Can I complain for a minute? Swearing does NOT make a Christian any cooler, free-er, more liberated, closer to Christ, more relevant, more right, etc., etc., etc., than does farting in public!
I'm sick of reading blog after interview after magazine article where Christians, especially emerging ones, use profanity in a sad attempt to earn some street cred or show that they're liberated from the constraints of their legalistic forefathers.
I'll admit, there may be times when the stray profane utterance is appropriate, like say when one is about to drive off a cliff, but since when does being an authentic Christian require, or even simply smile upon, the use of vulgarities to make it seem genuine? When will my Christian sisters and brothers get over their infantile infatuation with cussing?
To quote my sixth grade teacher: "We're not in elementary school any more boys and girls."
If being an authentic Christian means I have to sit around drinking beer, smoking a cigar, watching porn, and saying "shit" at opportune times, then I don't want to be an authentic Christian anymore.
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Andy,
Again I have to agree with you that there are those in the emergent church that like to swear in order to “earn some street cred or show that they're liberated from the constraints of their legalistic forefathers.” I laughed out loud when reading that comment because I can see how true it is for many.
At the same time I think there is some oversensitivity to swearing in church culture, and like you said there are a few times when a “stray profane utterance is appropriate”.
As for being an “authentic Christian”, I don’t think this means you have to look to say “shit” every time you can. You don’t have to take up drinking beer or smoking cigars. Certainly this does not mean you should condone participation in pornography.
At the same time, if one does not hold the same conviction about beer that his brothers in Christ does, or perhaps is struggling with pornography, not condoning it, but being transparent about his struggle, then we should have authentic relationships with one another that helps each other along our journey.
You are right swearing to be cool or for shock value is immature, you are right to lovingly call out those who do this. There is nothing “authentic” about putting on an act like this. At the same time I don’t want people to feel they can’t be themselves. I want to create safe relationships that we can be transparent in, so we can walk and grow together in Christ. This might mean not getting freaked out if someone has a cigar or a beer and occasionally drops a swear word. The point is to be real, to be ourselves, and to be authentic in a way that allows God to transform each of us from the inside out.
By the way stay away from cliffs, if you drive over the side it could lead to swearing. :)
James
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