Why is the use of certain common words offensive? Why does writing words such as "hell" and "damn" trigger internet filters that insert asterisks into my writing? What is it about these words that makes them offensive to the point that people use substitutes like "heck" and "darn", sometimes in situations that sound very childish? (Double hockey sticks, anyone?)


They're used in the bible as standard words.
They're not vulgar, sexual, or disgusting like other swear words.
They're not "using the Lord's name in vain".


I agree they're strong words when wielded and not nice when directed at someone ("damn you"; "go to hell"), but on what basis do Christians consider them "cussing" in casual speech ("I had a hell of a time", "my damned car won't start") when used passively?

For people who are sensitive to these words, are other forms like "hellish" or "damnable" acceptable, or is it just the four-letter format? Is it less acceptable in speech than in writing?

Maybe I just need to be educated about what is the actual Christian definition of cursing.

Edit: There are 3 votes to close this and a suggestion to move it to a language site. I don't want to presume but I'm guessing it's because some are offended: Even the title has been sanitized! This is exactly what I want to understand... And I'm not asking about "certain common words": I'm specifically asking about "HELL" and "DAMN" which are Christian terms, and I thought I was clear that I'm asking about it in the sense of regular usage, not when used as curses. Is there cause for offense in these words because they can be used as curses or is it something inherent in them? Please believe me, I'm not trying to be confrontational, I genuinely want to understand the nature of these words in our common culture.
Growing up in central Kansas in the 1980s, I was taught&mdash;both by my Sunday School teacher and by the english teacher in public school&mdash;that "damn" and "hell" were not obscene but vulgar, i.e., that they were only used by uneducated people. I remember being told that if we used them, people would think we weren't very smart. I can't remember ever hearing anyone say they were offensive. And plenty of people from church used these words in casual conversations.

Edit:

Also, I recall C.S. Lewis using both words in the Narnia series. So I'm thinking the offense is cultural, not religious.