Old Writing - Swearing in Movies

Today's post is going to be closer to what I normally do. Over two years ago, I posted a Facebook note about my opinion on swearing in movies. I've reposted this discussion a few times since, but here it is again, revised slightly.

Let me start by stating my veiws on swearing in general: I do believe it's wrong (James 3:3-12). When we curse, we want to hurt and shock people, we want to draw attention to ourselves, and our tounges can do that. That is why I disagree with people who call swear words "just words." They DO offend people. People DO use them to hurt and insult others. They DO create enough reaction that companies usually censor them. This is why I, personally, try to not swear (with occasional failures), but why I try not to give people a hard time with swearing in and of itself.

I think that the sin isn't as much in the formation of the words as much as the desire to offend someone, or the anger involved.

When an actor swears in a movie, then he doesn't have the attitudes that generally provoke it, hes only simulating them for his character. So, objectively, this isn't any more wrong than when any other actor depicts any other sin.

However, swearing is one of the most contagious and hard to stop sins that I can think of. I know MANY Christians who have stuggled with this at some point in thier life, and part of that may be because we see it so often in movies, and it works its way into our thoughts. When we get angry, we lose some self-controll and swear. If we show it in movies, then it may become harder to avoid, as we hear it more often.

So the question seems to be whether there's a need for the swear word in the plot or events of the movie. Though some might be insignificant, I do believe there are reasons for swearing that MIGHT be valid.

1. Realism -- Some movies want to show the world as it is, or at least how the filmmakers see it, and the fact is that people swear. To make a movie with people that don't swear wouldn't be as realistic or believable. Now if it's a kid show, then they needn't have belivability, and therefore no swearing.
2. Characterization -- I'm not gonna lie, my opinion of people is usually affected by their language, and I doubt that I'm the only one (Yet another reason I don't swear). Same applies in movies. In a show such as Smallville, there's an innocence seen when one character rarely, if ever, uses a dirty word in a show in which other characters do. And some characters show thier loss of innocence (by alien influences or general corruption) when they use swear words. The same works in reverse, I see chacters as flawed if they swear, such as Will Smith's characters or Jack Baur.
3. Humor -- Not a huge thing, but the fact is that many lines or jokes are funnier if they use swear words, if nothing else than for shock value. Infamous Will Smith quote: "ACHOO! Oh sorry, I'm allergic to bulls***." from I, Robot. Or the running gags in Hancock with the "Your heads going up his a**." and "Call me an a**-hole one more time." Admitedly, there might be cleaner words for the joke, but the shock value and characterization added to the humor give it some points.
4. People should know them -- This one even I don't buy. Though you could argue that embarassing or akward situations can arise if you don't understand an inappropriate word, it's the job of THAT individual to find out about such things, not the movie to tell them.

So the question becomes what's more important, the above advantages, or the negative side effects? I, personally, have mixed feelings about this. I am interested in writing movies and tv shows as a career, but as of now don't intend to impliment swear words in any stories I write. Though I do admit that the realism does appeal to me, I don't think it's worth "tainting" my stories and making them inappropriate for younger kids, especially since my main areas of interest are SF and fantasy, which have little to no realism to beging with.

Ending queston: What about the thriller writers who DO write about Earth and more terrestial threats that are intended for older audiences? Is it preferable, okay, or even excusable for them to implement cursing and swearing into thier stories so that they can better depict thier world?

What does anyone think? Comments on swearing in movies? Swearing in general?

-Caleb