Christian Swearing?: Curse words and Coarse Jesting

In this episode, We delve into the complex topics of swearing and humor within Christianity, examining the cultural and biblical contexts as well as our personal experiences. Growing up as preacher's kids in environments where swearing was frowned upon, we discuss the double standards we faced and the importance of discerning when language is appropriate, particularly in religious settings. We question the notion that abstaining from swearing is inherently a presentation of the gospel. The conversation expands to cover the neurological aspects of swearing, its various classifications—including emphatic, idiomatic, and dysphemistic swearing—and how these influence emotions and social conduct. We also touch on the role of humor in building community and relieving stress, exploring humor's use in different cultures and historical contexts, such as Ephesus during Paul's time, and its implications on power dynamics and honor-shame cultures. Finally, we conclude that while Christians might swear in certain contexts, the impact of our language on others and the biblical injunctions against coarse jesting and vulgar jokes must be carefully considered.

Show Notes
Bono F-Bomb on Golden Globes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COlPQlNguvU&t=328s

The ethics of obscene speech in early Christianity and its environment
By Jeremy F. Hultin
https://archive.org/details/ethicsofobscenes0000hult/mode/2up

How might a study in classical humour aid us in interpreting Paul’s prohibition of εὐτραπελία in Ephesians 5:4? By Samuel Brooke
https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/106338408/How_might_a_study_in_classical_humour_aid_us_in_interpreting_Pauls_prohibiyion_of_eutrapelia_in_eph_54-libre.pdf?1696717337=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DHow_might_a_study_in_classical_humour_ai.pdf&Expires=1716783813&Signature=QjdVL9yQF~U28KQp-uWVX9d8mTf1X1hpdSVHhKLqWaZrrKUP3A9diq8igUzFsPxo8KN~3qZobDdvBP8kOTQXUF~RBd~BSHC0dhN~HDLEKuQTH8cb76Iik4swvCYbpaDIbSIvk1qQc~FwvGq7MN8rNLxlwbKcGKVD7lTMHDMofQud8FyzVea0y9GU3jEyymRUgN6S-fAt~Pch3oeH9ikCbxFTAdbJuATz-4wJvLBrzvzCLTTi2rjl1IdXTuY4MIp0o2nr8PW98hCeLG4RRMgMeeaQsGPCde0jOAuVnaA-howZrWjgzI~jWaEeb48C9R0kTT7feKTxduzCfpahY5YleA__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

Stephen Pinker on Swearing
https://www.openculture.com/2012/08/steven_pinker_explains_the_neuroscience_of_swearing.html

HS 3687
https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/3687/text

Vsauce Why are Bad Words Bad?
https://youtu.be/Dd7dQh8u4Hc?feature=shared

Why We Curse - Prof. Jordan Peterson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMnJO_r_vgw

Inspiring Philosophy
https://youtube.com/shorts/AqFK5_vHNvA?feature=shared