F-Bombs and Freedom: The Surprising Science of Swearing
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth..."
How many times did you hear that verse quoted growing up, right before someone shamed you for saying “crap”?
In high-control religious spaces like the UPCI, swearing wasn’t just frowned upon — it was treated like evidence of moral decay. A dirty word could send you straight to hell. But now that we’re reclaiming our minds and our mouths, it’s worth asking: is swearing really a sin… or just another form of honest expression?
According to science, it’s actually the latter.
Swearing and Honesty: A Surprising Link
In a 2017 study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, researchers found that people who swear more often are more likely to tell the truth. In fact, swearing was associated with lower rates of deception on a basic honesty test. The logic? When you’re not filtering your language, you’re probably not filtering your thoughts either. That emotional rawness — the "I can’t fake it right now" energy — is often a marker of authenticity.
In other words:
Dropping an f-bomb might actually mean you're keeping it real.
And for those of us raised in a world where “keeping it real” was punished unless it perfectly matched doctrine? That’s kind of revolutionary.
Swearing as a Painkiller (Literally)
Let’s talk physical pain for a second. In a now-classic experiment from 2009, people were asked to dunk their hand in ice water. Those who were allowed to swear while doing it held on nearly 50% longer than those who stayed polite. Why? Swearing activates the body's fight-or-flight response, which releases adrenaline and increases pain tolerance.
It's not just venting — it's self-regulation. Your body literally uses swearing like a tool when things get rough.
For anyone who was taught that suffering was “godly” and expression was rebellion, this matters. When you've been silenced for years — told to bite your tongue while biting back tears — even a whispered “damn” can be a crack in the cage.
Stress, Bonding, and Swearing as Social Glue
There’s also growing evidence that swearing can strengthen relationships — not harm them. A well-timed curse in conversation can:
Defuse anger
Break tension
Show trust and vulnerability
Signal that someone feels safe being real with you
We’re not talking about insults or slurs — we’re talking about shared language that makes people feel seen, heard, and connected. In fact, researchers in Language Sciences argue that swearing helps us navigate emotionally complex social spaces. Sound familiar?
For many of us leaving fundamentalism, the road to healthy friendships is paved with awkwardness. We’re re-learning how to be real without spiritual masks. And sometimes, that rawness comes out in four-letter words — not because we’re bad people, but because we’re finally being ourselves.
So... Is Swearing Ever a Problem?
Sure. Swearing in a harmful or abusive way — especially when it targets someone’s identity or safety — is absolutely a red flag. And some people may genuinely prefer not to swear because of personal values, neurodivergence, or cultural norms. That’s valid too.
But being told you’re “less holy” or “backslidden” just because you don’t say “golly” instead of “shit”? That’s not about holiness. That’s about control.
And we don’t do that here.
Final Thought:
Swearing won’t send you to hell.
Hell doesn’t exist.
But bottling up your truth might feel like hell sometimes.
So let it out.
Say what you mean.
Say it loud.
Say it however the f*ck you want.
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