To hate it when kids exclaim Oh My God!

[PadmeHum]

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.

?

What about "oh. my. Fucking. God."
?

Next door's baby has started talking. He pointed at my (admittedly irritatingly yappy) terrier and kept repeating "Buddy Dog Buddy Dog Buddy Dog!"

Now I know what the neighbours really think

Yes, it may be its origin lifeinlimbo, but as I said, I don't think most people are using it in this way. It's often used casually and/or without belief, and so it's making light of other people's faith.

Making light, as in not taking into consideration, is not the same as mocking, though.

I dislike it, my dd picked it up from school, we have managed to bend it to 'oh my gosh', at first she continued saying it for anything and everything, she then started to correct herself (oh my God.. I mean gosh) and now it seems to have completely stopped, she hasn't said either for a long while but saying that school has only been back 2 days, I wouldn't be surprised if it started again or in all likely hood some other phrase will get picked up (Awesome took over for a good while). These things get picked up at school and with the best will in the world you can't stop it, if you don't like the expression teach them an alternative or just wait for it to run its course and wait for the next thing.

Even so Habbibu, it's not really very polite to casually make light of someone else's faith, is it? Reasoned debates are one thing, but it's a put-down to effectively tell someone you think their beliefs are silly, in a casual exclamation.

But it's not - you're assuming a lot of intent behind what's almost an unconscious use of language. As I said, when I was a Catholic I used it - old Irish Catholic friends of my parents used "Jesus Mary and Joseph!" as an exclamation. I cannot imagine anyone using oh my god to try to tell another person their beliefs are silly - it's a phrase that for most users has no semantic content remaining, I'd say.

But if there's no thought behind it at all, it's thoughtless. And thoughtlessness can be impolite.

Well, I think you'd still have to be fairly actively seeking to be offended, tbh.

I disagree..... I certainly don't stand around waiting to be offended, LOL. However if the name of a friend of mine was repeatedly used in a similar context to swearing, or when someone stubbed their toe, I'm pretty sure I'd notice that too.

I'd notice is someone said "Oh my Jemimah", say, all the time as an expletive, but even if Jemimah was my best friend, I can't see how it would be offensive.

Christians believe that God's name should not be "taken in vain".

www.mountainretreatorg.net/faq/is_saying_oh_my_god_a_sin.shtml

yes, but if a non-Christian says it, then it's not relevant, surely?

Doesn't bother me. It has become almost detached from any religious meaning for many people. It's a bit like saying 'bless you' when someone sneezes. Are people really blessing you? No. It's just a phrase that is in popular usage.

I'm not a Christian, but I don't like dd1 (6yo) using it every five minutes

It just seems the wrong register, somehow

Well, having argued that it doesn't matter, I do try to stop dd using it - think "wrong register" is how I feel about it too.

I'm a Christian and I wince when I hear anyone say "oh my God" or the like. It's worse hearing a child say it. I think because it's used in a non religious way and people say it with no care or even belief in God, it makes it more offensive.

We have corrected our children from saying it as I feel its offensive to most religions.
I have been brought up that the Lords name should not be "taken in vain",and respect that,and so do our dc's,and we are not religious in any shape or form.

My three year old has taken to exclaiming 'sacre bleu' accompanied by a very gallic palms held up shrug. Goodness know how many respectful Catholics he upset when we were in France recently. He's half Welsh half Yorkshire too so I've no idea where he gets it from!

Carrie - that's fine. Likewise I wince at organised religion.

I always though OMG was quite tame. As for people thinking it's best for kids to say F*k! then no wonder manners are going down the drain.

I say OMG quite a lot so I don't say the even worse words!
I think if someone shouted "Lucifer" now that would be bad

My dd (she's 4.5) said it once or twice and I have corrected her to 'oh my goodness' and the like. She asked me why she couldn't say it and I told her that God was who we prayed to, and we should only really use his name in prayer, etc etc waffle waffle.

That evening in bed, she started to say her prayers "Dear God, thank you for...oh.

Oh My God, thank you for all the blessings..."! Complete with inflections "Oh my Gawwwwwd" - I was sitting there in the dark trying to stifle my snorts of laughter. She's said it every night since

I dislike it too - for no other reason than as an athiest, it seems wrong that we invoke someone that does not exist.

DD got told off last week at preschool for calling her brother a 'pest-head' - they thought she was calling him a bastard .

I think Christians offended by this are being very presumptuous about which god may be being referred to.

surely it's not referring to any god. It's nothing more than an expression. it's part of my culture, love it or hate it, and I'm sure I'll still be saying it at 80. (god willing)