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 have a Christian friend and I do try not to say it, and apologise, but it’s very hard not to. It’s just part of our language. I don’t think it should be policed, especially when there are so many acceptable god-based phrases. And yes I’m. It really talking about the Christian God, just a random concept of godliness I suppose.

I don’t think op should be mocked though. You feel how you feel, but OTOH this one is a bit hard to argue the case for.

Ha, Glasgow here too and it's 'up the Clyde on a banana boat' for me. I like digestive biscuit though! My lovely, wee mam would say ' Jesus, Mary and Joseph ' (Irish Catholic) and it reminds me of my childhood.

Allah almighty, let people use their curse words. If you dont like the tone of the place then the door is that way....

@ClaudiaWankleman

I’m sure people would be very careful in the use of Allah, but God, Jesus Christ etc are fair game and I just find it annoying.

Allah is the same as your God though? They’re the same being/ thing/ person. Saying ‘Oh God’ is as much blasphemy to Muslims as it is to you.

There wasa case a few years ago where a Muslim complained about Christ being mocked because he's a big deal in Islam too.

This was about the time there was a madey-uppey story about Christmas being banned ("because of the muslimics...") and (I think) the Muslim Council of Britain pointed out that not only was celebrating the Christs birth not offensive to Muslims, but that many actively celebrated it as part of Islamic tradition.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_in_Islam

If you like fictional nonsense, forget Game of Thrones - religion has it all

@Tigertalk in fairness it’s the first time I’ve ever written that.

I tend more toward vulgarity than blasphemy. Cunting penguins or shitweasels or more my bag.

I think it's good for people to think about the words they use and what they are actually saying. If an individual doesn't believe in God, then it doesn't make sense for them to invoke his 'sake'.

I believe in God and Jesus and I am offended by blasphemy, but I see how difficult it is. Even phrases like 'for goodness sake' and ' crikey' and 'blimey' are polite and non-blasphemous versions of the swearing, so it means somebody thought of them originally as versions, instead of deciding not to explete at all. The version reminds you of the swear word, they are based on, so that's somewhat offensive. 'Sugar' is better.

But I've grown up with some forms of these words, and I find it next to impossible not to let them slip out. I wouldn't use the really bad ones, like the one with 'fucking' in the middle.

I teach in a Christian school and say "oh my goodness!" A LOT! However in private conversations we are always saying "oh my god" in certain situations! And most of us are practising Christians or catholics!

I try not to and discourage my children from
Doing the same but I don't find it offensive when others say it! They are just words!!

*are

If you choose to be part of a religion which has committed such heinous atrocities on such a grand scale over so many years I'm not sure you have the moral high ground to be complaining about swearing.

Deal with it.

I do say it, but do feel bad if I realise I am with someone who is religious. I hate to hear children say it, it just sounds so wrong.

BUT what I really hate is unnecessary swearing - I do find that offensive. I cringe every time I read the 'f' or 'c' word (and no I can't bring myself to type them).

Ha, Glasgow here too and it's 'up the Clyde on a banana boat' for me

I was just going to say that I'd never heard the digestive biscuit version here in Glasgow , only the banana boat, but it works.

@Chamonixshoopshoop

I’m a Christian, but I haven’t been a Christian all my life. I find it really hard not to say ‘for gods sake!’. I’m working on it. You are right though, it’s an every day phrase but we wouldn’t say ‘For allahs sake’ as a exacerbated phrase or ‘ah Ganesh’ as a Jesus Christ type phrase! People don’t mean offence by it though, they’re not actually having a go at Jesus (I don’t think) On balance you’re right, but I think we need to try and not get too worked up about it.

I have African family, obviously grew up very Christian. They say fgs and Jesus Christ. Meanwhile I'm non religious and try not to say it

Some people just don't mind. I think it's quite common language, people don't mean bad. No point getting worked up about it tbh

BUT what I really hate is unnecessary swearing - I do find that offensive. I cringe every time I read the 'f' or 'c' word (and no I can't bring myself to type them)

In many English dialects, "fucking" is merely an announcement that a noun follows.

