put it on this earth. We can learn from all of HIS creation.

Just a note GOD put on my heart to all of you here on this post and webite. Let's encourage more. BIBLE says to LOVE ALL PEOPLE, and TREAT YOUR BROTHER and SISTERS with a HOLY KISS ( which just means treat them special). Lets be careful not to use words that can push our believers away.

Some of you are doing this, and some are not. I dont point fingers, but look into your heart and re-read posts and replies all of you put on this website ( or others). Then ask yourself if you would really want to be talked to the way you talk to others in public around people you know ( or dont know).




PRAISE JESUS!!

jesus4life

I'm sorry if my post came off as offensive, or mean. I didn't intend for that, just to say what my thoughts were on this issue. Not to put down anyone else's answers or ways of life. Text on a screen is a really limited medium for expressing what you feel, 'cause it can be read with many different emotions behind it. Sorry if I offended anyone, whatever you can do through faith, by all means, do it

 

[jesus4life]

I'm sorry if my post came off as offensive, or mean. I didn't intend for that, just to say what my thoughts were on this issue. Not to put down anyone else's answers or ways of life. Text on a screen is a really limited medium for expressing what you feel, 'cause it can be read with many different emotions behind it. Sorry if I offended anyone, whatever you can do through faith, by all means, do it

DEV,

Praise Jesus! Many respects for you to even come forth and say that. Even though my statement wasnt' directed to you personally.
Honestly, I have seen people talking very harshly on other Christian websites ( and this one), and I sit at my computer like :o:o:o:o:o:o:o, thinking to myself and to GOD saying, " Are we going to bring in any believers like this?? Jesus says love one another, be all things to all men, love our enemies, and love GOD with all your heart! Is this how JESUS acted to all people when they were down and seeking HIM!!".

Then of course I would continue to look at the computer screen like:o:o:o:o:o, then I would just knowing HE will change someone. GOD IS GREAT!! ALL IS IN HIS HOLY TIME!!

No worries. Keep discussing, changing more in HIS HOLY NAME, and being the change you want to see everyday.

LOVE TO YOU and ALL PEOPLE IN THE HOLY PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS CHRIST,

jesus4life

 

[Nathan Alterton]

I work around heavy road construction contractors nearly everyday, so I hear a lot of cussing on a day to day basis (I'm a road construction inspector). It doesn't bother me, for the most part the men I work around from the various contractors are decent, secular guys. We get along very well for the most part, even though I never cuss myself, nor have ever struggled with the desire to. That I don't often gets noticed quickly and commented on by the guys I work around, frequently openning up avenues of conversation about my Christian values.

Maybe because I don't have this problem, nor have any family members who do, most cussing in movies has never really bothered me either. Unless it's totally gratuitous. One of my favorite movies from the last decade, We Were Soldiers, has some pretty stong language at times, but it's always in character and situational and never feels gratuitous. Personally, I feel it's more important to support movies with good values, like We Were Soldiers, even when there is some cussing, than to boycott all movies with some rough language despite the good values or message in them.

 

[decent orange]

Hearing cussing is not a sin.

Jesus Christ never sinned. He had insults hurled at him and he was mocked and cursed by men. He must have heard these because he was there. If one were to say hearing curses was a sin, that same person would accuse Jesus our Christ of sinning, and that would be a lie.

Also, Jesus stated that it wasn't what ENTERED a man that made him unclean, but what CAME OUT of a man that made him unclean.