Boss told me off for exclaiming Jesus Christ

[GloMum]

The other day my boss told me off for exclaiming Jesus Christ when I was surprised during a work meeting. Boss told me it’s rude towards people from different religions and asked me if I’d done my DEI training. I have, and I enjoy friendships with colleagues from varied backgrounds. I feel really stressed now in case I slip again, and embarrassed I should be told off.

YABU - This is an inappropriate exclamation at work
YANBU - It’s just an exclamation and you shouldn’t be told off for that.

Eh? Speak for yourself

Really?

This place gets more ridiculous by the day.

Can I ask why Christian's don't like it ? Like what is the issue ? I say Jesus Christ all the time, I'm a non believer btw but just genuinely interested what's so wrong with saying Jesus' name ?

Highly inappropriate anywhere! Blasphemous and offensive regardless of anyones religion or ethnicity.

I don't find it remotely offensive but I don't think it's appropriate language in the workplace.

I agree with you completely, there is such a big difference, blasphemy doesn’t affect anyone else where as insulting someone’s religion or other protected characteristic does.

People of that faith still have the right to be offended, just as people not of that faith say they have the right to say it.

Hmm. You're not offended because of your Christian upbringing, but you are very offended nevertheless, even though the phrase is only offensive if someone doesn't like taking the Lord's name in vain. I think you're being quite dishonest here, even if not on purpose.

Surely it's just a matter of respect. It's clear from all these posts that some people and others don't - well then, unless you're sure that everyone in the room doesn't, don't use it. For myself, I am a Christian and it just makes me so sad when I hear "Oh God" or the like - it implies that the person using it not only disrespects my faith, but they disrespect people like me by not thinking about what they are saying. We have a wonderful creative
language - why not use it?

Why? I have already mentioned by grandmother found the work ‘knackered’ offensive beyond measure. If you said it she would get very angry about it and we would get told off.

I use it to mean tired but she understood it to mean something offensive . Had she got the right to tell me not to use it?

Not taking the Lord's name in vain is one of the commandments.
However, this commandment is often broken, including by Christians who use expressions like 'Oh My God' quite often so it's quite ridiculous to have such a strong reaction to this.

I would just say your sensitivity is not my problem.

This.

You're a professional, Christian, adult - accept you were wrong and exercise better self-control in future.

Holy buckets is a great phrase @Scorchio84 . Another one I heard was Geez a flip. I also rather like flipping heck. Or H E Double toothpicks (for HELL).

You're not a real Christian.

I think I’m more likely to exclaim “Jesus wept” but I suspect I edit myself and don’t swear or blaspheme at work because I’m masking, playing a role as someone professional (when in reality I’m there to pay the mortgage and don’t care). I think your boss was being ridiculous.

Jehovah/Jesus deserves the same respect as the heroes in Star Wars,

Maybe a little less as they were the good guys.

Jehovah/Jesus not so much: 2 Kings 2:23-24 and Exodus 12:29-30

That's exactly what I said when someone got upset that I was doodling a cartoon man titled 'Mohammed' while I was bored.

Agreed. Hate to hear this. It is offensive.

On the programme Grantchester, the detective (played by Robson Green) is always exclaiming this in front of his mate the vicar, who doesn't bat an eyelid - and it's set in the 1950s!😂

I’m would not be offended but upset. If it was directed to me, because i made a mistake or something at work, I would find it very harsh language. Comparable to “You stupid cow!!” . Nothing to do with my religion, but just not a professional way of giving feedback to a colleague. Maybe suitable among friends in a pub but not ok for an office environment.

I'm not usually that bothered by blasphemy, but my niece says "oh my God" every 5 mins and it's beginning to grate a bit!

It’s 2025, you do know people practice religion. Some people practice Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism etc. so yes, Christian’s do get offended by blasphemy

Christianity isn’t a cultural thing, it’s a religion that people take seriously

Agree. It’s one of the commandments. For the same reason I never like OMG.

I find the hold organised religion has on people, on intelligent people, really astonishing.