Is it offensive to say inshallah?

[Loulou599]

I think it's a really beautiful sound and is more wistful than saying touch wood or god willing, but would it be offensive (if you're not muslim)?

Why would you have an objection to the language people use? How do you know their homes are secular settings? Sounds very controlling.

Again, I have plenty of words which I can use.

I'm allowed to have preferences, the same way someone else may prefer not to hear 'curse' words or something else they don't like.

You’re allowed to have a preference for the language you use yourself, not for the language other people use.

I have heard all the phrases you mention, people said them as I was growing up, however I find them redundant nowadays. I honestly have no issue finding the words I need to express myself quite adequately.

I think you'll find people are also allowed a preference on what words people use towards them.

Just to clarify, I have made no comment on what words people use in their own homes, this is regarding bringing religious words into secular environments.

You may have a preference, but you have no right to tell people what words they can say around you as long as they’re not racist, sexist et cetera.

Everything is God's will - he decides the lot - so I don't think it's quite correct as you probably don't really believe that God willed it - you believe the work got done cos you made time for it and worked on it.
Perhaps ok amongst non-religious Turkish people but some Muslims I would think might be offended ( I am thinking in a muslim country).

I actually do have a right not to ask someone to use overtly religious language, especially in a secular environment. If they choose to ignore that then I have good reason not to continue the interaction. If there is no reason they need to use the religious phrase/expression then why are they doing so? By all means use it at home or to greet others who also use/accept it, but don't force others to do so.

Thst phrase is also inappropriate for those who believe gods are man made constructs.

If you’re not comfortable being around perfectly ordinary language, then the onus is on you to leave. You have no right to dictate how people speak.

Oh well. Get over it, or don’t I suppose 🤷🏻‍♀️

I think you'd need to define examples of what you think 'perfectly normal language is', however I don't see how you can think that introducing religious/religious based language into a secular conversation in a secular environment is actually appropriate? It is unnecessary and not inclusive.
Let me just clarify, again, that what people do at home (or in other environments such as religious worship venues) is their choice, and I fully support the right for people to practice whatever faith they choose.

I am over it, I was just pointing out that the minute we bring any sort of god into a secular inclusive environment then we are automatically making it less inclusive.

Quite.... but I don't believe for a minute that you never use the words sacrifice or augur or stigma or excruciating.

Our language, like every other, is built on religious words and concepts.

Well, you can choose to believe what you like about me, short of setting us up on a 24 hour video link I'm not sure what else to say (not sure about you, but I don't fancy it). Word origin is interesting, I would be surprised if a lot of the religious writers hadn't 'borrowed' words from other places too, then claimed them as being associated with their particular faith. I think also that word meanings can evolve, so some words which perhaps supposedly started with religious meanings have other meanings now, whereas some are clearly still directly related to religion/religious assertions.

I am over it, I was just pointing out that the minute we bring any sort of god into a secular inclusive environment then we are automatically making it less inclusive.

But this is an issue that we see time and time again when it comes to 'inclusivity' - to the very large amount of people with a religious faith, telling them that they must curtail and restrict their natural use of language is excluding them.

You may say that's justified, as not everybody shares their faith, but it most certainly is not inclusive.

It's also noteworthy that the majority of people invoking the name of God or Jesus in general/secular/non-religious environments are very much not doing so from a point of faith.

Should we ban atheists from shouting "Jesus Christ!" when they bang their thumbs with a hammer whilst blaming it on Christians for seeking to exclude people who don't share their beliefs (including the belief that you mustn't take the name of God or Jesus in vain)?!

Even the numbers we use are known as Arabic numerals. Should we go back to Runes?

"I don't see how you can think that introducing religious/religious based language into a secular conversation in a secular environment is actually appropriate? "

What are the secular environments in the UK? We do not have that separation of church and state that some countries have.

Do you never say good bye then?

People are going back in time with "but we use x" and "natural language exchanges".
Languages largely merged via collonisations and occupation of territories. We don't do that anymore much hence not that much merging. One of the weapons to destroy spirit of the occupied was to try prevent use of their language and force the new one on. That's how lots ended up mixed (or near extinct).
Then there is natural dying of communities with people moving away etc. There are langauges which have now <20 speakers nowadays.

Numbers and some scientific words travelled via scholars. It was because of practicality of them.

It wasn't particularly "oooh I quite like the sound of that word from langauge totally unrelated to me so I will use it". Obviously maybe in some cases it was, but let's be realistic.

@Gwenhwyfar A work place should primarily be a secular environment, unless of course it's a religious building/religious body/agency, and in that case anyone working there would not expect it to be secular!

@FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper It's more inclusive not to use religious language in an otherwise secular place. Religious people are free to practice religion and use religious terminology as much as they like at home, during worship, during private conversations, but not in places of work.

@Warum

It's more inclusive not to use religious language in an otherwise secular place. Religious people are free to practice religion and use religious terminology as much as they like at home, during worship, during private conversations, but not in places of work.

So you agree that non-religious people who use religious words as curse words should also be clamped down on? Every "OMG" should be challenged? That's going to be a full-time job for somebody to police in every workplace!

However, I think the issue that a lot of non-religious people have is that they see religious faith as a little compartmentalised hobby that some people have, and not the driving force for many people's whole life and identity. If somebody is actively proselytising in the workplace, I take your point about it being considered inappropriate; but seeking to restrict and police somebody's speech with everyday phrases - ones that people do not commonly find offensive and are at liberty to ignore - is absolutely not inclusive at all.

It reminds me of France - where the wearing of religious clothing and symbols is banned. Inclusivity means respecting different people's beliefs and simple expressions of their belief for themselves - not demanding that nobody ever give any clue to their faith, however devout, lest it happen to offend another person that somebody else is a Muslim/Christian/Hindu etc.

I haven't expressed any opinion on people who use religious phrases out of the context they were intended!

"It wasn't particularly "oooh I quite like the sound of that word from langauge totally unrelated to me so I will use it". Obviously maybe in some cases it was, but let's be realistic."

I think it may well have been and I don't think I'm being unrealistic. Quite often a word or expression will have an equivalent in the native language, but a term from another language can become fashionable and used instead.

I'm surprised by your positive evaluation that there is no more colonisation or occupations!

I said "we don't do that much anymore" much being the important word. Not that there is nothing happening anymore.
Compared to times when MANY languages were being either heavily influenced or nearly decimated by large invasions/occupations, we really don't do that much anymore.