I was watching Christian television the other day and observed:
2 examples of gluttony
3 examples of pride
5 examples of greed
2 examples of had hair....

Why count any of it?

Film, like all other forms of art, reflects culture. Our world is steeped in sin---we are all sinners...I expect to see sin in movies. Frankly, anyone shocked by sin in movies is either a liar or naive of their own heart.

See No Country for Old Men---every character in that movie is inept and evil in some sense.

I think swearing in movies is not much of a big deal. I mean, I try really hard not to swear... but if I was a character in the movie, and something freaky happened (zombie attack, car accident, whatever), I'm sure a "What the F$%k!!" would fly out of my mouth, unbidden.

It's almost unrealistic when it doesn't happen.

I think I read an article recently about swearing, how some are just hard-wired to do it. Doesn't make it right, just hard not to.

i tolerate swearing in movies far more than swearing in music. usually i listen to music more often than i watch films, and i don't like to hear swearing often. whatever the context, i just find the words used too ugly. i loved The Big Lebowski, but i don't know if i'll watch it again. Plus there are a few REM songs that I thought were great for years, then i heard the bad word and they are forever tainted now :(

our youth club leader showed Bruce Almighty one night before he watched it himself (and The Bench Warmers another time). thankfully the kids didn't start repeating what bruce said in his anger. Though he did get sacked for swearing :)

internet forums are pretty bad too. i enjoy reading arstechnica.com and there are many great characters who post in the forums, but most of them swear too much. i 'fasted' from arstechnica for lent, but when i started reading again i found myself swearing in my head more than usual. i think i'm back to whatever counts as normal now.

I affirm the idea that Christians focus too much on little things and ignore other, more serious, sins. I think it's another exampel of how our Christian culture is very similar to the Pharisees of Jesus' day - which makes me think that Pharisee-ism is a common malady, not isolated to those early Jews, but rather it pops-up in, perhaps, all "religious" groups.

BUT 2) let me say, I don't think swearing is a sin. It's simply how our culture talks. When a non-Christian swears, they're probably not thinking evil in their heart, they're just using the word that everyone else does to express how their feeling. Obviously swear words can be used in sinful ways, but I think it's interesting that some people use them in other ways: to empathize, "F***, I'm sorry. That's F***ed-up." when talking about their neighbors dog getting hit by a car. Is that wrong? No, I don't think so, their intent and heart is empathetic and kind to their neighbor. Or "What the F***" - translated - "What the Heck!?",

or some people just use F constantly! And if you're a pharisee, it will drive you crazy "Yeah, F***in, we went to the grocery store, and F***in', they didn't have any F***in eggs" - I would argue that there's no mal intent - that (really, obviously) they're just using a word their culture has taught them to use. Therefore, I don't think it's wrong in those cases.

The reason I even care, is because I noticed that when I would hear ppl cus, It would immediately cause a rift between me and them. I was the too holy pharisee, and I would think, oh their just soo sinful - don't want to be around them, OR EVEN WORSE tell them how innappropriate they were, - which is not loving and the opposite of what Jesus taught - just b/c I was uncomfortable, and all they're doing is using the language the way they've learned it to be acceptable.

So, I hope you agree. I think us Pharisees are the reason that the Church is failing in the West.

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Good thing the Old Testament hasn't been made into a movie. Many Christians might be punished for watching it.

I choose to ignore all sin in movies by going to none of them.

I just scanned the comments and woulsd like to say to some WOE to them!!! We are to sin NOT!!! We as childen of God are to resemble His Son, think would Yeshua (Jesus the Christ ) sit and watch that movie or would continue to sit around scoffers Read Psalm 1 and about bein a Pharisee, please know the meaning of a word before you use it.. we wioll perish for lack of knowlegde.. please take time out and truly read the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth -THE HOLY BIBLE - for it is written , 'I AM' HOLY therefore 'you be holy' and it also is written "He commited no sin, nor was any deceit found on his lips" 1st Peter 2:22 , I am really upset at the Lukewarmness of the body of Christ - we are to be peculiar, set apart people , not loking and acting as the world or society does.. please wake up before it is too late... Shalom

I find it alternately amusing and infuriating that so many Christians are quick to decide who is or is not a "real believer" or what is "sinful speech" based on the use of profanity.....Yet many of these same Christians think it's perfectly proper to use Bible verses to harm, judge, curse or otherwise sin with words. "After all, this is what GOD'S WORD says!" is their battle cry.

"Cusswords" are merely words to which our culture has attached certain meanings. Those meanings change and fluctuate over time, location and situation. Can one say the same thing of using Bible verses as weapons?

Chris: "Why count any of it", it reflects our culture and I expect to see sin in the movies. Wazunga: Not much of a big deal. God did not hard wire you to sin, it's your choice. Johngf: What is normal? Jesse: More serious sins? All sin is serious and "I don't think swearing is a sin. It's simply how our culture talks". The dog thing, why couldn't you say, "I'm sorry about your dog, is there anything I can do to help, no profanity". If you think you are the reasonb the church is failing, then pray and ask for help from the one who loves you the most. Fred: Political views aside, all those things you wrote about are really hard to understand. Why do we do those things to eachother? Now here comes the but. They are not consistent with Christian beliefs in that we should not deny one person for the gain of another and we should not be selfish. We should strive for justice for all no matter what your obvious feelings are. Just because they do it in Europe why should we do it here? Jack: Some people have a hard time not swearing you're right, so keep trying not to. Steve: Ignoring the problem doesn't solve it. Elizabeth: Christians dont' judge, only God will do that. Christians lead by example as Jesus did. If you feel you're being judged by your Christian friends, maybe you need new friends, because they're not Christians. Cussing is not a culture, but a choice you make to make a point, try not making your point without profanity, it works well. In saying all of that, I want to say he is a great deceiver who will tell you it's okay to say or do what you want. After all it's only our culture to use profanity. It's our culture to condem someone for doing in the open what they do behind closed doors. Listen carefully, we lead by example given to us by Jesus Christ, not by doing what they do in Europe or any place else. In God's Grace John