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Original poster

Have you taught your children not to blaspheme?

80 replies

Revised · 11/06/2014 10:33

I've tried. I'm not particularly religious or offended by "taking the Lord's name in vain" myself but I know that people who do believe are, so I've tried to teach my children it's not acceptable and that we don't say OMG/FGS etc out of respect for others.

I'm fighting a losing battle though because it seems these are perfectly acceptable things for teachers and TV presenters to say.

OP posts:
Eastpoint · 11/06/2014 22:35

We don't swear or blaspheme in front of the children (teens) & they don't swear in front of us. We do not follow any religion but I wouldn't want to offend someone who did.

jaundicedoutlook · 11/06/2014 23:13

I wouldn't teach them not to blaspheme on the basis that it isn't 1482. Just teach them not to say rude and offensive things...

NotCitrus · 11/06/2014 23:22

I think I've only met one person who claimed to be offended by "oh my god" - school RE teacher. The concept was totally novel to all the Christian students - none of our parents had ever warned us about that phrase, possibly "for god's sake" , but generally only "jesus" and derivatives were something my parents didn't allow - whereas no swearing would be tolerated at all, not even "crap" or "bloody hell"

Dcs are starting to use words they know they aren't supposed to round adults (mostly poo-poo) and I'll clamp down on references to Jesus that would offend people I know and my neighbours use a lot of, if they tryit.

SconeRhymesWithGone · 11/06/2014 23:32

I live in the US Bible Belt so, yes, I taught my children not to do it because many people find it offensive.

DeWee · 12/06/2014 09:39

I absolutely hate OMG type expressions. I would actually rather hear swearing in a lot of ways because it's so casually thrown about all the time. Dd2, I suspect uses it at school, because occasionally it slips out when she's not thinking, but she knows I don't like it, so generally doesn't use it. Neither of the other two have used it beyond the first time when I said I didn't like it.

But my younger two dc are into old fashioned books anyway and I'm much more likely to hear "gosh" or "smashing!" than modern things. Although ds (aged 6yo) thinking it's very funny to say "Oh Dambusters!"

Nocomet · 12/06/2014 09:50

I hate OMG especially when used by trying to be hip TV presenters.

It's really attention seeking and petty. Let's be cool by making polite fuddy duddy people, who might think it's wrong to cause offence for no reason, uncomfortable.

TarkaTheOtter · 12/06/2014 09:59

I like to think I will bring up my children to be aware and considerate of their audience I imagine this will go the same way as my other parenting aims

Branleuse · 12/06/2014 10:07

i have no issue with blasphemy. i havent told my children not to do it

Hakluyt · 12/06/2014 10:28

"I wouldn't teach them not to blaspheme on the basis that it isn't 1482. Just teach them not to say rude and offensive things..."

But you need to explain about blasphemy if you want to avoid your children being unintentionally rude and offensive things.

ShelaghTurner · 12/06/2014 10:31

Yes, DD1 started saying oh my God at about 4 and I trained her to say oh my gosh instead. Not offended as such just...don't know, don't like it. (Catholic if that makes a difference!)

alemci · 12/06/2014 10:55

Jaundice what happened in 1482, was it a major historical event or around the time of the wars of the Roses? :)

Frontier · 12/06/2014 11:48

I don't think it matters if you(we) think it's offensive, the fact is some people do and lots of people who aren't offended themselves know it can be offensive to others. If children people have never learned that how can they make a decision about when it is or isn't appropriate? e.g. if someone used it in a job interview, I wouldn't be offended but it would affect my opinion of their basic level of either consideration for others or general education (i.e they know and don't care, or they don't know). Maybe not everyone will react like that, but some will and by not teaching children this lesson you are (possibly) affecting their life chances.

Therefore, my children know it "shouldn't" be used. I'm sure they will and do use all sorts or words I'd prefer they don't but they will at least know that it's not always appropriate and they can make their choices based on that. It doesn't seem fair to let them think it's always OK.

TouchOfNatural · 12/06/2014 12:05

MrsBucketxx... A sad attitude you have there :(

I had to ask one of my (highly qualified, should know better!!!!) teaching staff (!!!) to reign in her 'Oh My Gods' while reading a story to 2 and 3 year olds this week!!! Does she really think it appropriate for a child to hear this from their teacher??? They will then take this home and then I'll have (un)happy parents emailing me.. That's for sure!!!

edamsavestheday · 12/06/2014 13:40

Fascinating about swear words being stored in a completely different part of the brain from 'normal' vocabulary, Luggage. Does that mean when you use a swear word as part of a sentence your brain is doing something quite complicated?

