Saying Oh God

[Templar81]

Back in the Autumn I was helping out at my Church's youth group which was being led by the local area missioner (in charge of mission for that area). During the session one boy said "Oh God," to which the missionery screamed bakc, "we don't want any blasphemy here." The kid then asked one of the others next to him; "what's wrong with saying Oh God?" To which he was told; "It's taking the Lord's name in vain." Which of course in the ten commandments.

I've been wodnering about it since! How can saying "Oh God," be taking the name fo the Lord in vain, since we don't actually mention Jesus or any oft he names of God> I always hate it wehen people use Jesus' name as an expletive when something goes wrong and that I think is blasphemy but God isn't actually God's name is it, it is just the word we use to either mean God the Father or the whole Trinity or Godhead.

I do acknowledge that saying Oh God is not respectful and I udnestand that we shouldn't do it but I wouldn't call it blasphemy. What do you all think?

 

[Selene]

Back in the Autumn I was helping out at my Church's youth group which was being led by the local area missioner (in charge of mission for that area). During the session one boy said "Oh God," to which the missionery screamed bakc, "we don't want any blasphemy here." The kid then asked one of the others next to him; "what's wrong with saying Oh God?" To which he was told; "It's taking the Lord's name in vain." Which of course in the ten commandments.

I've been wodnering about it since! How can saying "Oh God," be taking the name fo the Lord in vain, since we don't actually mention Jesus or any oft he names of God> I always hate it wehen people use Jesus' name as an expletive when something goes wrong and that I think is blasphemy but God isn't actually God's name is it, it is just the word we use to either mean God the Father or the whole Trinity or Godhead.

I do acknowledge that saying Oh God is not respectful and I udnestand that we shouldn't do it but I wouldn't call it blasphemy. What do you all think?

I would call it "taking the Lord's name in vain," which is against one of the Ten Commandments. I used to say that expression a lot. Sometimes, I even used Jesus' name. Now, I stopped. Now, I say "Oh my goodness," even though I'm not good because only one is good and that is God.

 

[Templar81]

But hopw can it take the Lord's name in vain when it doesn't mention the Lord's name. Surely we say God out of reverance instead of using one of God's actual names.

I try to say Oh Gosh, but when I banged my knee against the iron umbrella stand on the side of a church pew back in January I kind of said Oh Godsh. Trust me it hurt like the devil and it is when you do things like that you don't really think.

 

[HammerStone]

Well, this always makes for an interesting discussion.

I don't think the argument that "God" is not really a name for God holds up very well - mainly because in our language we're more apt to say God instead of using a title of his. Personally speaking, I think we should be familiar with the name YHVH as well as His other divine titles.

I don't have a problem with someone going "Oh God" generally. I don't believe that this exactly violates the commandment, although I've heard it applied to both this and cussing/vulgar language in general. I'm certainly not going to to scream blasphemy, at least.

However, I have family member's that say "Oh my God" every time they see something "cute" or something happens to some celebrity and this does begin to get on my nerves. I feel using the expression for trivial matters could begin to border on the blasphemy range, but I'd not really call church discipline or condemn someone that does this, if that makes sense.

As far as the commandment, I believe it more specifically was there so that people would not swear to God on things. Basically, it's a bad idea to take an oath before God because chances are, we're not going to follow up on it. We're fallible and don't have the room to profane and swear on the infallible.

 

[Miss Hepburn]

Well, I will mention it again - but no one ever really 'gets' it.
That's ok. To Whom It May Concern:

The Lord's Name was before human tongues were created - certainly before paper and pen.
It is unpronounceable. Just as a wave crashing in a beach is unpronounceable.

The Lord's Holy Name is spoken of in every scripture. Sat Naam, the True Name, the Word is only one.
Jesus revere's His Father's Name sooo much that on the world stage after addressing His Father and His dwelling place He immediately says,
"Hallowed be Thy Name" -Why?
Why is it so Holy and revered.
Well, once you know it and have experienced It - you will know.

It is not Yahweh - YHWH, aum, om, amen, Jesus, hamso, so hung or any other pronounceable sound - Easterners
even have multiple represenations of the Lord's Name ---so much poetry has been written of it
If I did not know His Holy Name I would not have an anchor.

'Ahhhhrooosh' or 'Woooosh-aahhh' is as much a representation of waves crashing as Yahweh (which is very close) is to God's Blessed True Name.
It is to be experienced.

Here:
"By contact with Naam (the Name, the Word), all hearers get benefited by repetition thereof;
By contact with Naam, all ills vanish and one feels satiated by constant remembrance;
By contact with Naam the mind gets right understanding;
By contact with the Naam, the Power of God becomes manifest;
By contact with the Naam, one becomes the abode of virtues and feels comforted;
By contact with Naam, one rises to Pure Consciousness and gets absorbed therein;
By contact with the Naam, one escapes all delusions and never gets into trouble;
By contact with the Naam, one sings true praises of Truth and is washed of all sins"

or

"Verily, verily the wealth of Naam is truly great,
It is surging full and free within each individual."

or

"The riches of Naam never run out and are inestimable,
With the gift of Naam one verily shines bright
And becomes the knower of Truth."

