Why does my friend say "Oh, my god!" when he is not a religious man.?

Question

If an instance occurs that can be considered amazing or dramatic his reaction sometimes is "Oh, my god!" He doesn't practice his religion regurlarly and even more so rarely. Why does he say it so loosely. I guess it's just a thing people say, right?

Answer 1

Why do you say Thursday if you don't believe in Thor?

Answer 2

Yes, I think so. I hear people say it all the time that don't really or at least say they don't believe in God...yet they say, Oh my God when they are frightened or something takes them back...

Answer 3

Perhaps for the same reasons someone might say well "fu** me" - without perhaps taking their clothes off.

It is an expression:

Like "well blow me down" - I am not anticipating a 180 mile an hour gust to literally do this.

...let alone with a feather...

Answer 4

It's an expression.

I'm an atheist, and I say it.

I guess it should actually be more ok for a non-religious person to say it, since it's a sin to take your lord's name in vain...right?

Answer 5

It's just a thing people say to express a disbelief in something that will signal to you that it is well beyond the norm

Answer 6

It is a figure of expression. Since it has been said so often by many people, it has lost its religious value.

Answer 7

You're right, it's just a figure of speech. I've known Atheists who say variations of "Oh my god."

Answer 8

"I guess it's just a thing people say, right?"

exactly. words change meanings over time. "terrific" used to mean "scary." "Oh my god" is now just an expression for many people.

Answer 9

well, we r all born with believes of God, so wether we practice religious or not it run's in everybody blood. God is always with us even if we don't apreciate that or ignor it.

Answer 10

It's a figure of speech.
"By Jove!" is another, and Jove is another name for Jupiter, a Roman god that no one believes in.