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Original poster

Boss told me off for exclaiming Jesus Christ

614 replies

GloMum · 08/02/2025 14:55

The other day my boss told me off for exclaiming Jesus Christ when I was surprised during a work meeting. Boss told me it’s rude towards people from different religions and asked me if I’d done my DEI training. I have, and I enjoy friendships with colleagues from varied backgrounds. I feel really stressed now in case I slip again, and embarrassed I should be told off.

YABU - This is an inappropriate exclamation at work
YANBU - It’s just an exclamation and you shouldn’t be told off for that.

OP posts:
Drfosters · 09/02/2025 19:21

suburburban · 09/02/2025 19:02

"Use of “oh my gosh” or “goodness” does not reference God and therefore would not be considered to be sinful."

Catholic website

I'm not a catholic but that would be my take on this phrase

It is absolutely a euphemism for god.

jeepers/gee/jeez all mean Jesus

you either have to be offended by all words direct or indirect or none at all.

SquashedSquid · 09/02/2025 19:20

Ilovetowander · 09/02/2025 18:57

@SquashedSquid
I find it hard to believe that a teacher would allow a child in their care to use blasphemy of any religion.

It's not blasphemous to me, because it literally means nothing. I don't allow swearing but the odd, "Oh my God" really doesn't register on my care-o-meter.

HipMax · 09/02/2025 19:15

suburburban · 09/02/2025 19:02

"Use of “oh my gosh” or “goodness” does not reference God and therefore would not be considered to be sinful."

Catholic website

I'm not a catholic but that would be my take on this phrase

Website is incorrect. Gosh is an absolute reference to god, as is goodness. It's all.the same.

You should be delighted anyone references your outdated soon to be dead religion. Shows some vague relevance at least. You want to be so completely irrelevant that noone even uses your fictional figures as an expletive? Bad form. You can't spend millennia forcing your religion into a culture, law and language and then whine when the traces assert themselves afterwards.

Zusammengebrochen · 09/02/2025 19:13

Wonkyhouse · 09/02/2025 19:08

I never knew people found oh god and jesus Christ offensive until this thread! I say it all the time even at work 😂. Surprised I've not been told off for it over the years. Oh well.

It's not offensive unless you feel everyone should follow your belief system. Crack on.

Wonkyhouse · 09/02/2025 19:08

I never knew people found oh god and jesus Christ offensive until this thread! I say it all the time even at work 😂. Surprised I've not been told off for it over the years. Oh well.

suburburban · 09/02/2025 19:02

"Use of “oh my gosh” or “goodness” does not reference God and therefore would not be considered to be sinful."

Catholic website

I'm not a catholic but that would be my take on this phrase

Ilovetowander · 09/02/2025 18:57

@SquashedSquid
I find it hard to believe that a teacher would allow a child in their care to use blasphemy of any religion.

Drfosters · 09/02/2025 18:56

Thirteenblackcat · 09/02/2025 18:55

I am not religious but I think this exclamation is unprofessional and inappropriate in a work meeting.

There are plenty of other expressions you can use

Like what? ‘Oh my goodness’? That is blasphemous

Thirteenblackcat · 09/02/2025 18:55

I am not religious but I think this exclamation is unprofessional and inappropriate in a work meeting.

There are plenty of other expressions you can use

Drfosters · 09/02/2025 18:52

Rizzla · 09/02/2025 18:25

For me as a Christian, I find it offensive to hear because, whilst it’s not a personal insult against myself, to hear someone use the name of Jesus (who I believe is their creator, and God, and the name above all names) as a swear word is so deeply irreverent and upside down that it’s jarring and I don’t like to hear it.

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But surely it does not affect your personal relationship with your god (and that is all religion should be IMO) so ultimately why does it bother you that someone who doesn’t follow your religion would use it in their vernacular?

do you have problem with non religious people celebrating Christmas?

Zusammengebrochen · 09/02/2025 18:39

Rizzla · 09/02/2025 18:36

I thought you were the poster I was replying to

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Nein.

Rizzla · 09/02/2025 18:36

Zusammengebrochen · 09/02/2025 18:36

I didn't ask that at all.
I'm just explaining why getting offended is a waste of time. I'm not accountable to christians and they're not accountable to me.

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I thought you were the poster I was replying to

Zusammengebrochen · 09/02/2025 18:36

Rizzla · 09/02/2025 18:33

They don’t have to, and I’ve never personally told someone not to say it, but you asked why Christians don’t like it

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I didn't ask that at all.
I'm just explaining why getting offended is a waste of time. I'm not accountable to christians and they're not accountable to me.

Rizzla · 09/02/2025 18:33

Zusammengebrochen · 09/02/2025 18:31

Why do people have to adapt to your view though? To me jesus is fantasy character - can I be offended when someone says otherwise?

