Words alone can cut extremely deep and leave emotional scars forever.

Words often hurt much more than physical violence . Emotional pain remains with you longer, so NO it is not just you.

Words only hurt as much as we allow them to hurt us. If we prevent them from doing so, by either ignoring them or disallowing their impact to have any lasting effect, then we take away their power. They are, after all, only words.

Proverbs 12:18 Parallel Translations NASB: There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing. (NASB ©1995) ---------------------------------------------------------------- GWT: Careless words stab like a sword, but the words of wise people bring healing. (GOD'S WORD®) ---------------------------------------------------------------- KJV: There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. ---------------------------------------------------------------- ASV: There is that speaketh rashly like the piercings of a sword; But the tongue of the wise is health. ---------------------------------------------------------------- BBE: There are some whose uncontrolled talk is like the wounds of a sword, but the tongue of the wise makes one well again. ---------------------------------------------------------------- DBY: There is that babbleth like the piercings of a sword; but the tongue of the wise is health. ---------------------------------------------------------------- JPS: There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword; but the tongue of the wise is health. ---------------------------------------------------------------- WBS: There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. ---------------------------------------------------------------- WEB: There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise heals. ---------------------------------------------------------------- YLT: A rash speaker is like piercings of a sword, And the tongue of the wise is healing.

Both. Those who say that words can and do cause deep scars are correct. Those who say that words cannot cause harm are also correct. How can this be? It has to do with the way we've constructed our ideas of "self", as well as what it means to truly BE. Normally we identify with a structure of interpretation and conditioning which we call "myself", and in this state we are vulnerable to the painful power of words. Insults are obvious examples: they are perceived and experienced as attacks on ME, and as violations of my relationship with the attacker. This kind of pain is just as real as physical pain, and can do plenty of harm -- even though the thing which is being attacked (the psychological construct "myself") is in a certain sense, not absolutely "real". To the degree that we've identified with it, it's real for all practical purposes. The flip side of the story is also true, though: words are just words, and for a mind which is totally clear and NOT caught up in identification with this constructed self, they wash right by like clouds on a summer day without landing anywhere. Being able to relate to verbal attacks this way represents a pretty high level of development, and nobody that I know of can do it all the time. From an ethical perspective, though, abusive language is wrong simply for it's potential to create harm and division. The fact that the "victim" is in some sense a participant in their own pain is irrelevant to the moral implications of this behavior.

Technically true. However it depends on who is saying the words. I remember when a girlfriend of mine dumped me, I would have rather had a broken arm instead of the emotional pain I felt in my heart.

Duplicate: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/106774 I think that words can hurt, they can scar even more than stones... however it is our choice if we give words that power or not.

It would be nice if that were true, but sometimes words can hurt more then physical pain.

I would like to modify; "Sticks and stones break my bones, but thou harsh words do break my spirit"

i agree to a certain extent, you need to have a strong personality to overlook the name calling

Yes, say what you like to me and i won't take it personally. Hurt me physically and yes it will hurt.

Words do hurt. If the words are to you directly and no one else hears, you have the opportuinity to ignore them if you know them to be false. Sometimes however they will hit home, maybe you will feel there is some truth in them in which case they hurt and just becasue there maybe some truth in them - doesnt make it useful at all. If someone said you had an ugly face - that would be hurtful no matte what and you would need ot be strong ot ignore such comments if you thoguht there was na elelment of truth. There is very little you cna do about how your face looks so such a comment owuld be very very cruel. When words are said infront of other people then its even worse becuase one can feel even smaller - as others will be thinking on it. In many cawses such words can be ignored. If you know they are false and others know they are false - they are easier to dismiss. Ther ewere questions on here about Jehovah witnesses killing or raping their children. That is an extrmely evil thing to write. It does hurt people. Most of us know it to be stupid. (Im an athiest, but people remember what they read. Hopefully in this case they will remember it is a stupid thing). So no I dont agree words dont hurt. They can have a long lasting affect and cause peopel deep depression. I personally would prefer the words to a good beating though. But both hurt.

Broken bones can heal. Once someone has said something to hurt you, it is engraved in your heart.

It's not always true. Hurtful words oftentimes hurt a lot more than physical pain. Not only do they hurt more, they last longer...

Words definitely hurt, but for those who WANT to say words that hurt you, if you give them the impression they're wasting their time, they'll move on to some other poor slob. Heh!

I, for one, know that this statement is pure BS. I know words can hurt. Especially things that are said to a child in their formative years, which can have permanent consequences on the self-esteem. Certain words can embed themselves into one's mental monologue. And even after the child is grown into adulthood, that negative mental monologue can still remain in place.

I personally think that words hurt even more than "sticks and stones." People can become numb to physical pain, but it's really hard to not care about what people say.

I guess it's true for the people who say that, but, not everyone feels that way, of course.