Using God/Christ in negative threads

[Tigertalk]

Hi all, I’m a long time mumsnetter but finding it hard to read constant threads (as a Christian) that use phrases starting with ‘ for G*d’s sake ( insert some nasty phrase about something) . We don’t accept racist or phobic language so why is it okay to use God, Jesus, Christ etc in these contexts? It’s really uncomfortable to read constantly 🙁

I think we need a bit of iconoclasm.

THe church has held sway for far too long, imposing damaging social dogmas- the subjugation of women, the persecution of homosexuals.
If this is part of prising the greasy tendrils of the church out of society then bring it on.

No one is being personally attacked by these utterances though- are they.

I agree with the OP. Using 'f*cking' in the middle of Jesus Christ is incredibly disrespectful. You don't hear people of other cultures using Allah or Krishna etc as a swear word - in fact, they would most likely be incredibly offended by it and consider it racist (and I say this as a person from an ethnic minority). Just because the UK is a predominately Christian country doesn't make it acceptable to use the name of Jesus Christ aka God in vain. You don't hear swear words incorporating the name of a God in such a way in the Middle East or Asia as commonplace. So why are we so proud of it in the UK, and why do people defend their right to swear in this way like it is something to be proud of???????

Not everyone shares your views. Christianity is dying out in the UK and particularly Scotland, whereby more people identify as atheist.

It’s part and parcel of the English language and has been for generations. I understand why you personally would like it but again, the majority of people don’t share your view.

@pear6782

I agree with the OP. Using 'f*cking' in the middle of Jesus Christ is incredibly disrespectful. You don't hear people of other cultures using Allah or Krishna etc as a swear word - in fact, they would most likely be incredibly offended by it and consider it racist (and I say this as a person from an ethnic minority). Just because the UK is a predominately Christian country doesn't make it acceptable to use the name of Jesus Christ aka God in vain. You don't hear swear words incorporating the name of a God in such a way in the Middle East or Asia as commonplace. So why are we so proud of it in the UK, and why do people defend their right to swear in this way like it is something to be proud of???????

I take it you'd be OK with blasphemy laws coming into place then?

Too add- religion was given far too much power historically and whilst everyone should be entitled to go about their own religious beliefs in peace, the majority shouldn’t have to chance their language to accommodate this

vm.tiktok.com/ZMe3kMT1u/

If you’re offended OP watch this.

Then this .......

vm.tiktok.com/ZMe3kuwRL/

God made me this way 🤷🏼‍♀️

Why do so many people think christians own the word god or that god refers specifically to christianity?

I think anyone who feels the need to say oh my fucking God or flying spaghetti monster or bleat about how God isn’t real are a bit pathetic and I would just avoid them. I live and let live but don’t need to associate with them any more than I need to,

As an atheist, I think it's an interesting concept.

Historically, I would have expected people to invoke god when they were afraid or awed. I don't have any historical sources to support the theory, perhaps someone else does, but could people saying, "Oh my god, save me, preserve me..." have been used for grave situations and shortened then gradually used in less and less solemn situations before it entered the common vernacular.

I did look up what is meant by 'taking the lord's name in vein' and was surprised to see that it actually refers to swearing false oaths to or on god. For example, a criminal swearing they're innocent in god's name or on the bible.
If you find it uncomfortable, it will be because people apply it in trivial ways, or by those with no belief, which I do get because it's not taking it seriously. At the same time, the word god is so commonplace in English language that I don't think it's a deliberate thing for most people. And perhaps a little unreasonable to expect people to curb their language for your sensibilities.
Ultimately, if you truly believe it's a mortal sin, it's going to affect the person's saying it's soul and not yours so it shouldn't bother you.

www.osvnews.com/amp/2020/05/26/is-it-considered-a-mortal-sin-to-say-oh-my-god/

Do you know what happens when you someone takes offence, it's a thought process that's all, no one is actually hurt by being offended, if some decides to murder someone after being offended it's because they are a psychopath.

If you believe in something redicolous, then you have accept people will mock it.

People ought to understand people are allowed to push back after all harm religion has done over century's.

@KevinTheGoat

I think it is more to do with being respectful of all, rather than forcing people to speak/behave in a certain way because of law. Every religion/belief system teaches different things or has different values (and most of them contradict each other). So why do we show respect to some, but not others?

So many awful atrocities committed in the name of religion and I'm really meant to care about blasphemy?

Years ago I once reported a post for using the term Jesus f C* as very offensive....I was told that swearing was considered acceptable on MN. Spectacularly missing the point.

@EdgeOfACoin

Nobody uses Mohammed, Allah or Buddha as swear words. It would be considered quite offensive to do so.

Because they are not generic names and titles, god (with a small g) is. For God's sake can be considered by some as blasphemous even though it doesn't offend the second commandment, but for god's sake cannot be blasphemous because it is simply a word. For all the Christians who are up in arms about this non-issue, did it pass you by when Jesus said that there are only two commandments and that this supersedes the 613 mitzvot? This was the whole point of the existence of Jesus to show the Jewish people that they (at that time) had become too hide bound to the rules at the expense of loving God and His creation - this is the message of the story of the Good Samaritan.

@ErrolTheDragon

These comments aren't directed at living people. It would be comparable to racism if people said 'f-ing Christian ' etc.

This but still doesn’t sit well.

@LindaEllen

Given that god isn't real, I hardly think it matters.

Shame on you Linda for such aggressive posting.

[quote pear6782]@KevinTheGoat

I think it is more to do with being respectful of all, rather than forcing people to speak/behave in a certain way because of law. Every religion/belief system teaches different things or has different values (and most of them contradict each other). So why do we show respect to some, but not others?[/quote]
Because Biblical swearing has been a thing for years, even in places like Ireland or Canada ('tabernacle!') Religious subjects are a taboo, hence religious swear words. Every country has different methods of swearing. Would you prefer 'cunt' or 'whore mother' or 'son of a bitch' or 'cocksucker'?

Christians are not a race and in the UK, they're predominantly white and the ruling religion, and I get the impression that some of them envy countries with sharia law and wish we had a Christian equivalent here.

@Macncheeseballs

So you'll not be watching father ted then

Go on, go on, go on, go on...

It looks very... slangy. You wouldn't generally see it written down, so I wonder if that's why it's particularly jarring? In spoken language it's used a lot (I agree it was originally an appeal to God), and on here people tend to write as they speak.

I don't really like it being mixed with swearing, but on it's own it doesn't bother me — it's so cultural now. One of my favourite teachers was very fond of a "Glory be!" if we were being particularly awkward, and she was a devout Catholic. And I think the first song in Legally Blonde is very funny. I agree I don't like to hear children say it though.

I'd describe myself as Christian, but to be honest I'm probably a fairly bad one! I'm fairly sure I'm only Christian because of the time and place I was born — I feel that the Roman or Norse gods, Islam, Hinduism etc are all different ways of describing the same thing, just with different cultural (and temporal) interpretations.

@seashells11

Years ago I once reported a post for using the term Jesus f* C** as very offensive....I was told that swearing was considered acceptable on MN. Spectacularly missing the point.

Everyone knows that mnhq moderators are all fair, unbiased and open minded, non bigots- not

Can you not just call on the strength of your Christian god to help you overcome your feelings of hurt over it?

@wildeverose

I'm a Christian- it's not even close to racist or homophobic language. It's shockingly offensive you've compared the two.

Definitely this.