# So, Is Pat Robertson Taking the Lord's Name in Vain? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 7, 2006, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869 "2006-01-07T06:44:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869/21 "2006-01-10T18:17:19Z")
> [@Citizen Bob](#): > > I think the guy is a (place any prefixing word)-tard Cuss? ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2006, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869/22 "2006-01-11T23:23:50Z")
> [@FisherQueen](#): > > But when I first heard the interpretation that the commandment meant not using the name of God to do or advocate evil… that made much more sense to me. Unlike the other, that’s a sin that is serious and harmful, and that’s worthy of putting among the Big Ten. > > So I lean toward the second interpretation. So does Rabbi Joseph Telushkin. He says: > [@Rabbi Joseph Telushkin](#): > > When a person commits an evil act, he discredits himself. But when a religious person commits an evil act in the name of God, he or she discredits God as well. And since God relies on religious people to bring knowledge of Him into the world, He pronounces this sin unpardonable I think Pat Robertson is violating this commandment. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869/23 "2006-01-12T11:35:06Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Well, insofar as words are what they mean, there may not be all that much difference; is the term ‘apple’ a description, or a name? THen your name is human? Monavis ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869/24 "2006-01-12T11:37:53Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > God goes by many names, including God. Al’lah, for example, translates as “the God.” I don’t think you can wiggle around the commandment by saying the Almighty or the Man Upstairs. Those are among God’s Names. An apple has many names such as Delicious,Gala, Fuji,Golden delicious and many more. Apple is the object not it’s name, You are a human but that is not your name. Monavis ---
**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:** [January 12, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869/25 "2006-01-12T14:58:23Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > THen your name is human? > > Monavis I’ve been called a lot of things, but if I were addressed as “human,” I reckon I’d answer to that. I can’t count the number of times I was greeted as “man.” If I were a supernatural being, I don’t think I’d mind being called “God.” ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869/26 "2006-01-12T16:03:13Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > Don’t know, but sometimes can’t help but wish the Lord would take Pat Robertson. 🙂 Isn’t that like inviting the annoying street preacher into your home so he won’t bother people on the street? ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869/27 "2006-01-13T13:59:30Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > I’ve been called a lot of things, but if I were addressed as “human,” I reckon I’d answer to that. I can’t count the number of times I was greeted as “man.” If I were a supernatural being, I don’t think I’d mind being called “God.” What God would you be? Monavis ---
**Author:** ![tygerbryght](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tygerbryght](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygerbryght)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869/28 "2006-01-18T08:51:46Z")
Resurrecting this to offer the following link: [http://cagle.com/news/PatRobertson2/](http://cagle.com/news/PatRobertson2/) Enjoy! ---
**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:** [January 18, 2006, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869/29 "2006-01-18T16:29:32Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > What God would you be? > Monavis If I were a supernatural being, I’d call myself Nott. That way, if some awestruck mortal asked who was speaking, I would say, “I am Nott, that I am Nott.” I would be the god of pawnbrokers and ditch diggers. In Papua New Guinea, I would be known as Frogswallow, and they’d leave me offerings of postage stamps every year on Frogswallow’s Day. In exchange for the stamps, I’d forgive them their vanity. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869/30 "2006-01-19T12:12:11Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > If I were a supernatural being, I’d call myself Nott. That way, if some awestruck mortal asked who was speaking, I would say, “I am Nott, that I am Nott.” I would be the god of pawnbrokers and ditch diggers. In Papua New Guinea, I would be known as Frogswallow, and they’d leave me offerings of postage stamps every year on Frogswallow’s Day. In exchange for the stamps, I’d forgive them their vanity. 🆒 So you would be a God’ Named’ Nott; If I called you Nott (In vain then you would be offened,but if I just said God you wouldn’t be, because of the other Gods called by other names? Monavis ---
**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:** [January 19, 2006, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869/31 "2006-01-19T17:09:27Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > So you would be a God’ Named’ Nott; If I called you Nott (In vain then you would be offened,but if I just said God you wouldn’t be, because of the other Gods called by other names? > > Monavis I wouldn’t be as easily offended as some Gods are, (such as Jehovah) so, if I were a god, you could take my name in vain with impunity. We are doing a semantic dance, here, and I’d rather not derail this thread any further. Okay? ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869/32 "2006-01-20T12:27:45Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > I wouldn’t be as easily offended as some Gods are, (such as Jehovah) so, if I were a god, you could take my name in vain with impunity. > > We are doing a semantic dance, here, and I’d rather not derail this thread any further. Okay? My point is: Saying the word ‘God’ is not saying a name of a God in vain. God is the object and the Hebrew’s God’s name was Jehovah or Elohim. I never heard any one use this in a vain manner as they do the name of Jesus. The Op wanted to know if Pat Robertson was taking the name of God in Vain. According to the Bible you are a God;pslam 181 (0r 182) depending on what bible you use. Monavis [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-pat-robertson-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/338869.md?page=1)