# Stop Taking the Lord's Name in Vain **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 13, 2000, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091 "2000-09-13T22:52:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/61 "2000-09-14T14:58:30Z")
Hey Goboy, I was wondering how long it would take you to respond to this one. And you did make a point with me on what you said but not all of it. So let me reclarify. I did come off kind of demanding which was probably not the best way to get my point across and for that I apologize for sounding arrogant to some of you. But(there is always a but huh)I still think it could be just common courtesy to respect the feelings of other human beings. So refraining from using God in your expletives doesn’t sound like that much to ask but to some people( as you most eloquently put it btw seem not to be able to use a better choice of words to express themselves) so I guess they are not going to respect my request. And that’s fine it is a free country ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/62 "2000-09-14T15:03:38Z")
Wow, Bill, you don’t have to be so reasonable about it! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/63 "2000-09-14T15:06:44Z")
I don’t. Now I am comfused. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/64 "2000-09-14T15:18:36Z")
**Wildest Bill,** if you sneeze, can I say “God bless you,” even though I don’t think She does exist, or if She did that She’d stop and take time out from hurling comets to do it? ---
**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:** [September 14, 2000, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/65 "2000-09-14T15:38:57Z")
I think the problem is that English simply doesn’t have enough interesting swear words for foul-mouthed heathens like myself to voluntarily drop any. If Christians really want to remove phrases like goddamn, etc. from the vocabulary, then they need to come up with ten or so really foul expletives to replace them. Maybe they could have their missionaries bring some back from other cultures? (Now **that** would get the collection plate moving on Sunday!) My friends from other countries tell me that English is pathetic for swearing, compared to other languages. Stupid native language! Why couldn’t I have been born Italian? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/66 "2000-09-14T15:58:00Z")
As one of the most profane members of this little community I’ve been following this topic avidly. And completely off-topic I’d like to provide this little resource for Giraffe. Here’s a dictionary of [foreign curse words](http://www.notam.uio.no/~hcholm/altlang/stat.html) suitable for any occasion, just in case you need a Macedonian word for shit. ---
**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:** [September 14, 2000, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/67 "2000-09-14T16:09:58Z")
While I disagree with WildestBill on most of his OP, it does bring up a good question. Why do I as an atheist feel the need to exclaim “Jesus Christ” when I’m pissed. He isn’t my savior. I suppose it’s for the same reason that I still celebrate Christmas. For some of us, its more of a social phenomenon than anything religious. But lately, for the sake of equal time, I’ve been trying to say, “For the love of Buddha” instead of “For Christ’s Sake”. Freaks some people out. ---
**Author:** ![JimmyNipples](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@JimmyNipples](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimmyNipples)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/68 "2000-09-14T16:37:59Z")
Since when do your rights cancel out mine? If I asked you to stop talking about your god…because I find it offensive, would you? Of course you wouldn’t. It’s your god given right eh? You’re required to…aren’t you? What you’re doing here is tatamount to knocking on my door on a Sunday morning, offering me an Awake booklet. Your defence in regards to the Crusades and the Inquisition is feeble at best. Both of these examples were engineered by the church. The church is all about greed and power. I’m trying not to attack you as a person, just the organization you belong to. I’ve said it before…I’ll say it again. Being spiritual, and being religious are two **completely** different things. I can understand your faith…what I have trouble coming to terms with is how you choose to demonstrate your faith. I could go on and on and on…but I don’t have the energy. Another day perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/69 "2000-09-14T16:44:07Z")
Originally posted by Jack Batty: > [@](#): > > Why do I as an atheist feel the need to exclaim “Jesus Christ” when I’m pissed. Because you need him admit it. You can do it. 😉 Just kidding around but you bring up a point about why we feel we need to believe in something. Even if you say you believe in nothing than “nothing” is something. Did I say that right? Oh well I think you see what I am saying. > [@](#): > > He isn’t my savior. Yes that is sad but true but there is still hope for you yet. > [@](#): > > But lately, for the sake of equal time, I’ve been trying to say, “For the love of Buddha” instead of “For Christ’s Sake”. Freaks some people out. Well at least that is a start especially if Budda doesn’t mind. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/70 "2000-09-14T16:47:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wildest Bill \* > \*\*\*Originally posted by oldscratch \* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*\*Great Flaming Buddhas of Death, what a request. If I don’t believe God exists, why should I not take his name in vain. He can’t be offended, he doesn’t exist. > > But to me he does exist. And since I and alot of others believes He exist shouldn’t you respect the way another human being feels and not do it? I don’t go around saying Darwin Damn. > > And one more point if he doesn’t exist why take use his name at all? \*\* Because I certainly don’t want to insult MY deities… just yours… [ducking and running] ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/71 "2000-09-14T16:57:34Z")
As far as the OP, I pretty much agree with what redtail said early on. I try to be polite, but I must admit that due to linguistic influences over the ages, sometimes swears offensive to religious people roll off my tongue. I also must say that when someone titled their thread “Holy Chocolate Christ on a Cookie Cross!” I just about fell out of my chair laughing. Speaking of laughing, **slythe** and **Jess** have given me two jocular alternatives: “Zeus on a Zither!” and “Buddha on a Boogie Board!” (love the mental image on that one!) Thanks, guys. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/72 "2000-09-14T17:06:54Z")