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They don’t have to, and I’ve never personally told someone not to say it, but you asked why Christians don’t like it

Zusammengebrochen · 09/02/2025 18:31

Rizzla · 09/02/2025 18:25

For me as a Christian, I find it offensive to hear because, whilst it’s not a personal insult against myself, to hear someone use the name of Jesus (who I believe is their creator, and God, and the name above all names) as a swear word is so deeply irreverent and upside down that it’s jarring and I don’t like to hear it.

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Why do people have to adapt to your view though? To me jesus is fantasy character - can I be offended when someone says otherwise?

suburburban · 09/02/2025 18:29

@Rizzla

That's my perspective as well.

Plus imo it comes across as uncouth in a professional setting

Rizzla · 09/02/2025 18:25

Drfosters · 08/02/2025 18:18

@SerendipityJane There may be others but yet no one has come forward. Honestly I am not religious at all so it completely passes me by.

I keep asking in complete good faith why people feel it offensive. The exact, specific reason. Not just ‘it’s offensive’ or ‘it’s discriminatory ’. Not a single person on here who has said it is offensive has given me a detailed reason as to why that is the case.

Edited

For me as a Christian, I find it offensive to hear because, whilst it’s not a personal insult against myself, to hear someone use the name of Jesus (who I believe is their creator, and God, and the name above all names) as a swear word is so deeply irreverent and upside down that it’s jarring and I don’t like to hear it.

Nanny0gg · 09/02/2025 17:35

HipMax · 09/02/2025 12:59

We don't need to teach them l, they absorb it naturally. And they do say it school...like their teachers. It's completely fine.

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Not in the primary school I worked in. Or the ones my DGC go to

Zusammengebrochen · 09/02/2025 16:02

Mnetcurious · 09/02/2025 15:57

I’m sure the same goes for other religions then, eg no Jewish person would speak for all Jews and what would offend some Muslims wouldn’t offend others. A person still wouldn’t say anything that they feel might be offensive to some Muslims, for example, just because some, not all.

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I don't set out to offend religious folk, just like they don't set out to offend me with their beliefs, however we will both potentially feel offended if we think others have to police their language for our benefit.

Mnetcurious · 09/02/2025 15:57

Gwenhwyfar · 09/02/2025 15:46

It's clearly not offensive to all Christians and you can't speak for everyone. Furthermore, plenty of Christians blaspheme themselves from time to time.

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I’m sure the same goes for other religions then, eg no Jewish person would speak for all Jews and what would offend some Muslims wouldn’t offend others. A person still wouldn’t say anything that they feel might be offensive to some Muslims, for example, just because some, not all.

SerendipityJane · 09/02/2025 15:52

The problem with all of this "respect" is that it's really not that easy.

Why should anyone "respect" a religion that treats women as second class citizens ?

I'm not going to go on, as that hurdle in itself is insurmountable. If your religion enables you and your elk to treat women (obvious the OG flavour) as anything less than men then I shouldn't need to explain my lack of respect to you.

OK, I'm not going to vex myself by finding random Christians to go up and harass. But if they come within my orbit and want to make a deal of it, then I may not acquiesce.

Zusammengebrochen · 09/02/2025 15:49

Mnetcurious · 09/02/2025 14:39

Yes, it’s offensive to Christians and yabu to say it in a context where you don’t know for sure that people won’t be offended. If you wouldn’t say something that was offensive to people of other religions then you shouldn’t be saying JC.

Christianity itself is offensive to some people though, yet they don't go around saying you can never mention your faith or pray or anything else!

Gwenhwyfar · 09/02/2025 15:46

Mnetcurious · 09/02/2025 14:39

Yes, it’s offensive to Christians and yabu to say it in a context where you don’t know for sure that people won’t be offended. If you wouldn’t say something that was offensive to people of other religions then you shouldn’t be saying JC.

It's clearly not offensive to all Christians and you can't speak for everyone. Furthermore, plenty of Christians blaspheme themselves from time to time.

Gwenhwyfar · 09/02/2025 15:44

IdaGlossop · 08/02/2025 17:34

Where has 'very offended' come from? From you, not me. In a work context, I would find 'Jesus Christ' jarring, as I would the 'f' word and a string of other expressions. In a non-work context, I would hardly give it a second thought. That's not being quite dishonest, purposefully or not. It's having awareness of how different forms of language are appropriate for different circumstances.

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Yes, but finding language jarring is very personal and subjective isn't it. We all have words and expressions we don't like, the question whether the offence is enough that the person should be told off for using it.

LynetteScavo · 09/02/2025 15:43

Exactly @AffIt - it's about knowing your audience.