ChocolateWombat · 12/06/2014 17:24

Well put Frontier.
We live in society, not alone. One of the things we need to learn as we grow up, is what is appropriate in different situations. This includes clothes, behaviour and language.

We would teach our children to dress appropriately for an interview or a wedding and surely what is appropriate language too. Likewise what might be fine with a group of friends at a rugby match, might not be fine whilst having tea with Granny.
Those who say they find other peoples religious or moral views ridiculous and won't modify their behaviour or speech, show a lack of social empathy and in my view immaturity. Many teenagers have a phase of behaving in a way that will purposely shock, by swearing or blaspheming. Most quickly realise when it is and isn't appropriate. Some posters here don't seem to have developed that level of maturity and social skill.

NinjaLeprechaun · 13/06/2014 01:11

My general take is that it's not blasphemy if it's not your religion.

That's what I've always taught my daughter. I also taught her, from a young age, that she has to consider her audience before she says anything - that is not limited to individual words or groups of words.
She's 18 and I don't have a problem with her swearing in front of me now, but I know she doesn't swear around her dad and stepmother.
She's a polytheist (Pagan) and says gods rather than God, and I don't think she considers that what other people would see as blasphemy; it's not their God/religion, after all.

In regards to swear words being stored in a different part of the brain, I knew a man who could only manage 'Goddammit' and 'Merry Christmas' after a stroke. I wonder where holiday greetings fit in the swear part of the brain.

HowsTheSerenity · 13/06/2014 01:19

Maybe become more equal opportunity?
Oh my Allah!
Good Buddha!
And so on?

VenusDeWillendorf · 13/06/2014 01:42

No, we mostly say feck or shite.

Tbh, I'm not sure this is a joke thread, as are people really suggesting you creep around on tiptoes through someone's brain, just in case you upset them with your use of language?! How feckin hilarious.

What responses you have to whatever you hear are your own responsibility, not the responsibility of person who says them.... You have free choice in these cases, no?

Perhaps less po faced thinking about how someone is "blasphemous", and more on how you can become more tolerant of all your fellow human beings within a multi cultural, heterogeneous society is a better way to spend your time.

You'll be talking about burning books next....

MexicanSpringtime · 13/06/2014 01:51

I remember my 4-year-old daughter, who was very religiously curious, talking to a five-year-old boy about Jesus and being told we aren't allowed to say that word. Grin

So it is indeed probably a good idea not to blaspheme.

diddlediddledumpling · 13/06/2014 02:13

I'm an atheist and I rarely say 'Oh my God' or variations of it. I've told my kids not to either, explaining that for people who believe in God, it's offensive. I call it consideration for others. It's the same reason I don't say fuck in conversation with my granny.

JapaneseMargaret · 13/06/2014 03:17

No, I don't teach. them not to. I'm agnostic. DH is Irish Catholic. I've never really thought about it.

We don't particularly blaspheme, although 'oh my God' is probably said a fair old bit - however, we're off to the in-laws in Ireland next month, and I expect the kids will get more of a dose of it over there, than anywhere else. Grin

Lot's of 'Jaysus', and 'oh, god no', etc, etc.

I find the Irish blaspheme good-naturedly more than most, and the sky hasn't fallen on anyone's head yet.

NoArmaniNoPunani · 13/06/2014 03:40

I was raised by an Irish catholic mother, who are probably the worst for blaspheming. I was never told it was wrong and it's never occurred to me that it might offend

AdoraBell · 13/06/2014 03:41

I have even though I am not overly bothered. We live in a very Catholic country and I don't want them inadvertantly offending neighbours, teachers, friend's parents, other people at the shops etc.

Being the inmigrantes here I don't want To be that family, IYSWIM.

nooka · 13/06/2014 03:50

I was brought up with virtually no swearing (rats and drat were about the limit) but dh says I am quite foul mouthed (I disagree of course). Oddly I find religious swears grating even though I am an atheist. I guess that's just my upbringing coming out. I've not made a point about religious swearing to my children although I did get irritated when dd and her friends went through a phase of 'excessive oh my god/OMG'ing.

When we visit my mum they get warnings about any swearing, and a reminder that that includes religious ones that most people don't care about.

NinjaLeprechaun · 13/06/2014 05:48

Maybe become more equal opportunity?
Oh my Allah!
Good Buddha!
And so on?
My daughter often says "Odin's balls!" is that the sort of thing you mean? Wink