# Question for atheists and agnostics **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 28, 2005, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-atheists-and-agnostics/328251 "2005-10-28T02:53:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-atheists-and-agnostics/328251/41 "2005-10-28T16:58:48Z")
I say that stuff pretty frequently too. They’re just words. I often say “bless you” when people sneeze, because I don’t see any reason why I personally can’t bless someone with my caring presence while they’re experiencing a sinus event. I tend to think that what people perceive as God is really an aspect of something that’s inside everyone and everything, so I can bless or damn people whenever I want. 🙂 Ganeshadammit. That’s a good one. Sometimes it’s fun to throw in Thor, Ra, Apollo, and underused folks like that. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-atheists-and-agnostics/328251/42 "2005-10-28T17:47:57Z")
I brought the issue up because I used to use those phrases frequently, just like most people who responded to this thread. Lately I’ve been thinking about how the language that we speak and here influences what we think, sometimes in ways we don’t realize. Saying “sure as hell” implies that hell is a very sure thing. When one says, “Sure as hell, X is true” that really should mean that X is known to be false. So I’m trying to banish that phrase from my vocabulary. I’m still undecided about things such as “Oh, God”. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-atheists-and-agnostics/328251/43 "2005-10-28T17:48:50Z")
My friend and I have the habit (like most) of giving commentary at the movies of the previews of coming films. Comments usually range from “Cool”,“That should be good”, to “looks lame”,“seen that before”. I’ll never forget when seeing the preview for the Passion of the Christ. After it was shown I looked over to my friend for his commentary. He rolled his eyes and said “Jesus Christ”. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-atheists-and-agnostics/328251/44 "2005-10-28T18:07:21Z")
> [@1010011010](#): > > Yep… Kind of like how I use a whole bushel of phrases and words plucked from agriculture, though I an not a farmer. Nice! > [@soulmurk](#): > > “Oh, god” is one I’ll never shake, though I take care not to say “Oh my god.” I prefer to use Bender’s, “Oh! Your! God!” when needed. I say fuck a lot, although if I am not in physical pain, I do try to use more appropriate wording so I don’t sound like an uneducated dweeb. \ “That fucking fucker’s fucking fucked!”\ \ “Dearie me, it appears that the light bulb is burned out again.” \ ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-atheists-and-agnostics/328251/45 "2005-10-28T20:12:22Z")
Yep. all the time. “Oh God!” and “My God” get used regularly, as does “For Christ’s sake!” And i really like “Jesus H. Fucking Christ.” I also like “Jeebus.” ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-atheists-and-agnostics/328251/46 "2005-10-28T22:32:13Z")
Yes, 'Course, I might refer to Santa Claus, too. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-atheists-and-agnostics/328251/47 "2005-10-28T22:40:46Z")
Yes, quite a bit. The first time I was about to meet the future Mrs. Giraffe’s extended family, she warned me to watch my language as several of them are pretty strict Baptists. Seeking clarification before the visit, I asked what words, specifically, were off-limits. Fuck and shit were pretty obvious, but what about things like ass and crap? Nope. Damn? Nope. Hell? Nope. “Jesus Fucking Christ, I can’t say _hell_?!?” I exclaimed. Not trying to be funny at all, it just popped out. I knew then that I was doomed. Luckily, Mrs. Giraffe assured me that she’d still love me even if I swore in front of her grandma, although not as much. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-atheists-and-agnostics/328251/48 "2005-10-28T23:06:11Z")
Definitely. Jesus Fucking Christ is one of my most common swears (though I try to refrain from using it in mixed company), or if I’m speaking Afrikaans “Jirre Jesus Fok” (yeara yissis fok) which is basically the equivalent. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-atheists-and-agnostics/328251/49 "2005-10-28T23:36:47Z")
> [@ITR champion](#): > > I brought the issue up because I used to use those phrases frequently, just like most people who responded to this thread. Lately I’ve been thinking about how the language that we speak and here influences what we think, sometimes in ways we don’t realize. Saying “sure as hell” implies that hell is a very sure thing. When one says, “Sure as hell, X is true” that really should mean that X is known to be false. So I’m trying to banish that phrase from my vocabulary. Has you considered “Sure as shit” as a substitute? Or, if challenged by some snarky motherfucker about saying, “sure as hell,” just glare at them and say, “Hell is other people.” Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-atheists-and-agnostics/328251/50 "2005-10-29T03:26:36Z")
Hell yes! ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-atheists-and-agnostics/328251/51 "2005-10-29T04:05:08Z")
Oh God, yes. Sometimes I substitute “God” for “Zarquon” and “fucking” for “zarking” if I’m feeling particularly hoopy. “Jesus fucking Christ!” “Christ on a cracker!” “Holy fuckin’ shit!” or just plain: “Jesus Christ!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-atheists-and-agnostics/328251.md?page=2)