The World's Largest Coalition of Nontheists and Nontheist Communities!

Taking the Lord's name in vain

Do you take the Lord's name in vain?

Do you find yourself saying things like "for God's sake!", "Heaven help us", etc?

Or do you, as an atheist, make a conscious effort to abstain from using these figures of speech?

I'd be interested in hearing fellow atheists' thoughts on this.

2 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Cheryl on August 26, 2011 at 6:07pm

Oh My Darwin is really good, thanks for that! I catch myself saying oh my god a lot and I don't like it. It's good to have something cool to replace it with.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Atheist Andrea on August 26, 2011 at 7:21pm

That is awesome, Cheryl! Gonna start that tomorrow!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chris G on August 26, 2011 at 7:04pm

I'm partial to JFC.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ben Bradley on August 24, 2011 at 9:48pm

Now that you mention it, I really need to make an effort to, when I want to cuss, say "random chance damn it!" :)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Atheist Andrea on August 26, 2011 at 7:20pm

I say, "Oh my god" all the time but have to watch myself because I just told my 4 year old that she is not allowed to say it or say "God bless you" when you sneeze; which is a whole other rant I could get on.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chris G on August 26, 2011 at 8:07pm

In case you didn't know, the back story behind saying 'God bless you' after a sneeze is based on a believe that sneezing got the devil out and if one was blessed before inhaling the devil wouldn't get back in. It probably dates back to the dark ages and plague. It's probably better to say 'Do you want a handkerchief.'

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Napoleon Bonaparte on August 26, 2011 at 8:54pm

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091127214306AANXFwe

When someone sneezes it is better to say 'Gazuntite' because then you don't have to give them your snotty handkerchief.

The word 'gazuntite' is not in the English dictionary or the German dictionary by that spelling. It also is not in the Urban Dictionary yet the word is sometimes used when someone sneezes. It is generally argued that the word comes from German and means 'good health'. It is not a blessing from a religious person.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on August 26, 2011 at 9:27pm

On the other hand, the work Gesundheit gets 329 million matches on google.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&pwst=1&sa=X...

It's german for "Health"

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Napoleon Bonaparte on August 26, 2011 at 10:24pm

Thank you, you are right. The English and German dictionaries define the correct spelling of the word. The alternative or wrong spelling only gets 854 results on Google.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on August 26, 2011 at 10:28pm

Thanks Napoleon!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by mojo5501 on August 27, 2011 at 8:01am

How very interesting. Is that why nose plugs were invented? Keep out SATAN. I wonder if those nasal strips work, as well?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Madison Burnett on August 26, 2011 at 8:21pm

I tend to use them still, just because it is ingrained in my speaking habits. I don't really see the purpose of curtailing what I say when by the Christian standards I grew up with I was already doomed to hell for saying them before I made the change to atheism lol.