Alessan wrote: > [@](#): > > The adjunction against speaking or writing the Explicit Name (that word they stoned people for in Life of Brian, and which I’m too damn superstitious to write) JEHOVAH JEHOVAH JEHOVAH! ---
**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:** [September 14, 2000, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/73 "2000-09-14T17:09:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wildest Bill \* > **you bring up a point about why we feel we need to believe in something.** No I don’t. I said it is a social phenomenom, not a religious one. Believing in the existence of society is not something I’m prepared to debate. > [@](#): > > _I said_ > He isn’t my savior. > > _To which Bill replied_ > **Yes that is sad but true but there is still hope for you yet.** Easy, Bill. You’re coming awfully close to mocking me. Let’s not go there. > [@](#): > > _I said_ > I’ve been trying to say, “For the love of Buddha” instead of “For Christ’s Sake”. > > _To which Bill replied_ > \*\*Well at least that is a start especially if Budda doesn’t mind. 😃 \*\* When Buddha and Jesus knock on my door, with a petition signed by every other major and minor deity, I’ll start worrying about whether or not I’m offending them. In the mean time I think I’ll just deal with living breathing people here on my home planet. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/74 "2000-09-14T17:14:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wildest Bill \* > While you have a point. Why is it established in the first place? You mean, why is it an established practice to use the name of god in swearing? My guess: because swearing is meant to be strong, forceful and shocking, and what better way to do that than denigrate the highest power? > [@](#): > > And I pesonally don’t know you either so can I take your mother’s name in vain? Since you don’t know me, you don’t know my mother’s name either. So you couldn’t do that. Perhaps I should have explained myself more clearly. First of all, I only use “foul language” when I’m in private (talking to myself), so I’m not running around saying “Christ on a stick!” all the time. But, for example, I have a very good friend who is a fundamentalist christian. So when talking to her, I am more careful about discussing religion because I don’t want to offend her. Similarly, I would expect a friend of mine to not insult my mother. If you were a good friend of mine and asked me not to take in vain the name of god in your presence, I would do that. But I wouldn’t bother avoiding curses in your absence, because I personally don’t believe in god and see no harm in saying “god damn it!” However, I appreciate but don’t expect courtesy from people I don’t know. I don’t go out of my way to try and shock people by my language, but on the other hand I do not make extraordinary attempts to avoid offending the general public in my day-to-day conversation. As another example, I personally don’t like the word “cunt” when used as a description of a woman. So I don’t use it because it offends **me** , and if a friend of mine uses it in my presence, I’ll let them know that I don’t appreciate it. But I don’t go around telling strangers not to use that word. ---
**Author:** ![tevya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tevya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tevya)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/75 "2000-09-14T17:15:15Z")
Responding to G. Kumquat: > [@](#): > > The crusades is an excellent example - Europe goes on a pludering mission on North Africa, and uses god as an excuse. The cause here was greed, not religion. \ That may explain the motivation behind the “Movers and Shakers” but if it were not for religion, these things could not have happened. First, you would not have a religious multitude to carry out your nefarious, greedy plans. Second, without religion, there would not be one churchs striving to gain more power (as in your inquisition explanation). IOW, honest to goodness religious reasons–i.e. we must convert the heathens–may not have been the motivation for the leaders of Europe to begin the Crusades. However, there were many foot soldiers (for lack of a better phrase) of the Crusades who believed they were killing for God. Therefore, on an individual level religion _did_ cause many problems (like the problem of removing a fanatic’s spear from one’s gut). ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/76 "2000-09-14T17:23:50Z")
P.S. Don’t worry, my moderator powers don’t extend to this forum. You only have to answer to the mighty **slythe** (and of course administrators.) ---
**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:** [September 14, 2000, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/77 "2000-09-14T17:33:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UncleBeer \* > \*\*As one of the most profane members of this little community I’ve been following this topic avidly. And completely off-topic I’d like to provide this little resource for Giraffe. > Here’s a dictionary of [foreign curse words](http://www.notam.uio.no/~hcholm/altlang/stat.html) suitable for any occasion, just in case you need a Macedonian word for shit. \*\* Bok, Uncle Beer! You rock! In fact, you’re yubaty-ing (not properly conjugated I know) amazing! :: breathes deep sigh of contentment at the new range of filthy vocabulary options:: ---
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/78 "2000-09-14T17:35:00Z")
Jack, I don’t why you took what I said as mocking you. Believe me that was not my intention. ---
**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:** [September 14, 2000, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/79 "2000-09-14T17:53:10Z")
Wildest Bill, I figured as much. I wasn’t upset or anything. I just don’t wan’t to get into a “my beliefs are better than your beliefs” thing here. ---
**Author:** ![Diesel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Diesel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diesel)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091/80 "2000-09-14T18:15:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wildest Bill \* > \*\*\*And one more point if he doesn’t exist why take use his name at all? \*\* Unicorns don’t exist. Does that mean i shouldn’t say the word unicorn? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain/33091.md?page=5)