# Non-Christians: Do You Curse/Swear in Christian? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 3, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587 "2009-06-03T15:25:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mogle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mogle/32/12021_2.png) [@Mogle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mogle)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/21 "2009-06-04T11:23:46Z")
The thread title makes me wonder, in swedish swearing usually involve references to Satan&Co, does that mean we curse in Satanism? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Coil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Coil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coil)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/22 "2009-06-04T11:40:58Z")
> [@Mogle](#): > > The thread title makes me wonder, in swedish swearing usually involve references to Satan&Co, does that mean we curse in Satanism? 🙂 I’d say that a lot of our swearing comes in under the religion category. The satan, devils and hell mentioned in some of our swear words are definitely based on the Christian mythology. I am not religious but when I swear I will use _fan, djävlar, helvete_ along with any scatological swear words. ---
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/23 "2009-06-04T12:08:44Z")
Nominally-Jewish-Agnostic-Leaning-Towards-Atheist (NJALTA) here. While most of my ‘color’ swearing is secular - motherbitches is a current favorite, and the many variants of fuck are perennial - my startled oh-shit-I-just-conducted-110-volts exclamation is usually “Jesus!”. I also use “for God’s sake”, although I tell myself it’s actually “for gods’ sake” ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/24 "2009-06-04T17:10:12Z")
I’m atheist, and I don’t use real religious swears anymore. I say “Gods” or “ye gods” or something like that, with the understanding that I’m referring to the Greek pantheon. Sometimes I get specific, like “Great Neptune” or the like. I blame comics. I also use the Cthulhu Mythos entities. Nothing’s as good for a stubbed toe as a loud “Oh, Shub-Niggurath”. Of course, you have to be careful with your “Hasturs” ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/25 "2009-06-04T17:24:12Z")
An old friend is now Catholic, but when he was agnostic, he swore, “Goddamnit,” and “Jesus Christ,” always followed by, “assuming.” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/26 "2009-06-04T17:26:16Z")
I’m pretty much a hard-core athiest, and I totally swear in Christian. I’ll even go one better; I occasionally exclaim, “Thank God!” if something goes my way. On the other hand, I sometimes try to catch myself and substitute some other sort of deity or something, most occasionally it’ll be something like, “I swear to Buddha!” (as I did in the Pit today) or “For the love of Vishnu!” That’s the nice part about not believing in all of that. They’re just words that roll trippingly off the tongue and generally serve only to amuse myself. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/27 "2009-06-04T17:46:08Z")
I’m agnostic and it is not uncommon for me to use Christian swear words, although I try not to in front of people who would find it offensive. ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/28 "2009-06-04T17:50:51Z")
Jumping Jesus Christ on a pogo stick Christ on a cracker/crutch Sweet Zombie Jesus ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/29 "2009-06-05T08:08:38Z")
One of my favorite webcomics, Two Lumps, occasionally has the smart cat swearing. He sometimes swears by Bast or Bastet, and at other times swears by other gods. He’s very creative. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/30 "2009-06-05T08:43:34Z")
I already group the Judeo-Christian beliefs as a form of profanity, so it’s really not much of a stretch… 😃 Heh! Seriously, though, I do. Most of the other curse options just don’t have the same gravitas to my ears. Though I’m fond of “what the devil?” just because it sounds old-fashioned, or what they’d make a cartoon character say to try and sound gritty without actually upsetting the censors. I always say “Gesundheit” instead of “bless you,” FYI. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/31 "2009-06-05T08:51:49Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Religious symbols are one of the primary themes of cusswords (along with scatological and sexual themes). In the US, and - I imagine - Europe, this is frequently Christian. Where did you get this idea? The only Christian-themed curses I can think of revolve around saying “Jesus”, “Christ”, or “Jesus Christ”. I would argue that simply saying “God damn” or anything involving the word “God” is not particularly Christian - other religions prefer different words for God in their native languages, but theologists would generally concur that they are referring to the same God. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/32 "2009-06-05T09:07:51Z")
My parents were missionaries/minister, so I over compensated by swearing more than anyone else. I still use ‘goddamnit’ and ‘jesusfuckingchrist’ a lot when swearing is called for. Bullshit and motherfucker are used a lot too. I swear a lot more in different chinese dialects these days though. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/33 "2009-06-05T14:37:32Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Where did you get this idea? The only Christian-themed curses I can think of revolve around saying “Jesus”, “Christ”, or “Jesus Christ”. I would argue that simply saying “God damn” or anything involving the word “God” is not particularly Christian - other religions prefer different words for God in their native languages, but theologists would generally concur that they are referring to the same God. I don’t see where this contradicts what I wrote. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/34 "2009-06-05T17:26:14Z")
Jesus: “What doest thou require of me, that thou called so loudly and urgently oh father?” Joseph: “What? Oh nothing, I just hit my thumb with a hammer.” ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/35 "2009-06-05T17:54:53Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Where did you get this idea? The only Christian-themed curses I can think of revolve around saying “Jesus”, “Christ”, or “Jesus Christ”. I would argue that simply saying “God damn” or anything involving the word “God” is not particularly Christian - other religions prefer different words for God in their native languages, but theologists would generally concur that they are referring to the same God. Off the top of my head, there’s “Jesus Mary and Joseph” and “Mary mother of God” as swears. I’ve heard them on occasion. I wouldn’t say that they’re common among non Catholics, but those phrases are used as swears on occasion. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/36 "2009-06-05T18:00:25Z")
OMG! I do. I’m an atheist. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/37 "2009-06-05T18:15:02Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > Jesus: “What doest thou require of me, that thou called so loudly and urgently oh father?” > > Joseph: “What? Oh nothing, I just hit my thumb with a hammer.” The variant of this I heard was Jesus hitting himself with a hammer and yelling “Me H. Me, that hurts!” ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/38 "2009-06-05T18:46:37Z")
Agnostic/atheist for 20 years now. I still use the whole gamut, from Goddamn to Jesus Christ. I’m lazy that way. Mostly I use them out of frustration. I also say things like “Thank God!” when I’m relieved. I once accidentally let loose with a “Jesus Christ!” when dealing with my piously Catholic mother’s obstinate and obsolescent DVD player while visiting. Boy, did I get the verbal beat-down for that! ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/39 "2009-06-05T19:28:05Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I once accidentally let loose with a “Jesus Christ!” when dealing with my piously Catholic mother’s obstinate and obsolescent DVD player while visiting. Boy, did I get the verbal beat-down for that! I got the opposite from my mother once. In the course of a conversation, I’d said, “God love him…” To which her response was to leap up and wave an accusing finger, “Aha! I thought you were an atheist!” Got me there, mom. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587/40 "2009-06-05T19:30:57Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > The question really has have two parts to it. One about people who are Jewish or Muslim, and relates to use of specifically Christian themes. The other is about atheists, and relates to the use of religious imagery generally, whether Christian or not. > > I would imagine the first might produce some significant disparity, but that the second would be limited. But let’s hear from the people. Sadly yes. My mind was polluted heavily by Christianity in my younger days and I still swear using Christian terms. Probably my most overworked one is “Jesusfuckingchrist!”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-christians-do-you-curse-swear-in-christian/498587.md?page=3)