Author Topic: How do you deter the habit of swearing? (Read 4380 times)

s2srea · « **Reply #15 on:** August 17, 2013, 10:02:53 AM »

Our priest gave a sermon very recently on bad language. His convincing point was not that it was sinful (apart from using the Lords name in Vain), which I don't necessarily think it is, but it was unbecoming of a Christian. I thought about it, and agreed. I can't imagine St. Bernard or St. Francis engaging in such talk. Its been two weeks, and I've been doing pretty well at not cussing. What has helped, I think, is letting my co-workers know that I had this as my goal. If I do slip, I correct myself. If I say, "oh s--t", I'll follow up with, "I mean oh crap/poop/fudge".

I think making the decision to stop was the most important factor. Its sort of like eating healthy/ dieting. You need to make a firm resolution to change, the rest is easy.

Stella · « **Reply #16 on:** August 17, 2013, 10:40:37 AM »

As Mater said earlier, the influence of our companions, for good or evil, can hardly be understated.

The more you associate with people who don't swear, the less you will swear.

Frances · « **Reply #17 on:** August 17, 2013, 11:32:13 AM »

:whistleblower:
Here's a test. Do you swear in the hearing of the following people? Your boss? Your mother? Your grandmother? Your priest? In the Confessional? Children?

If you answered no to any of the above, you don't have a bad habit, you are choosing to sin or refrain from sin. IOW, it IS in your control. If you answered yes to all of above, then you have a terrible habit that is at least a serious venial sin and you are a scandal to others. You must resolve to stop. Ask the Holy Ghost to alert you BEFORE you speak. Ask Blessed Mother. I don't imagine anyone ever swore in Her presence! Ask your priest or assign yourself a MEANINGFUL penance to do every time you slip up.
When I was young, my Mom said, "Profane language is a sign of stupidity." She used to make us kiss the top of the Palmolive dish soap. If we swore intentionally, we got a licking. Last one I received was in 1968. The car broke down and Dad took it, was gone all day leaving us in our travel trailer in a broiling hot parking lot. I "tested" Mom by declaring it was "so %#*!% hot you could cook a________________, _______________ egg on the sidewalk."
"What? Do you care to repeat that, young lady?" So I did! Did I ever get it from both Mom and Dad. Swearing and potty-mouth were not tolerated. All through middle school, high school, people around me swore. I never did and so don't have a problem with it.

BTW-"Crap" and similar words is not a swear word, rather, a sign of poor breeding and shows lack of consideration for others. You might also think of what your pet words actually mean. Is that really what you want to say?
:stare:

Napoli · « **Reply #18 on:** August 17, 2013, 02:20:04 PM »

Duct tape works.

Stephen Francis · « **Reply #19 on:** August 17, 2013, 03:02:30 PM »

Bear in mind that phrases like 'holy cow' and 'holy smoke' are modernist terms used to mock religion. The idea that things or people can be holy is seen as ridiculous, so there is an effort to mock the idea. It's not a strictly anti-Catholic idea but it does serve to make fun of religion.

H-ly cow is offensive to Hindus.

H-ly smoke, h-ly Toledo, etc are used to mock the idea of incense or of holy places (Toledo is the city in Spain, not the one in Ohio, USA).

For what it's worth, I used to not only swear like a proverbial sailor, I went out of my way to be as flagrant with my swearing as I could be when I was among people who either didn't mind or would join in.

Remember that Our Lord is the Lord of Lords and will bring everything to light that we have done. Understand that you may not have the chance or the time to make amends to the PEOPLE you may have offended, but there is no time like the present to stop swearing and begin to offer your speech from today on in reparation for offenses against Our Lord Jesus Christ. Bear in mind that the gravity and severity of our judgment of ourselves will help us to amend our lives and thus not be judged on the last Day.

Rest assured that I will be praying for you.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, triumph soon!

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

Zeitun · « **Reply #20 on:** August 17, 2013, 09:23:40 PM »

Quote from: Frances

:whistleblower:
Here's a test. Do you swear in the hearing of the following people? Your boss? Your mother? Your grandmother? Your priest? In the Confessional? Children?

