I know we all do it, but I guess what I'm getting at is "should" we do it? What does God really think about it? Does God say that sometimes we can and other times it's not OK? (guys, please don't think I'm lecturing because I'm honestly not--what I'm writing here are the questions I've been asking myself and I'm sharing with you the answers I've been getting to them. I seriously am NOT trying to condemn anyone--how could I when I'm every bit as guilty as anyone else? I only want to discuss it so we can all learn and grow together and to be perfectly honest, to use you guys as a kind of sounding board to bounce my thoughts off of, if you know what I mean)
I agree with Barbara because that verse she mentioned does come into play here.
1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
And then He says this too which I think applies to what we're discussing:
Matthew 12:35-37 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Luke 6:43-45 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
James 3:9-12 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
James 1:26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
1 Peter 3:10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
It is these verses that really have convicted me about this. When you combine this with what we've learned in the bible study about stress, fear, worry etc it shows even further just how important our thoughts and words are. I know that to some people this might seem petty or even "legalistic". To me though it really isn't. I'm only trying to live this life the way the Lord says we should so that I can please Him and so I can be the godly woman He desires me to be and that He planned for me to be. I probably can't live up to His expectations, but at least I can try. If I use those same techniques that I posted about in the stress study, I should be able to clean up my mouth and my thoughts fairly easily since taking my thoughts captive is already a habit. I just have one more thing to take captive now.
The more I've thought about this, the more I think that this is yet another area that we have been "brainwashed" by the world in. What I mean is that they have "desensitized us" to swearing and cussing. After all, we hear it constantly and even see it everywhere on shirts and signs etc. It's often turned into a "joke" and meant to be "funny". (when you think about it, that's the same way they desensitized us to other evils such as premarital sex, extra marital sex, homosexuals, etc.) I freely admit that I've laughed at my fair share of things like that too, but I've found over the last few years especially that those kind of things turn me off more and more now. I believe that the Holy Spirit is showing them to me as they really are now.
When I think back to when I was a little girl, I know without a doubt that many words people use today without thinking twice about it, would have earned me a spanking easily and instantly! In fact, when I was 20 and my mom was dying, I was taking my dad to the store and was venting about something that was upsetting me at the time. I accidentally used a swear word (and it wasn't anything that anyone now days would consider "bad"). My father actually pulled the car over to the side of the road and stopped!!! I thought for sure he was going to turn me over his knees right then and there!
I quickly apologized and so didn't get the spanking but I did get a lecture letting me know in no uncertain terms that he raised me to be a lady and those kind of words didn't come out of a lady's mouth! 
I wonder what my poor dad would think of today's world? (He died when I was 25). I don't think he'd like it very much.
There's a lot more that's been running through my head about this but I'll wait to post it as I know this is pretty long already...
Here are the verses from my opening post if you want to reference them again:
James 5:12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.
Matthew 5:37 Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
I realize that those last two verses are talking about swearing an oath and not profanity. But in trying to figure this out for myself I've done some digging and discovered some other verses that also go along with this subject but are more along the lines of "cursing". I'll post them for those who want to see what the Lord says. (there are plenty more but those you'll have to find on your own or I'll be here all night LOL)
Romans 3:10-14 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
Exodus 22:28 “Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
Psalm 10:7 His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue.
Exodus 21:17 “Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.
Ecclesiastes 10:20 Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
Psalm 59:12-13 For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride. For the curses and lies they utter, consume them in wrath, consume them till they are no more. Then it will be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob.
1 Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Speaking of the world today, what is your take on swearing?
I agree with Barbara because that verse she mentioned does come into play here.
1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
And then He says this too which I think applies to what we're discussing:
Matthew 12:35-37 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Luke 6:43-45 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
James 3:9-12 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
James 1:26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
1 Peter 3:10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
It is these verses that really have convicted me about this. When you combine this with what we've learned in the bible study about stress, fear, worry etc it shows even further just how important our thoughts and words are. I know that to some people this might seem petty or even "legalistic". To me though it really isn't. I'm only trying to live this life the way the Lord says we should so that I can please Him and so I can be the godly woman He desires me to be and that He planned for me to be. I probably can't live up to His expectations, but at least I can try. If I use those same techniques that I posted about in the stress study, I should be able to clean up my mouth and my thoughts fairly easily since taking my thoughts captive is already a habit. I just have one more thing to take captive now.
The more I've thought about this, the more I think that this is yet another area that we have been "brainwashed" by the world in. What I mean is that they have "desensitized us" to swearing and cussing. After all, we hear it constantly and even see it everywhere on shirts and signs etc. It's often turned into a "joke" and meant to be "funny". (when you think about it, that's the same way they desensitized us to other evils such as premarital sex, extra marital sex, homosexuals, etc.) I freely admit that I've laughed at my fair share of things like that too, but I've found over the last few years especially that those kind of things turn me off more and more now. I believe that the Holy Spirit is showing them to me as they really are now.
When I think back to when I was a little girl, I know without a doubt that many words people use today without thinking twice about it, would have earned me a spanking easily and instantly! In fact, when I was 20 and my mom was dying, I was taking my dad to the store and was venting about something that was upsetting me at the time. I accidentally used a swear word (and it wasn't anything that anyone now days would consider "bad"). My father actually pulled the car over to the side of the road and stopped!!! I thought for sure he was going to turn me over his knees right then and there!
I quickly apologized and so didn't get the spanking but I did get a lecture letting me know in no uncertain terms that he raised me to be a lady and those kind of words didn't come out of a lady's mouth! I wonder what my poor dad would think of today's world? (He died when I was 25). I don't think he'd like it very much. There's a lot more that's been running through my head about this but I'll wait to post it as I know this is pretty long already...
Here are the verses from my opening post if you want to reference them again:
James 5:12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.
Matthew 5:37 Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
I realize that those last two verses are talking about swearing an oath and not profanity. But in trying to figure this out for myself I've done some digging and discovered some other verses that also go along with this subject but are more along the lines of "cursing". I'll post them for those who want to see what the Lord says. (there are plenty more but those you'll have to find on your own or I'll be here all night LOL)
Romans 3:10-14 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
Exodus 22:28 “Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
Psalm 10:7 His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue.
Exodus 21:17 “Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.
Ecclesiastes 10:20 Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
Psalm 59:12-13 For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride. For the curses and lies they utter, consume them in wrath, consume them till they are no more. Then it will be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob.
1 Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
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