to think that banning the use of the word "God" is a bit much?

[MiniMonty]

Need the opinions of many women and Mothers here...
The wife has suddenly stated that she is "offended" by our three kids (and me) saying "oh God" or "God in heaven" or "for God's sake" etc as she has recently become a bit God Squad and rediscovered her Christianity.

Caused a huge row over the kitchen table three nights ago and it rumbles on with wife being pretty committed to the idea that no one should be allowed to say "Oh God" or "for God's sake" etc.,

My view is that this is unreasonable (and a bit silly) and even if you take it seriously in terms of not offending peoples' religious ideas - still a bit silly.

Am I wrong?

It's been rumbling on for three days and nights now and I need something...

All and any cast iron responses to the religious bullying very much appreciated.

No, no it's not. What an idiotic suggestion

Would you like me to spell it out for you? Why can't I just be set against abuse? Why do I need a reason? Seriously, is there something wrong with you?

If you must know, my brother, aged 18 was recently abuse by a group of girls and one of their mums at a house party. In a physical, sexual and mental way

But that's only enforced my opinion that ALL abuse is wrong. It hasn't made me choose a 'side'.

If you don't think all abuse is wrong then there's something wrong.

Would you really? Because your attitude towards men and abuse has been questionable at best, I refer you to your first posts in this thread. Where you thought it 'odd'

Latara thankyou I shall try that! DP has given me his cold

As I said above: If you have a specific example of a man being abused, then state it, start a thread about it. It happens. I know it does. But many, many more women are subject to sexist, misogynist, abusive behaviour.

That is not me denying that men suffer too.

No, because I didn't want this to start in the first place. I didn't want to start this farce of a debate. I just wanted to tell that poster that it does happen

Now please do sod off because you're becoming increasing more patronising, and really heavy handed in your posts.

Women as a gender are abused, discriminated against and put down. That doesn't mean that individual women don't overcome this and rise to the top of the tree. Men as a gender aren't. This does not mean that individual men don't suffer abuse and discrimination and need support. But what happens to outliers is by definition atypical.

Porto, leave it. Ghost has again reverted to attacks and bullying. They won't change their mind and will continue to whaddaboutthemenz til the cows come home.

GhostShip - that sounds like an unpleasant incident for your brother, shame he went through that. :(

I think that kind of attack is most likely at house parties where alcohol is involved & there are the group dynamics in place to make nasty behaviour more likely.
I've known women (& a couple of men) undergo abuse of all kinds at house parties from the opposite sex.
I suspect men are less likely to complain than women; so your brother is brave for speaking about it.

On the occasions i go to the pub after the gym (my local sports bar where i have friends; not the pub i mentioned earlier) - my Mum & sister worry about me being followed by any 'strange men' when i walk home in the dark.

Yet as a woman i'm statistically more likely to get attacked by a man i know than by any stranger (& sadly i have been).

I think women feel intimidated round here because we do get shouted at by lads driving past in their cars. That can be scary when you're alone.

But men are statistically at far greater risk of physical assault from strange men when walking alone than women in this area.
There have been some nasty (& fatal) incidents where gangs of lads / men have attacked other men.

Domestic violence is more likely to be a danger for women locally than it will ever be for men (& yes there have been some fatalities in domestic incidents sadly).
Also women are far more often assaulted by lone males or groups of men that are known to them - rather than by strangers.
As i've had problems with men who i thought were my 'friends' - then i'd never choose to be alone with a man in future; unless he was a boyfriend.

I don't know any men who would be scared to be alone with a single woman.

Right, ignoring all the other bunfighting that's going on...

1. Even as an atheist, I don't like people using God as a swearword, so I can see why your DW is uncomfortable with it, and I don't see why it would be so hard for you to respect her wishes.

2. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! Like FUCK (now there's a swearword I like!) is it a post-feminist word. While I would agree taht great progress has been made, may I direct you to this website to give you a little clue as to how crap we women still have it.

Actually, if Ghostship is only around 20 then s/he has grown up in a much less sexist world than old farts like me (nearly 50). So it is going to feel a bit different, there isn't going to be the longstanding background of knowing that women can be paid less than men for doing the same job (Equal pay act 1975) or that getting married means your husband can fuck you whenever he feels like it, whether you like it or not (rape in marriage was made illegal in 1991. Yes, 1991).

Oh, and whoever was banging on about all the famous historical figures who 'believed in gods' - this may well have been to do with the fact that openly saying you weren't up for paying lip service to the state imaginary friend got you executed. And up until really very recently, being outspokenly atheist meant exposing yourself to arrest, violence, discrimination etc etc.

Yes, i remember as a 13yr old in 1991 being very shocked that rape in marriage was actually legal anyway, when that law was passed!