If you answered no to any of the above, you don't have a bad habit, you are choosing to sin or refrain from sin. IOW, it IS in your control. If you answered yes to all of above, then you have a terrible habit that is at least a serious venial sin and you are a scandal to others. You must resolve to stop. Ask the Holy Ghost to alert you BEFORE you speak. Ask Blessed Mother. I don't imagine anyone ever swore in Her presence! Ask your priest or assign yourself a MEANINGFUL penance to do every time you slip up.
When I was young, my Mom said, "Profane language is a sign of stupidity." She used to make us kiss the top of the Palmolive dish soap. If we swore intentionally, we got a licking. Last one I received was in 1968. The car broke down and Dad took it, was gone all day leaving us in our travel trailer in a broiling hot parking lot. I "tested" Mom by declaring it was "so %#*!% hot you could cook a________________, _______________ egg on the sidewalk."
"What? Do you care to repeat that, young lady?" So I did! Did I ever get it from both Mom and Dad. Swearing and potty-mouth were not tolerated. All through middle school, high school, people around me swore. I never did and so don't have a problem with it.

BTW-"Crap" and similar words is not a swear word, rather, a sign of poor breeding and shows lack of consideration for others. You might also think of what your pet words actually mean. Is that really what you want to say?
:stare:

What about priests who say "crap" and "crappy" all the time?

jen51 · « **Reply #21 on:** August 17, 2013, 09:42:49 PM »

Quote from: Frances

When I was young, my Mom said, "Profane language is a sign of stupidity." She used to make us kiss the top of the Palmolive dish soap. If we swore intentionally, we got a licking. Last one I received was in 1968. The car broke down and Dad took it, was gone all day leaving us in our travel trailer in a broiling hot parking lot. I "tested" Mom by declaring it was "so %#*!% hot you could cook a________________, _______________ egg on the sidewalk."
"What? Do you care to repeat that, young lady?" So I did! Did I ever get it from both Mom and Dad. Swearing and potty-mouth were not tolerated. All through middle school, high school, people around me swore. I never did and so don't have a problem with it.

BTW-"Crap" and similar words is not a swear word, rather, a sign of poor breeding and shows lack of consideration for others. You might also think of what your pet words actually mean. Is that really what you want to say?
:stare:

Funny story, Frances.

I remember in school, in about the 4th or 5th grade, cussing became the cool thing to do. I wasn't bold enough to say a naughty word in front of my peers, but I had got myself in the habit of saying cuss words to myself. One day my mother told me to knock a wasps nest down with a broom handle, thinking it was an abandoned nest. So I did, and to my surprise wasps came out. In a moment of panick, I yelled out loud what I normally would have only said to myself which was "OH $!*#!" My mother of course heard it, and was utterly shocked. She asked me if I said what she thought she heard and I denied it. I got grounded for cussing and lying.

I outgrew that phase pretty quickly. These days I am averse to cussing. Not only is it offensive to others, it is terribly unclassy. Especially in mixed company.

poche · « **Reply #22 on:** August 17, 2013, 11:13:35 PM »

My mother used to wash our mouths with soap if she heard any of us say anything that she thought was offensive. Therefore I never learned to swear.
:cool: :cool: :cool:

Frances · « **Reply #23 on:** August 17, 2013, 11:36:41 PM »

Zeitun-Sometimes I scowl at that priest. Thus far, he has not reformed. Most of the time, I do as I'm told and "decrapify" the premises.

Viva Cristo Rey · « **Reply #24 on:** August 27, 2013, 09:26:50 PM »

Quote from: Zeitun

Quote from: Frances
:whistleblower:
Here's a test. Do you swear in the hearing of the following people? Your boss? Your mother? Your grandmother? Your priest? In the Confessional? Children?

