Do You Profane God’s Name?

“Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:7). Many people misuse God's name by way of profanity. But profanity is much more than what-we-call swearing or cursing. Misusing God’s name involves anything that takes away from the value of God's name. It means showing contempt for God rather than the fearful reverence He deserves.

The word profane simply means “common.” Treating God as though He were “common” is profanity. There are some who speak of God with entirely too much familiarity—as though He were simply one of their friends. Yes, God calls Moses his friend (Ex. 33:11). Yes, Jesus says “I call you friends” (Jn. 15:15). But we must be careful not turn this privilege into inappropriate familiarity. You’ve heard the expression “too much familiarity breeds contempt,” meaning one becomes so accustomed to familiar things and people that he no longer values them. The word “contempt” means to treat someone with less respect, or value, than he is due. When the judge holds someone ‘in contempt,’ he means they are not treating him (the judge) with the respect he is due. When we treat God contemptuously, we are committing profanity.

When we commit sin without repentance, we slander His Holy character. Claiming to be His children, yet living in fear that our Father won’t meet our needs misrepresents His character as our Provider. Even thinking more about things on earth than the things above shows contempt for God—a failure to value and love Him above all things.

Can You Trust Hollywood’s Movie Ratings?

Twenty minutes into watching a 1979, PG-rated movie from Netflix, we pushed the eject button, placed the DVD in the return envelope, and sent it back. Rather naively, as it turns out, we assumed such an “old” PG-rated picture would be inoffensive. But it had enough profanity and sex to make a nun blush.

Curious about the movie industry’s rating system, I ‘googled’ around and discovered something called the Hays Code, an old regulation that banned blasphemy and profanity in movie scripts. Obviously the ban is no longer in effect.

In my view, most 21st century believers are rather indifferent about movies that contain blasphemy (using Jesus or God’s name as a profanity—in addition to other previously banned vulgarities). What changed? When did these profanities become acceptable? I think there has been a slow boil, e.g. the proverbial frog in the kettle of warm water, where the Saints have been euthanized to what-should-be-considered indecency and vulgarity. Have we forgotten that “obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes” are banned by God’s word? (Eph. 5:4, NLT).

More importantly, we are living in the middle of ideological warfare in which Satan seeks to dominate our thinking. These are not just ‘bad’ words; they are wrong ways of thinking—inconsistent with God’s character & holiness. How many Christians have been duped by Satan, unaware they are being absorbed into a secular pagan worldview—by, of all things, something called entertainment?