I'm a Christian, I don't really mind other people saying "Oh for God's sake" etc. but since having DS1 I've been training myself to only say "Oh my goodness" and "Oh my gosh"

Just as a little nugget of info.

Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. Christians living in Arabic speaking countries often pray to Allah too - god is an English word, not a Christian word.

God is the name of the Christian god for English speaking Christians. German Christians pray to Gott and I think French Christians refer to Him as Tu, but not 100% sure.

English people would be unlikely to use Allah, Gott or Tu in everyday speech.

Yahweh is a Christian name for God.

I personally don’t get offended unless the person is using it to cause hurt or offence.

@Nothingwillcomeofnothing I still read the posts and lots are really interesting, I just wish they used different words! It hurts my brain ! I love mn though and won’t be leaving. I wish some pp on here were a bit nicer though, there’s no need to be horrible. I’m sure I’m not the only one to feel like this and there are others on this thread who have echoed the same uncomfortableness. It doesn’t take much to change a word / phrase to take into account others

@HoldingTheDoor

Ha, Glasgow here too and it's 'up the Clyde on a banana boat' for me

I was just going to say that I'd never heard the digestive biscuit version here in Glasgow , only the banana boat, but it works.

It does. I'm going to adopt it as of today.

@BagORats

I had no idea about blimey, how interesting. My grandmother never liked us to say bloody - from what I've googled this isn't necessarily a religious expletive so why would this be objectionable?

I thought bloody comes from 'by our lady'.

I'm a Christian not practicing or offended.
We'd never take the Lords name in vein as DC but would often hear adults use the names when shocked. "Jesus Christ I don't believe it" or "Oh God that is awful" as long as you're not intentionally hurting anyone God won't mind.

I never really got the issue with blasphemy. To me it seems obvious that it’s not intentionally offensive but an expression of incredulity/irritation/happiness.

I wouldn’t want to offend you and do try to not say it around people who might be offended - but I don’t understand how it is offensive.

However, people have suffered so much as a result of racism, homophobia - I can not see at all how that can be compared to how a Christian might suffer because of blasphemy? It is because of this gross discrimination that racist and homophobic language is rightly policed.

but since having DS1 I've been training myself to only say "Oh my goodness" and "Oh my gosh"

I did this too! I hate to hear little children saying it, and mine automatically say gosh now. I’m sure as they get older other words will slip in, but they don’t yet at home.

[quote Tigertalk]@Nothingwillcomeofnothing I still read the posts and lots are really interesting, I just wish they used different words! It hurts my brain ! I love mn though and won’t be leaving. I wish some pp on here were a bit nicer though, there’s no need to be horrible. I’m sure I’m not the only one to feel like this and there are others on this thread who have echoed the same uncomfortableness. It doesn’t take much to change a word / phrase to take into account others[/quote]
So we should change hundreds of years of language, what we were raised with and our entire cultures to avoid offending a very narrow category of English Christians?

I’m Irish. I don’t know phrases that don’t involve god in some form. Those are how I speak, how all my family speak. This is what priests and choir boys say. No I’m not going to censor myself for you.

Surely most of these swear words come originally from the practice of calling on God for his help in times of trouble, something most Christians would think was a good thing.

Now this practice has been extended from desperate situations like falling off a cliff (where only divine intervention could help) to minor problems such as a spilled drink or an irritating person. And because swearing is so ordinary in the modern world, these appeals to God have been strengthened by adding intensifiers such as 'fucking,' and they are used by non-believers as a matter of habit rather than belief.

This may be offensive at first sight, but console yourself with the thought that many people feel the need for a god, even if they don't believe in him, and even now these appeals are in keeping with Christian values - aren't we taught that Jesus cares about little trivial things too, such as a sparrow falling?

@TO12T39FRQ

Wait....you are offended by seeing JESUS on a birthday card??

How do you cope at CHRISTMAS then?

@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 🙁

Because unlike our race or sexual persuasion, believing in God is a choice.

Therefore policing language around God would be a very slippery slope.

For example, if I chose to believe alarm clocks were sacred, does that mean I should expect people not to say "My fucking alarm clock went off at 5am instead of 6"?