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Stop Saying The G-Word
I have noticed that a lot of atheists and skeptics will still say “Oh my god” or “Jesus” when they are surprised by something.
I always tell people, “Don’t use the g-word”, or “Don’t use the j-word.”
People will defend the practice by saying that it is due to habit. Some excuse it, saying that it is just part of the culture.
For those who say it is habit, I say: Say strong, my naturalistic brothers and sisters. Change your habits to reflect your rational outlook.
For those who say it is okay because it is part of the culture, I reject that excuse. How did it come into culture? From religion. We must remove all religious and superstitious influences from our culture and our thinking. If we do not remove religion in small ways, how can we remove in large ways?
People should not replace “Oh my god” with something like “Oh my Darwin”, or “Oh my Hithchens”. We do not worship fictional characters. We should neither invoke nor give the appearance of worship of fictional or actual people, living or dead. Do not personify or
anthropomorphize the impersonal universe.
The only exclamation I can think of at the moment is: “Uranium 235!” [Note 1]
Make your awe and wonder reflect the mechanistic nature of the universe.
[1] Would “Thorium Tits” count as a compliment amongst the scientifically literate?
Comment
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Comment by Lorryslorrys on October 7, 2012 at 5:16pm -
I thought it was churchmen who didn't like blaspheming. I like doing it and you're not taking "Christ on a bike!" away from me.
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Comment by Loren Miller on October 6, 2012 at 12:20pm -
Plenty of bullshit out there, bro - including stuff that actually HURTS, restricts rights, promotes pseudo-science and screws with our government and wants to promote the idea that the US is a christian nation, never mind crap that comes from the followers of the New Apostolic Reformation. By comparison, worrying about atheists using words such as god and Jesus-Jebus-Haysus-whatever is way small potatoes by comparison.
Worth note, too - there's plenty of talk here on A|N about god, whether he/she/it exists and if so what happens. These discussions have been going on since before I joined A|N three years ago. You want to rail on about that, too?
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Comment by Everyday Freethought on October 6, 2012 at 11:54am -
I do not have to accept bullshit just because it is part of the culture. Why join a site called Atheist Nexus if you are going to just accept the bullshit people give you?
If you want to be a sheep, go ahead. Do not tell me that I have to be one.
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Comment by Loren Miller on October 6, 2012 at 11:49am
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Good night, Agnes! If you're going to be that much of an ouch-cube about a lousy word - god, you have a bigger problem than perceived threats from me. Like it or not, it's part of the vernacular and the culture, and changing that is going to require as large a change in social inertia as getting believers to stop believing.
I will continue to speak and swear as I see fit, full stop.
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Comment by Napoleon Bonaparte on October 6, 2012 at 11:19am -
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Comment by Everyday Freethought on October 6, 2012 at 9:40am
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To Loren Miller: Do not threaten me under any circumstances, not even in jest.. If you try to kick my ass, I will kill you. You don't like it? I will lump you.
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Comment by Art Eaton on October 4, 2012 at 9:51pm -
I just use the Jesus F. Christ one and occasionally say "Oh Your God!"
'Cides, on my work site, Jesus IS the little shit that does most of the fucked up stuff. I'm not going to blame his essay Gabriel.
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Comment by Loren Miller on October 4, 2012 at 9:19pm
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Whereupon I say, "Attempt to censor me, and I'll kick your ass to Zanzibar!"
I express myself mostly in the moment and as I see fit. Frequently, I will use what you might find as more acceptable expletives, such as: "Good night, Agnes!" or, under greater stress," Great holy fuck-a-duck!" However, particularly when I'm not thinking about it, "Jesus Christ" still pops out and I will apologize to NO ONE about it.
It's part of my upbringing and who I am. Maybe it'll change over time, but in the overall scheme of things, it's small potatoes compared to other shit that's going on. You don't like it? LUMP IT.
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