If you answered no to any of the above, you don't have a bad habit, you are choosing to sin or refrain from sin. IOW, it IS in your control. If you answered yes to all of above, then you have a terrible habit that is at least a serious venial sin and you are a scandal to others. You must resolve to stop. Ask the Holy Ghost to alert you BEFORE you speak. Ask Blessed Mother. I don't imagine anyone ever swore in Her presence! Ask your priest or assign yourself a MEANINGFUL penance to do every time you slip up.
When I was young, my Mom said, "Profane language is a sign of stupidity." She used to make us kiss the top of the Palmolive dish soap. If we swore intentionally, we got a licking. Last one I received was in 1968. The car broke down and Dad took it, was gone all day leaving us in our travel trailer in a broiling hot parking lot. I "tested" Mom by declaring it was "so %#*!% hot you could cook a________________, _______________ egg on the sidewalk."
"What? Do you care to repeat that, young lady?" So I did! Did I ever get it from both Mom and Dad. Swearing and potty-mouth were not tolerated. All through middle school, high school, people around me swore. I never did and so don't have a problem with it.

BTW-"Crap" and similar words is not a swear word, rather, a sign of poor breeding and shows lack of consideration for others. You might also think of what your pet words actually mean. Is that really what you want to say?
:stare:

What about priests who say "crap" and "crappy" all the time?

Which priests

shin · « **Reply #25 on:** August 29, 2013, 10:17:47 AM »

Swearing is the language folks use in Hell. It's not the language folks use in Heaven.

Neil Obstat · « **Reply #26 on:** August 29, 2013, 11:02:32 AM »

.
When Matto revived this old thread, that had lain dormant for two
years, with this post:

Post

Quote from: Matto

I used to swear a lot when I was a child. My mom did not like it and said that if I did not swear for a month she would get me a video game. I did not swear for a month and got the video game, Super Mario Bros. 3. Even since then I haven't used bad words very often.

he did provide a good answer to the thread title question, "How do you
deter the [bad] habit of swearing?"

I've read the thread, and did not find any mention of the idea I have
heard promoted by a good priest I know, namely, that it is primarily our
love of God that should be at the root of our avoidance of profanity.

Whenever you have any kind of urge to commit sin, you should say things
that remind yourself of your love for God, and a most effective sentence
is this one:

"My Jesus, it is YOU that I love."

Try it and see: If you start saying this several times a day, and especially
when you are tempted to sins, just see if avoiding the sin isn't so much
a difficulty anymore. It's not simply a matter of doing what you know is
right, for we are fallen creatures and we are weak, and the devil never
sleeps. It is a battle of powers in high places. But remember, Our Lord
said, on your own it is fairly impossible, for without Him you can do
nothing. But with Him, you can do everything.

magdalena · « **Reply #27 on:** August 29, 2013, 07:29:31 PM »

Quote from: Neil Obstat

.
When Matto revived this old thread, that had lain dormant for two
years, with this post:

Post
Quote from: Matto
I used to swear a lot when I was a child. My mom did not like it and said that if I did not swear for a month she would get me a video game. I did not swear for a month and got the video game, Super Mario Bros. 3. Even since then I haven't used bad words very often.

he did provide a good answer to the thread title question, "How do you
deter the [bad] habit of swearing?"

I've read the thread, and did not find any mention of the idea I have
heard promoted by a good priest I know, namely, that it is primarily our
love of God that should be at the root of our avoidance of profanity.

Whenever you have any kind of urge to commit sin, you should say things
that remind yourself of your love for God, and a most effective sentence
is this one:

"My Jesus, it is YOU that I love."

Try it and see: If you start saying this several times a day, and especially
when you are tempted to sins, just see if avoiding the sin isn't so much
a difficulty anymore. It's not simply a matter of doing what you know is
right, for we are fallen creatures and we are weak, and the devil never
sleeps. It is a battle of powers in high places. But remember, Our Lord
said, on your own it is fairly impossible, for without Him you can do
nothing. But with Him, you can do everything.

Perfect.

I like the idea of the Divine Praises as well.

I wonder how Daegus is coming along?