Boss told me off for exclaiming Jesus Christ

Religion isn't special.
I don't set out to deliberately offend but I also don't continually focus on the eternally offended.

I don't believe in any gods.
I'm just fed up of the eternally offended.
Maybe I've prematurely entered grumpy old woman stage (no doubt that will offend someone too). 😬

To be fair, being offended is proof that as a species we rather over achieve. If you can waste time of fripperies like words (or the lack thereof) then you are unlikely to be worrying about where your next meal is coming from.

Maybe God created us specifically to be offended ? Has there been any research into whether there are other organisms that are susceptible to offence ?

The eternally offended will often look for things to be offended by.

You sound an utter delight of a human being. 🙄

So no ‘oh my goodness’ is allowed? No ‘gee’ or ‘jeez’ or would ‘golly’ also be unacceptable? Turns out jeepers is also blasphemous- I had no idea! I use that a lot! I would honestly need a list of unacceptable words to not offend!

The Romans also wrote a lot of shite. to be fair. Britain being full of dragons and all that.

The existence of Christians doesn't prove the existence of Christ. Just the idea of Christ. Which may - or may not - be related to someone who lived about that time. Messiahs being two a denarii in first century Judea. I should know, I've followed a few.

However, I must admit that the cult of Christ absolutely smashed it with their USP. Once which was intended to protect their followers from fakes in perpetuity. And they almost got away with it if it hadn't been for those meddling bishops.

I have a mouth like a sailor and an extensive range of swear words (in multiple languages) in my vocabulary.

What I also have is the ability to know my audience: I don't use the same language in a work meeting that I would happily employ in a dinner meeting with friends of 20+ years.

Keep your language neutral and professional at all times. It's easier that way.

(And although I'm agnostic at best these days, I grew up in a fairly strict Church of Scotland family. 'Thou shalt not take the Lord's name in vain' is the third commandment, so fairly high up the list.)

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.

And if he did, he was just a normal bloke.

I'm surprised you used that exclamation as a Christian OP. Anyway, I personally would refrain from using it, along with quite a few other expressions, in a professional meeting. I left office work behind in 1997 and even then exclaming "Jesus Christ" in a meeting would not have been viewed in a particularly good light.

@SquashedSquid

Jesus did exist and it is written in Roman documentation whatever you think about him.

firstly it is turn of phrase that is now common in the Uk. It isn’t being used to deliberately insult someone. I think it has actually moved from religious meaning to common vernacular.

secondly - lots of people say ‘oh my goodness’, ‘gee’ or ‘jeez’ in common usage. These all mean the same thing. I bet you have said these in front of people but they are equally as offensive surely? You can’t pick and choose which specific words are offensive. It’s and all or nothing surely?

Thirdly- religion in purely a relationship between an individual and their god. It involves no one else. Hearing other people insult your god- why does it affect your individual relationship with god? Someone raised the analogy of insulting my mum and how would I feel? Well if you don’t like her that’s your opinion. It doesn’t affect my relationship with her so why should it bother me.

I am a vegan myself and would personally find it quite funny if a butcher called their shop ‘the weeping vegan’. Why should it bother me? I choose be a vegan but I honestly don’t care if anyone is. What has it got to do with me?

They're not expletives, though. That's like saying "Bruce Bannerman" is swearing.

I still think it's very insensitive - and odd - to deliberately invoke the name of a God in whom you don't believe and which presumably means nothing at all to you as a throwaway expression, when you know that it will offend a great many people.

@DalzielOrNoDalzielAndDontPascoe
It’s not true that using an expression like ‘Jesus Christ’ or ‘Dear God’ means you don’t believe in God though?
Not sure why you’d think that.
Some people are just more relaxed about their faith and these things are cultural to a large extent anyway.

@SquashedSquid making up an imaginary character, believing in an imaginary character and using the name of an imaginary character from any religion as an expletive are very different things, as I'm sure you're aware if you're a primary school teacher.

Again, whatever fictional character they choose to use the name of as an exclamation, I really don't care. It's a made up name.

@JandamiHash I have a very firm grip on life in general, thanks.

Why don't you get a sense of humour? The laughing emoji was there to aid you on fathoming that my comment was light hearted and humorous.

@SquashedSquid
So what if the students in your class blaspheme in a different religion? I suspect parents and students might complain

I couldn't care less if a child in my class used a made up character from a story book as a way to express themselves. Be it Jesus Christ on a bike or whatever other vehicle he's using, or Holy Batman.

I'm more concerned with their learning.

I think it’s fine to blaspheme and swear but I’m also aware that what is ok isn’t accepted in schools or for children, so no I won’t teach my child to do this. Why don’t you teach yourself to get a grip?

I think my fundamental problem with the OP’s situation is that employers are so very worried about not looking super PC (usually on behalf of someone else rather than themselves) that they’re willing to demoralise their staff, patronise them in front of colleagues and deal with very superficial problems that can be dealt with with a swift bollocking rather than looking at ACTUAL problems that require long term solutions and a bit more thought. 3 out of 5 women are sexually harassed in the workplace. That can’t be dealt with by a patronising bollocking in a meeting where a manager can pat themselves on the back for Doing Something - it requires a culture change and awkward conversation and introspection that most managers are too thick, scared or misogynistic to deal with properly.

And then they no doubt wonder why their staff are demoralised and want to leave for a more respectful workplace where swears are allowed but coming on to female colleagues isn’t.

Obviously. (No idea where youre getting faux disingenuous from, which btw makes no sense) But the point was that it's not much of an insult, as insults go, is it?

Yes, I know. I very specifically referenced it. Not sure what confused you.

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.