Profanity on the Rise

You may have noticed that the use of profanity and other vulgar language seems to have increased in recent years. A Saturday Evening Post article from November 2024 reported, “If you think American speech has slid from a ‘PG’ to an ‘R’ rating, you’re not alone. It appears that profane speech is becoming more common in America.” In March of 2025, the New York Times ran an article asking, “Is There Too Much Cursing These Days?” Is this the natural progression of a decades-long trend of coarsening language? What might this mean for the overall moral condition of the United States and other countries?

On May 5, the Wall Street Journal ran an opinion piece titled “Guess Who’s Cussing at Dinner,” in which pediatrician Robert Hamilton described his recent dinner at a friend’s house. He happened to sit next to a young woman who had just graduated from an Ivy League university. He had never met her, and during the dinner conversation she employed a wide range of vulgar language. Later, she asked him if he was offended by her cussing. He said he was not, but that he strives to avoid such foul language, then concluded by saying, “Gutter talk debases us into the gutter, while intelligent and proper language elevates.”

I appreciated and related to what this pediatrician shared. It reminded me of a recent visit to the grocery store, during which I encountered two women, perhaps in their 30s, being helped by a store employee. I happened to hear one of them use a common cuss word while talking about her shopping. She wasn’t upset or angry—she was just using the word as a part of regular communication to an employee she didn’t appear to know.

Such occurrences are sadly common. Perhaps you have thought, as I have, Was that necessary? Do people who use such language, even a scatological term for grocery items, consider while they do so that there is such a word as dignity? Is there any decorum or virtue left, or even just a few good manners?

Again, sadly, such foul language isn’t just used by “regular people.” This unpleasant trend is led by celebrities, athletes, politicians, and other influencers. Dr. Hamilton’s article noted that both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris used the “f-word” while campaigning in 2024.

Virtue and Dignity

Many biblical passages address the sin of vulgar language. Let’s consider two verses in Proverbs 31, describing an excellent and godly wife. In verse 10, she is described as virtuous. What a pleasant word, and one that even sounds old-fashioned in a good way, telling us that she has high moral standards. In the World English Bible (and some other translations) verse 25 describes her as clothed with dignity, another nice and old-sounding word indicating that she is worthy of honor or respect.

In using profanity, the Ivy League graduate, the grocery store customer, and the two presidential candidates certainly did not reflect virtue or dignity.

Compared to many other horrendous behaviors and societal trends, vulgar language may seem to land on the not-so-bad side of the spectrum. However, small things often reflect big things—“he who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10). God surely stands against profane language, because He is the opposite of profane—He is holy, the epitome of virtue and dignity. He inspired the Apostle Paul to write, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29). Beautifully said.

Christians should strive to live contrary to many current trends, including the use of foul language. The use of filthy and profane “gutter talk” pulls the speaker and the hearer to a lower state of mind. Godly language is pure and clean—it builds up, imparts grace, and gives a small reflection of a person, like the Proverbs 31 woman, striving to live according to virtue and dignity.

If you would like to learn more, we offer the free study guide What Is a True Christian? You might also consider watching the Tomorrow’s World telecasts “Is the Bible Relevant Today?” and “Finding True Christianity.” All of this is freely available here at TomorrowsWorld.org.