Words and language are funny things. They are supposed to convey meaning, yet both words and their meaning can change. Sometimes we intentionally use an innocuous word or phrase to convey meaning because the actual word or phrase is considered vulgar or offensive. This is called a euphemism. Such was the case with the phrase “Let’s Go Brandon” which was popularized this past week as a euphemism for a vulgar chant designed to berate our current President. Now, instead of using a vulgar, curse word to express dissatisfaction with the President, we can allow even little children to chant “Let’s Go Brandon” with no offense. We no longer need to speak the vulgarity directly, yet can convey the same meaning.

Such is the case with many of the curse words and vulgar speech used in our society. While it is true that some just let the four-letter words fly without giving it a second thought, others (and even many Christians) use a euphemism to convey the same meaning without directly speaking the words. Let’s look at a few instances of these sanitized curse words that most people use to some extent:

1. “Holy _______” – Fill in the blank after the word holy. While there is often a vulgar word put after “Holy”, how many times do we fill in the blank with something less offensive? Yet, when we do this, we are devaluing what is true holiness – God himself. 1 Samuel 2:2 tells us, “There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee.” God is the ONLY one who deserves to be called Holy. We shouldn’t become flippant with the term and should be careful to keep it something that is truly special and attributed only to God.


2. “What the H___” – We all know how often the word “hell” is thrown into all sorts of phrases. There is even a chip dip that cleverly disguises the word into it’s branding. In the same way that using “holy” trivializes the true holiness of God, using “hell” in our common language minimizes our understanding of the severity of this place of eternal punishment. We can’t comprehend being separated from God, in total darkness, or what it means to have an eternal flame of torment, pain and suffering. The Bible mentions the atrocities of hell twice as much as it talks about heaven. This is because we need to understand the gravity of our situation without Christ. Too many people have gotten the impression that this will just be a place to hang out and have a good time with lots of other sinners for eternity. We must not allow our language to help reinforce this type of thinking.


3. “God D___ it!” – This is, of course, possibly the greatest curse of them all. It is cursing God himself. Even when we take the word “God” off the front, the meaning is still being conveyed. Who can condemn someone to damnation except God himself? It is His domain alone to condemn in this manner. Many milder terms are sometimes substituted for both words (“darn”, “dang”, “gosh”, “golly”) but these still are designed to convey the same meaning. Of course, this is in direct violation of one of the ten commandments. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain” (Exodus 20:7). We need to be careful not to use God’s name in a thoughtless way or combine it with an offensive term.

Of course, there are lots of other euphemisms that have crept into our vocabulary. Some crept in over time and some overnight (like “Let’s Go Brandon”). We must remain watchful and vigilant over our speech. It’s not just what we say that matters – it’s what we mean. And even if that’s not what we mean, we must be aware of the meaning that both God and others around us will perceive when we use words and phrases that could be interpreted in the wrong way. I’ve often said that those who must resort to using four-letter words have a limited vocabulary. Fix your mind on things above and don’t let your mouth be in the gutter. As a Christian, you represent a Holy God, who alone can condemn sinners to an eternal hell unless they hear about the saving grace found in Jesus Christ. May your speech always be aligned with the King of Kings that you are called to serve.