# If you don't believe in God, then why ask Him to damn something? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 21, 2002, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-believe-in-god-then-why-ask-him-to-damn-something/144156 "2002-12-21T02:25:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![verybdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/49beb7/32.png) [@verybdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/verybdog)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-believe-in-god-then-why-ask-him-to-damn-something/144156/41 "2002-12-22T01:48:06Z")
OP: I think this has nothing to do with anything. The pronunciation of “God damn it!” itself is very much heroic, articulate, manly and sounding positive, possibly racist. Try to say “I miss ya!” or “how nice!” in comparision. God damn it! ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-believe-in-god-then-why-ask-him-to-damn-something/144156/42 "2002-12-22T03:07:30Z")
RACIST??? ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-believe-in-god-then-why-ask-him-to-damn-something/144156/43 "2002-12-22T05:16:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by grendel72 \* > \*\*When Jed Clampett exclaimed “Wee doggies”, he was not referring to tiny puppies. \*\* OK, I’m gonna hijack this for a sec to pick an extremely minor bone, because this is something that’s always driven me nuts! Jed Clampett NEVER said “WEE doggies.” He said, “We-e-e-l, doggies!” I was really glad to hear Buddy Ebsen himself finally set the record straight on a show about the history of the Beverly Hillbillies. No, I don’t remember the name of the show, I saw it a few years ago. Yes, this is a lame peeve, but I can’t help it! 😛 I feel SO much better now! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-believe-in-god-then-why-ask-him-to-damn-something/144156/44 "2002-12-22T05:19:08Z")
Yeah, I’m lost on the racist thing as well. Even the possible substitutions given by **verybdog** don’t make sense for the context of when one would use the given curse. **Baldwin** , that’s a great explanation of _why_ the phrase is used. Thank you. But still, my original point was supposed to be, why would someone who does not believe in a god, ask that deity to do anything for him/her. I do appreciate the Pratchett quote, I’ll have to remember that one. Thanks all. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-believe-in-god-then-why-ask-him-to-damn-something/144156/45 "2002-12-22T14:04:50Z")
Have you failed to notice that the phrase isn’t “God, damn!” Without a comma, the speaker is neither addressing god, nor asking him to do anything. Myself, uh… I’m going to go with the theory that I’m making a sly reference to the Catcher in the Rye, and I’m hoping that someone will say “I love that book,” and I’ll have made a new friend. You know, since you appear to be too idiotic to accept the reasoning that it’s just a common phrase in english speaking western culture, that has nothing to do with any deity, imagined or otherwise. If this is getting you all bent out of shape, I just can’t imagine how your brain can cope with an epithet as mind-contorting and contradictory as “sweet merciful crap!” ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-believe-in-god-then-why-ask-him-to-damn-something/144156/46 "2002-12-22T21:45:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Baldwin, that’s a great explanation of why the phrase is used. Thank you. But still, my original point was supposed to be, why would someone who does not believe in a god, ask that deity to do anything for him/her. He wouldn’t; that’s a straw man. As has been iterated already, the phrase “God damn it”, whether used by believers or by people like me, is **not meant literally**. As I said before, people use it because it represents **a powerful idea**. One can be impressed by an idea even if one doesn’t believe that the idea describes something that exists in reality. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-believe-in-god-then-why-ask-him-to-damn-something/144156/47 "2002-12-23T15:42:37Z")
If you really think about it, “God damn it” isn’t proper English - it needs to be “God damns it.” I myself prefer Crom. It’s a much more woody name. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-believe-in-god-then-why-ask-him-to-damn-something/144156/48 "2002-12-23T18:39:16Z")
No; it’s the subjunctive mood, indicating a wish. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-believe-in-god-then-why-ask-him-to-damn-something/144156/49 "2002-12-24T08:28:30Z")
If I were to sneeze, and you were to say “God bless you”, would I be justified in taking offense? Urban Ranger > [@](#): > > If you really think about it, “God damn it” isn’t proper English - it needs to be “God damns it.” 😕 You have heard of the imperative, haven’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-believe-in-god-then-why-ask-him-to-damn-something/144156/50 "2002-12-24T15:54:34Z")
> [@](#): > > It has a better ring to it than, for example, the girl from last year’s “Survivor” who used “Oh, my hat!” It sounds more serious and has more ooph than “Oh, dear!” “Oh, my hat?!?!” “OH, my HAT!?!?” “OH. MY. HAT!?!?!?!” :eek: WTF?!?!?!? Everyone here in Utah just gasped at your bastardization of our unofficial State slogan - “OH MY HECK!” Sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-believe-in-god-then-why-ask-him-to-damn-something/144156/51 "2002-12-24T15:54:34Z")
> [@](#): > > It has a better ring to it than, for example, the girl from last year’s “Survivor” who used “Oh, my hat!” It sounds more serious and has more ooph than “Oh, dear!” “Oh, my hat?!?!” “OH, my HAT!?!?” “OH. MY. HAT!?!?!?!” :eek: WTF?!?!?!? Everyone here in Utah just gasped at your bastardization of our unofficial State slogan - “OH MY HECK!” Sheesh! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-believe-in-god-then-why-ask-him-to-damn-something/144156.md?page=2)