{"id":24336,"date":"2026-08-01T16:48:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T11:48:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=24336"},"modified":"2026-08-01T16:48:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T11:48:16","slug":"actor-alan-ritchsons-profanity-defense-has-a-biblical-problem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=24336","title":{"rendered":"Actor Alan Ritchson\u2019s profanity defense has a biblical problem"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/twt-thumbs.washtimes.com\/media\/image\/2026\/07\/24\/AP26194831554232_s1440x960.jpg?f72536d07237fdd262042ae8f5e6e6de3b865f3c\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"article-category\"><strong>OPINION:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Actor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/alan-ritchson\/\">Alan Ritchson<\/a> recently sparked viral headlines when he unleashed a screed many saw as an anti-Trump rant, but there was something embedded within it that deserves deeper attention.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Ritchson, an outspoken Christian who recently hurled a slew of expletives during the \u201cHappy Sad Confused\u201d podcast with Josh Horowitz, defended using profanity. In fact, he seemed to argue that there are times when it\u2019s appropriate for Christians to sound off in such a way.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201cReacher\u201d star made his statements while discussing politics and his passion for holding leaders accountable.<\/p>\n<p>Among other subjects, Mr. Ritchson tackled the Epstein files, lambasting \u201cpedophiles\u201d and those mentioned in the now-infamous documents. His colorful language included multiple expletives as he expressed fury over the matter.<\/p>\n<p>This is where Mr. Ritchson made a moral error, though. He pushed back against Christians who might take issue with his language, proclaiming that some situations justify a terse response.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI shouldn\u2019t say f\u2014- because I\u2019m a Christian and people are going to be like, \u2019How can he say f\u2014- and he\u2019s a Christian?\u2019\u201d he said, going on to react to the Epstein files. \u201cBecause that is something that should make you want to say f\u2014-, you know? Sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The actor\u2019s anger was directed at President Trump, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/news\/2026\/jul\/24\/reacher-star-alan-ritchson-rages-trump-epstein-files\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">he said<\/a> \u201chas the keys to the nuclear codes\u201d and should \u201cgo to jail,\u201d seemingly basing this contention on his beliefs about the Epstein files and Mr. Trump himself.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<\/aside>\n<p>But, Mr. Trump aside, here\u2019s the problem with Mr. Ritchson\u2019s argument about language: Christians are called to watch and control how we speak and react, even when we experience justifiable anger.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn your anger do not sin,\u201d Ephesians 4:26 (NIV) reads. \u201cDo not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Right after, the Apostle Paul wrote something else that should truly get us thinking about the impact of our words.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,\u201d Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) reads. \u201cBut only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re called to be in control of our language and actions, with Scripture warning that any decision to step outside this self-control can violate our faith and the truth we hold dear.<\/p>\n<p>Other portions of Scripture also clearly address our words. James 3 is one of the most prevalent chapters on this topic, explaining the true dangers of unleashing one\u2019s tongue.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example,\u201d James 3:3 (NIV) reads, with verses 4-5 continuing: \u201cAlthough they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s the most important piece of the puzzle here. What comes out of one\u2019s mouth has the ability not only to harm others, but to also defile the person spouting various claims.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body,\u201d Ephesians 3:6 (NIV) continues. \u201cIt corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one\u2019s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>James fully drove home this point when he proclaimed that the tongue is a \u201crestless evil, full of deadly poison.\u201d Unfortunately, Mr. Ritchson\u2019s contention that it\u2019s sometimes permissible to unleash untempered anger doesn\u2019t align with Scripture.<\/p>\n<p>Other verses corroborate this notion, including Colossians 3:8, which reads, \u201cBut now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The latter mention of language concerns corrupting words that arise from sinful attitudes.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus himself also addressed this matter, speaking a convicting message that should cause us all to pause and ponder what\u2019s coming from our mouths.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good?\u201d Matthew 12:34 (NIV) reads. \u201cFor the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now, Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees about the very serious matter of them accusing him of operating under the power of Satan. But, regardless, the last line says it all: what we speak is an outpouring of what\u2019s in our hearts.<\/p>\n<p>Political rantings aside, Mr. Ritchson is right that we should take a stand for truth and justice, but we must do so in the context of building up others and in truth \u2014 all while cloaked in love and self-control. Any other pattern puts us at risk of compromising ourselves or harming others.<\/p>\n<p>                        <a name=\"pagebreak\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\u2022 <em>Billy Hallowell is a digital TV host and interviewer for Faithwire and CBN News and the co-host of CBN\u2019s \u201cQuick Start Podcast.\u201d Mr. Hallowell also is the author of four books.<\/em><\/p>\n<section class=\"author-contact-section\">\n<\/section><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>OPINION: Actor Alan Ritchson recently sparked viral headlines when he unleashed a screed many saw as an anti-Trump rant, but there was something embedded within it that deserves deeper attention. Mr. Ritchson, an outspoken Christian who recently hurled a slew of expletives during the \u201cHappy Sad Confused\u201d podcast with Josh Horowitz, defended using profanity. In&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24337,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/twt-thumbs.washtimes.com\/media\/image\/2026\/07\/24\/AP26194831554232_c0-0-5155-3007_s1200x700.jpg?d554adbb15cb5cd8552516260eb9b238500d3371","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24336","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24336","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24336"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24336\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/24337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}