Other religions around the world herald the grace of the Holy Name of God.
(That is the same forever to everyone naturally.)
Tomato, tomahto

 

[rockytopva]

What are suttle ways of taking the Lord's name in vain?

Geesh (Jesus) and its many varieties
By Jove
Oh my Lord
Oh my God
Oh my Gosh (http://dictionary.re...com/browse/gosh)
___Origin: 1750–60; euphemistic alteration of God

Which is not blasphemy, its just taking the Lords name in vain.

When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. - Matthew 6:7
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. - Acts 3:6

Which we have power when we go to the Father in prayer in Jesus name. So I think it important to ween oneself of all vain references to God. I carry anointing oil and prayer cloths with me as I visit. When I come across a need I pray a prayer to the Father in Jesus name with all the faith and authority I can muster. My grandmother took falling spells. She would be sitting there in the chair and next thing you know she would be on the floor. One day I found her just laying on the bed with no energy. Having helped her on a porta-potty her head just fell back, she had not the energy to lift her head. So I got the anointing bottle out and the prayer cloths and prayed a healing prayer over her to the Father in Jesus name. Well nothing happened and she continued to lay there. I went home for a couple of hours and tried to sleep because I work the third shift. Not being able to sleep I went back to her house to find her sitting up! I said why Granny you are sitting up! She went the next 14 months without going to the doctor or hospital until a massive stroke took her at age 91. I thank my God for helping me through those tough times.

I have a lady at work who had many heart attacks and the doctor had called the family in to tell them it could be any time. To be honest with you I thought that was the last of poor Nancy! Well, she had a prayer team come in and anoint her with oil and pray and prayer of faith over her in the name of Jesus. A few months later Nancy is back to work. After getting the story I asked her were those people who prayed for her Pentecostal? No she said... Baptist!

Lets reserve the name of Jesus and of God to do mighty things in our time!

 

[aspen]

Back in the Autumn I was helping out at my Church's youth group which was being led by the local area missioner (in charge of mission for that area). During the session one boy said "Oh God," to which the missionery screamed bakc, "we don't want any blasphemy here." The kid then asked one of the others next to him; "what's wrong with saying Oh God?" To which he was told; "It's taking the Lord's name in vain." Which of course in the ten commandments.

I've been wodnering about it since! How can saying "Oh God," be taking the name fo the Lord in vain, since we don't actually mention Jesus or any oft he names of God> I always hate it wehen people use Jesus' name as an expletive when something goes wrong and that I think is blasphemy but God isn't actually God's name is it, it is just the word we use to either mean God the Father or the whole Trinity or Godhead.

I do acknowledge that saying Oh God is not respectful and I udnestand that we shouldn't do it but I wouldn't call it blasphemy. What do you all think?

When I was growing up, my best friend was a Mormon - his family broke me of the habit of using the Lord's name in vain in all variations - I wasn't allowed to say geez for example. I thought it was kind of over-the-top at the time, but now I am really glad they were so strict because it has stuck with me.

I tend to believe that any type of swearing is taking the Lord's name in vain - whether the word used is foul or not.

 

[Templar81]

In England we say "bloody" a lot, like bloody Hell or bloody idiot. Sometimes bleeding, e.g. bleedin idiot or bleeder, e.g. coky little bleeder.

This originates from people trying not to take the Lord's name in vain when they would use "Christ's blood" or "God's blood" as an expletive. People also used to sayi things like "God's teeth," or "God's bones." (I think Winston Churchill used to say that one)

The basic definition of a swearword is just a word that you wouldn't use in polite company, as they can often alude to vulgarity.

 

[WhiteKnuckle]

It's funny we feel the need to say anything at all.

I don't know that what I say is any sort of euphemism at all, such as Geeze, or Golly, or Gosh, Geeze Louise, etc etc. Oddly, of all the horrible filth that is known to pour out of my mouth, taking the Lords name in vain doesn't happen, and there's actually no desire or temptation to say it.

I don't think that I use those words in place of the Lords name. I use them to describe a certain feeling or emotion about a certain subject at a certain time, where as, describing what I'm feeling would take forever, much like this run on sentence with lots of commas in the wrong place for some reason.

What I do say that is questionable is, Oh Lord, or Good Lord!. Oddly the latter gives me a slight pang when I say them. So, there may be something to the whole deal there.

At one time I believed that "God" was just a title given to our creator, but, since we have no name that we know, God becomes his name, and when we say God, we have in mind exactly who. Same with Lord or Good Lord.

Titles they maybe, but a name we give Him is still a name.

 

[Templar81]

I found a video about mormons which names God, why do Mormons do this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q6brMrFw0E

I would like to discus this video at some time on another thread, but please tell me is this what mormons really believe because it sounds crazy?