Pulpit language, General language, etc

I personally heard a Pastor use the expression "holy cow!" as an exclamation while preaching in church. Do you think it is appropriate? (Incidentally, I read somewhere else recently about about a pastor using "BS" by mistake in the pulpit). - Gaius Language Policeceus Robbo, February 14, 2006 4:01 PM



I believe our public and private pronouncements should be seasoned with salt. So I think it is wrong for a Pastor to have used such language - Gaius Dissentus 15 February 2006 12:55:08



I think the use of the term Holy cow etc seriously down play the importance of the word "holy". All things are lawful but not all things may be permissible. A weak christian may have his/her faith shaken on hearing the pastor use this phrase. We're admonished to let our utterances edify and also to keep in mind how our actions affect our weaker brethren. - Gaius Chicago, 15 February 2006 19:58:44



It's an interesting problem. One question is where to draw the line. It's clearly wrong to take the Lord'dsname in vain, so when people say "Good God", etc as interjections I think it's wrong. A colleague of mine at work uses "Christ" in this way. It upsets me to no end.

I think the next line is terms like "holy cow" and "good heavens" which are not quite the Lord's name, but are close. To me, they don't belong in a Christian's vocabulary, either.

Then there are well reconigzed dirty words, like the four-letter synonyms for copulation, excreta and gynecological body parts, which though in wide use are even unacceptable on mainstream television. Close to those are words like "crap", "screw" and "balls", and "bull" which have become almost acceptable usage in the USA.

Finally, there are a group of expressions like "shoot", "shucks" and "dickens". Those are for people who feel like they have to swear, but not irreverently.

I think the best policy is to use none of these words, because it's just a matter of degree. But when someone says "what the hell..." or something like that, should they be called on it"? Moreover, as the world continues to decay, some language that was formerly unnacceptable slowly creeps into daily usage.

Personally, I was surprised that evangelicals did not make a big deal of the president's calling someone an "........". I remember Billy Graham was interviewed when the Nixon tapes first came out. Asked what surprised him the most, Graham lost no time in saying it was the language.

My guiding verse is: "do you not know that it is not what goes into a man that defiles him (those of you who love pig trotters may continue to indulge) but what comes out....for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." If someone feels the need to pepper his speech with such worthless language, that only shows what's in their heart.- Calorius, 16 February 2006 04:31:19