Everyone is always trying to tell me that swearing isn't bad and that I shouldn't care about what words come out of my or anyone else's mouth.

Why do I care, might you ask? Take this analogy into account.

Say that you just sang a solo on a stage in front of a huge audience. You feel pretty okay with how you did.

Now imagine that I come up to you and say that that was the worst thing I've ever heard in my life and that you shouldn't have been given the chance to sing. It doesn't matter if you agree with me or not. What I said was an insult that meant to hurt.

This is what swear words are: words that exist for the purpose of insulting someone or something. It is an extreme form of language to express hate, surprise, or anger.

I know what you're thinking. "Oh, I use it as a joke! It's totally harmless. I don't really mean to offend anybody. Words don't have meaning unless you give it to them."

In the analogy above, the "swear word" was the insult that you can't sing. Yes, you can choose to not take it personally, but that does not change the fact that it is still meant to hurt someone.

Expression means everything. You might have a joking tone as you say you insult, and that's just a bit of messing with a friend. But change that tone, and the whole meaning changes. It's like a knife that you carry around to show off that you can use it. Get mad, and that's the first thing on your mind.

I cannot take away your freedom of speech. If you choose to swear, that's your decision. Really, what I'm trying to get it of this is why you push me to use bad language.

It doesn't matter how it's used. I can joke about suicide all I want and not mean anything, but to other people, that word holds a lot of meaning. Just because you might be joking, assume that other people don't know that.

Friends mess with each other all the time. That's fine. If they're okay with it and know you don't mean it, then okay. But like in the situation above, wouldn't you like it if your friends told you exactly what they mean instead of messing around? Doesn't it feel so much better when someone comes up and genuinely says "You are such a great singer, that was amazing," as opposed to someone teasing you that you sucked? If you are my friend, I don't want to insult you. I care about you, and I want to support you in what you're passionate about. Why would you force me to tease you about something I don't believe is true?

In conclusion, I can't stop you or anyone else from swearing. I learned that the hard way. But what is the harm in choosing not to use these extreme, insulting terms? If I didn't eat McDonalds - something that is bad for you - because I didn't like the taste, why force me to eat there? I am choosing to not participate in something that has potential to be bad. Why is that so wrong?

I chose clean language because I know firsthand how words can work to destroy a person. Because I know that, I don't want to do that to anyone else. I know everyone has goodness and potential inside of them. I want them to know that. If you try and hide that behind teasing all the time, that person will never know how you really feel.

I know that our Heavenly Father wants us to spread kindness. Jesus Christ lifted up anyone that came to him with a pure heart. To those who came to mock, he simply taught them with a cool demeanor. Take his example. I challenge you to tell/text a friend something nice. You'll make them so happy, and you'll feel good, as well. I believe that the gospel is love, and like the gospel should be shared with the world, so should love for everyone. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.