![Eyebrow? :eyebrow:](./images/smilies/eyebrows.gif)
I have, many times but especially of late, wondered if it's really so terrible to use such language depending on the setting after all. Sure, it's true that one must love thy neighbor as thyself and be friendly and polite whenever possible, there are some things that just shouldn't be said in certain contexts, especially in Church or around children or very public and formal setting, et cetera. Such objections are very reasonable, I think, and it generally isn't very difficult even for some irreligious folk to watch their mouth from time to time. All of that being said, what about the myriad of other possibilities for the use of our language? Just why is it that in the modern era we have almost arbitrarily deemed certain words "bad" and unusable? (This question is mostly rhetorical, but if anyone wants to be ironic and give us an English history lesson then be my guest, it might add to the discussion.) Especially in settings with close friends, relatives, and spouses it seems like we may be a little, well...perhaps, legalistic is one of the words I'm looking for? if we just straight up BAN certain words, which, really, only have meaning if we humans give them meaning...
And in many languages like Japanese, there are straight up different forms of words or particles or whatever that have varying levels of politeness for different settings- what if these "bad" words are just sort of like the ”だ” form of the copula for example? I wouldn't consider shonen jump heroes to be vulgar or bad, even though they usually speak in a way that could be considered rude.
Nevertheless, I don't think this a shut-book case or else I wouldn't even be asking about it. I can see some other general objections that I can't necessarily answer satisfactorily. For starters, we are called to be holy, as in set apart from the world. "To be in the world, but not of it" is a popular Christian phrase. We're supposed to be imitating Jesus and trying to be "perfect" as our heavenly Father is. I cannot, try as I may might, honestly look at any sacred image of Jesus and imagine those words coming out of that mouth.
Another objection from Scirpture I've found that bugs me on the subject is the letter of James in its entirety, especially chapter 3. I encourage you to read it and study whatever relevant footnotes and such, but here's chapter 3 in particular: http://www.usccb.org/bible/jas/3:1
It also seems to me that, whatever the reasons for it being the case, vulgarity and wrath (which is pretty indisputably bad especially from a Christian perspective), go hand-in-hand. Certainly it is easy to swear without being angry but that's seems to me to be the exception.
And whether or not one is angry it is entirely possible, nay probable, given personal experience, that the use of certain words and manners of speaking can be a source of scandal for those who may or may not follow Christ in one capacity or another to lead them further astray. So, even if my hypothesis is right and the excusable use of these words depends on context, that would still mean that MOST contexts are still off-limits if they are truly scandalous. And all of this isn't even taking into account that some words are considered racist or sexist or otherwise offensive to some group, and for that and the other reasons mentioned I can see it being difficult to be Christ for all people when you talk like a sailor.
So, if you can be bothered to read all of this and take it seriously, then please give it some thought and tell me what you think and maybe we can have an actual discussion- it could happen!