Phillipians 3:8

[brymaes]

[i:be52171785]Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ[/i:be52171785]

Is Paul's use of the word skubalon what we would today consider cursing? Is it the same as a certain term Luther was fond of, or our word c***?

Does Paul's use of this word have any bearing on the discussion in the 'Judge Deborah' thread?

 

[mjbee]

Is dung the same as poop? Or scat? It's just a word for excrement. Consider this, though. The only time a live human or animal does not produce poop is when it is near death. It signals a systematic shut-down, and death is imminent. Poop or die!

 

[staythecourse]

Filth

I am sad to say I got a thing for knowledge over being good (eg following Christ.) The two can be combatible but one shouldn't supersede the other. That's where I relate to the above verse.

Paul says, "I was all wrong" I thought I was pleasing God but I didn't know WHAT I was doing. It was filth, excrement, compared to Jesus and what he was doing. I was crazy. God showed me the way through Christ his Son and not my false god-accomplishments. "the light came on. I'm pursuing Him now."

 

[pastorway]

It was Paul who penned the inspired word. And he also penned this verse:

[quote:35f48f3c40]Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.[/quote:35f48f3c40]

I think too much is made of one word Paul uses as if it gives us liberty to curse up a storm and say, "&^%#$%@&(&#)&^&#%Q*." I am following Paul as he followed Christ."

Was what Paul said blunt? Yes. Was it profane? I don't think so.

Phillip

 

[kceaster]

The liberal university at which I spent a single year, I had a professor in Biblical exegesis who told everyone cross out dung from their Bibles and pen in the word s**t. One guy spoke up and said that he'd already done that years ago.

Needless to say, God kept me from that. I could not believe my ears. It signaled the beginning of the end of my short university career.

How sad.

In Christ,

KC

 

[luvroftheWord]

Here's something I've often wondered. What is it, exactly, about the word s**t that makes it profane? Or with any expletive, for that matter? Is there something intrinsic in the words themselves that make them profane? Or is it only a cultural thing?

 

[Scott Bushey]

Craig,
The word Cr** is from a brand of toilet produced years ago. Society has stigmatized it to mean something more than clinical, hence making it a vulgarity.

 

[luvroftheWord]

Right, so its a social thing. That's what I've always thought anyway, but I have run into so many people who think that there is something intrinsically wrong with the letters c, r, a, and p when they happened to be placed side by side in that order.

 

[pastorway]

In it all we should always make sure our speech in honoring to Christ and not a stumbliing block to those around us!

Both words mentioned in this thread are listed in the dictionary as "vulgar" and "slang". So society does deem these words as vulgar! Many words that are idenitifed as vulgar are deemed so because of their history and past usage. One of the words mentioned comes from an Old English word that meant literally "to deficate." The other comes from the name of the man who invented the flushable toilet, and is also identified as the act of using such device!(Webster's New World Colege Dictionary, Fourth Edition).

We are commanded not to allow any corrupt communication to proceed out of our mouths. If we are worried that it will offend someone by being taken as a vulgar or profane word, then we should refrain.

Christians should not sound like the world when they talk! Our speech should be "seasoned with salt", useful, edifying, and pure.

Phillip

 

[sundoulos]

I agree with Phillip. It is a combination of how society looks at it and what we know to be right and wrong. Allow me to give some examples.

Back in the 60's I ran with a crowd in Scotland that thought nothing of using are most familiar and vulgar four-letter word. Nobody flinched or blushed when I used it. However, even as an unbeliever, I [b:307e9c6145][i:307e9c6145]knew[/b:307e9c6145][/i:307e9c6145] that my usage of it was contrary to decency and an offense to Almighty God.

Now, there are words and expressions which we use in the USA that are considered not only vulgar but extremely reprehensible in the UK -- and vice versa. If I were to use them here the post would be filled with "flowers." :biggrin:

I hear Christians say things -- from the pulpit, no less -- that make me cringe. Words like s--k (as in producing a vacuum), or calling one a b----r (which is a Sodomite).

If one reads the Geneva Bible or the KJV, they will come across the four letter word meaning "to urinate." At the time of original publication they were inoffensive. Today they are not used in polite company.

When society finds a word offensive, it creates a euphemism. Later, the euphemism becomes offensive, and other expression comes in to play.

I believe we need to be more careful of our speech and talk with an aim of reflecting Christ and glorifying God. That removes any argument. We ought especially to be careful with the euphemisms. We say shoot, darn, drat, gosh, etc. Why?

 

[kceaster]

Y'all don't need me to say this, but excellent posts, my Baptist brethren. I agree fully.

In Christ,

KC

 

[pastorway]

 

[kceaster]

Phillip...

May I be the orange one? I hate being blue :headscratch:

KC