If you have no problem taking the lord’s name in vain, but did so around somebody who politely requested that you not do it in their presence, would you comply?
Politely? Yes, I would comply.
Yes. I am not a believer, but it doesn’t seem like an unreasonable accomodation. I’ll continue breaking the Sabbath, though, and I’ll covet what I like.
Absolutely. There’s no reason to respond to a polite request with rudeness.
Yes I would.
I would hesitate to meet the person who wouldn’t.
I would. For the same reasons I refrain from profanity in front of my mother. (Or at least try…a few vodka sodas and she knows what’s gonna happen…)
It’s just common courtesy to avoid offending someone if possible. Particularly if they ask, and it doesn’t cost you anything to comply.
Me too.
I’ve got a foul mouth, but I will be happy to rein it in.
The thread title reminded me of an OLD Steve Martin skit (Wild & Crazy Guy, maybe?), when he dies and gets to the pearly gates and is denied. He questions the decision, saying “Come on, I wasn’t so bad! How many times did I take the Lord’s name in vain? Ewwwww, a million-six? Jesus Chri…”
Yeah. If someone asked me NOW, I’d comply same with if they asked me to cut back on profanity or anything else, if they were polite I’d easily comply, if they were rude though, I’d have a flashback:
This very incident happened to me in 2nd grade, when I first stated going to a Lutheran public school, and was told I couldn’t say “God” anymore. Which REALLY confused the crap out of me (as I wasn’t raised Christian), and at home we said God all the time, how else could you talk about him without referring to him by name? (Of course I didn’t grasp the whole “In vain” issue either, because again… never had that rule before and at that point I wasn’t really familiar with Christianity as I just started going there), so to me saying Why does God do ___ and “Oh God” didn’t really comprehend as two different issues. Also partly because saying Jai (insert deity of choice’s name here) is one of the ways you’d say “bless you” or "Good luck’ or that sort of an exclamation. I didn’t get why saying God’s name in vain was a BAD thing and not a GOOD thing.
And then there was this one chick who would always tell on me if I slipped up and said God. So yeah… as a kid, I REALLY hated complying with that one, but I was forced to).
But now- yeah, I’ll do it if you ask politely enough. If you don’t I just think of that Kid telling on me and get bitter… but I’ll still comply just with a touch of bitterness.
I would comply, but I would mark that person down as a freak and endeavour to avoid his or her company in the future.
Sure, I’d try to comply. I do it so often though that I’d be bound to slip now and then.
Nope. It’s “rude” of them to impose their beliefs and try to censor me. It’s a word–they can deal with it.
Edit: Rather, I don’t think the request is necessarily rude in and of itself (though it would irk me), but if I decline and anything more comes of it, then that is indeed rude.
Ditto. I didn’t even realize that my valley-girl “oh my gaawwwddd” was taking the lord’s name in vain until I was corrected by my fundie friend’s 6 year old. Now I try to “gosh” or “goodness” so as not to offend.
Absolutely NOT. Most likely, if the request WAS polite, I feel it’s my duty to politely request the complainer to stop believing in just bullshit. I would counter request that they actually go home and read their bible, beginning to end and quiz them the next day to see if they really had. If they DO read it, they wouldn’t need religion, if they didn’t I’d tell them that they really weren’t a believer anyway.
People who request such a thing are only making their own version of their religion, like all so-called believers do. They’re most likely thinking, “I’ll get points from the big guy if I make someone stop.”, or “If I allow this person to keep saying this, I’LL GO TO HELL!!!”
I really don’t think it’s polite to even believe in it, or smart, or responsible.
Sure thing. No reason to intentionally offend someone who was polite in asking you to refrain. I’d do the same for about any polite request from someone that I was offending.
Of course. It’s just good manners. It’s pretty much like someone asking you not to swear. (Even though I don’t consider “Oh god!” to be swearing)
Yes. It’s simply good manners.
Why would you consider them a freak?
And what would happen if it was a co-worker, or somebody else that you had to associate with on a regular basis?
I disagree. I think many religious people are truly offended or upset by the use of the lord’s name in vain. I had a teacher who showed us “Meet the Parents” on a free day. She never said anything in order to “get points from the big guy”, but she winced a little when the phrase “goddammit” was said.
I think a lot of nonbelivers don’t quite understand the impact of being raised in religion. Being told for 20 years or so that disbelieving will end in hell is not something easily overcome. People don’t alway stick with religous values because it’s easy or fun, or because they feel like they’re better than you. They do it because doing otherwise is terrifying.
Not everybody who’s bothered by such language is trying to score points or save somebody else’s soul.
Well that’s just too bad. It’s not mine, or anyone else’s problem, that some of them can’t deal with actions of those who don’t adhere to the same beliefs.