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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hate it when kids exclaim Oh My God!

117 replies

PadmeHum · 04/09/2010 14:12

I was at the annual school fair today. I lost count of how many times I heard 5-12 year children exclaim "oh my godddddd", that was .

The phrase grates me to my core.

I am not even religious, so I am not sure why it bothers me. Some sort of respect issue I think as well as it sounding a bit cheap.

?

OP posts:
solo · 05/09/2010 00:12

I hate it too. I hate it more from my nephews mouth as he claims that there's no such thing as God. Hmm

Just13moreyearstogo · 05/09/2010 00:38

'Oh my days' is used in the same way. Sounds twee but is used by some quite tough kids, surprisingly. I think it's much better than OMG!

hmc · 05/09/2010 00:45

YABU

I think it's rather endearing. Better than fuckity-fuck

hmc · 05/09/2010 00:46

And most of the UK are not practicing Christians

hmc · 05/09/2010 00:49

And I am at a loss as to why we have to pussyfoot around Christians beliefs as opposed to say, humanist beliefs...disrepectful my arse

Rollergirl1 · 05/09/2010 00:52

I really don't like it either. DH is catholic but i'm not. I don't like it for the religious disrespectful reasons but also that I think it just sounds horrible for young children to say. It's not swearing but I think it is like swearing. We say "oh my goodness" at our house. Although fcuk and cnut and frequently muttered under our breath Grin

solo · 05/09/2010 01:00

I was berated by my Dad when I was about 9 for saying 'God knows what's...' blah blah etc.

HowsTheSerenity · 05/09/2010 07:17

I've always wondered what would happen if I started saying 'Oh My Allah' or 'Oh My Buddha' or just insert deity of choice.

whoneedssleepanyway · 05/09/2010 07:18

DD1 started saying this (my fault) so I was very careful and started saying "Oh my word" at every opportunity which is what she says now and sounds v cute.

teaandcakeplease · 05/09/2010 07:37

YANBU. I dislike hearing children saying it a lot, not too keen on adults either tbh though.

I don't generally say anything worse than crap either swear wise and not in front of the DCs.

Thankfully my 2 children are too young to have picked it up at school or elsewhere yet.

I was brought up in a traditional manner with my parents being of a certain generation Wink and going to church, so to me I do feel it is disrespectful to use.

SeaTrek · 05/09/2010 08:24

Gosh I say it Blush and 'Jesus!' Grin. I have almost no respect at all for religion though.

PhoenixReborn · 05/09/2010 08:33

I think it is borderline and I discourage it as it may offend some (especially as they attend a christian preschool :D)

My DS1 who is three comes out with some corkers though

Its fantabulous
Goodness me
Oh my gosh

I love it and think its very cute

proudnsad · 05/09/2010 08:42

My kids say it, I don't give a shit if I'm brutally honest!

I'm not (too) thick, so I understand that it's technically blasphemy but it's become part of modern lexicon so it's sort of transposed any religious meaning.

That said, I'm big on telling my dc to respect other people's views on religion etc and not say anything offensive.

TheJollyPirate · 05/09/2010 11:22

I try not to say it and discourage DS wo attends a Catholic school. Mainly because it feels disrespectful. I am not offended by hearing it in the street but know that other people might be hence encouraging DS to say "oh my goodness"

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 05/09/2010 11:24

proudnsad..but to Christians it IS offensive, so you aren't that big on telling them to respect other people's views, actually.

pointydog · 05/09/2010 11:40

I don't like it either but just because it is said to death. It is such a tv phrase.

Quenbioz · 05/09/2010 13:04

It's not necessarily about believing in the religion or respecting it though SeaTrek. It's about respecting others, and not wanting to offend the many people around us who believe in God by making a swear word out of their beliefs.

"Gosh I say it blush and 'Jesus!' grin. I have almost no respect at all for religion though."

cumfy · 05/09/2010 13:46

I cringe at OMG.

But don't understand the blasphemy angle.

Surely, you can't presume the religion of the speaker, or the specific god they are referring to. To do so itself would be disrespectful of any religion they might hold.Wink

Quenbioz · 05/09/2010 13:47

So why do you cringe at it then cumfy?

TheBolter · 05/09/2010 13:52

I try not to say it (before dcs I used to say it a lot - and swear a lot too) and try very hard to stop my children from saying it. YANBU, I think it sounds horrible.

cumfy · 05/09/2010 13:55

Quenbioz, Because its a banal, relatively meaningless interjection/filler that anyone intelligent avoids like the plague.

lifeinlimbo · 05/09/2010 14:45

I say it all the time, almost as a reflex/habit, but this annoys me because I dont believe in God (though I used to and was raised religious) so why do I keep calling him? (and worse, calling him my god?)

I dont see why religious people are offended at all, it is a supplication to god when someone is surprised/distressed, so what is wrong with that??

Quenbioz · 05/09/2010 15:39

I may be wrong, but I don't think most people are saying it as a prayer.

"it is a supplication to god when someone is surprised/distressed, so what is wrong with that??"

lifeinlimbo · 05/09/2010 15:54

That may indeed be its origin Quenbioz. If you read the bible you will find it used in this way.

Can you explain how you have come to find it offensive?

Habbibu · 05/09/2010 16:01

"Quenbioz, Because its a banal, relatively meaningless interjection/filler that anyone intelligent avoids like the plague." Nah, can't agree with that. So you're saying that intelligent people don't use banalities, fillers, meaningless phrases, etc? Of course they do. They've got just as much right to use any words they choose as anyone less intelligent. It's just as daft an argument as the one that asserts people who swear do so because of limitations to their vocabulary. Also nonsense.

As for oh my god - when I was a Catholic I used it, didn't find it offensive. Use it now occasionally as an atheist, but it's not usually conscious use, iyswim, just a vague cry of frustration, shock, surprise, etc.