My parents would have taken me to the woodshed for saying it, I am sure. But nowadays I even hear preachers and almost everybody else say it all the time. It is especially offensive to hear Christians and Jews say it; I ignore (and certainly never ever correct - correcting people is so self-righteous) profanity when I hear nonbelievers say things.
2007-07-25 23:58:33 · 14 answers · asked by Emmaean 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It depends on why it is being said. If it's said because you got some meaningless surprise, yes. If it's because you are about to die and want God's help truly, no. Christians and Jews believe that God is there to help us and to call to Him without real reason is a wasteful act of a spiritual gift. If you say OMG or Jesus! for every little thing, then when you need it, it will have no meaning to you and God will not hear it.
2007-07-26 01:16:11 · answer #1 · answered by lucius.graecus 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes we have made laws to protect God's law from being broken...sort of like putting up a fence and then another fence around that fence to protect the fence. With enough fences, the actual object is never touched either intentionally or inadvertently. Such is the case with "OMG"...and "jeez"
and "gosh"
When people use those terms, in my experience, it is to express amazement, and not disrespectful.
BTW At one time, only the high priest was allowed to say the name of God, so that people used other names...such as Elohim and El Shaddai. YHWH is largely unpronounceable because there are not vowels in it's Hebrew form. (Jehovah is the German version of it).
2007-07-26 10:34:48 · answer #2 · answered by frodo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For those who does not believe in God, never mind reading the rest of the paragraphs. But for those who believe in God, here is the essence of our belief:
Our God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and omnipresent. He should be.
To enjoy His protection and guidance we must have a close personal relationship with Him.
To have a close personal relationship with our God, He must be afforded with our highest degree of trust, respect and adoration.
Anything we say and do that belittles our God separates Him from us. Being separated from Him means walking on our own. No divine guidance and no divine protection.
Therefore, if you think the way 'OMG' is said belittles your God, it's using His name in vain.
But if it is uttered out of emotional astonishment or shock, it is not. On the contrary, it is a sign that the person doing such utterance is a believer in God.
GBY (God Bless You)
2007-07-26 07:58:21 · answer #3 · answered by Jojev 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it's not, because "God" isn't God's name. God's name is YHWH (in Hebrew), pronounced Yahweh (YAH-way), and has come, through time, to be known as Jehovah today, and I don't think I've ever heard someone say, "Oh my Jehovah!" or "Oh, for the love of Jehovah!" or "Jehovah damn!", at least for the first 2 not in a bad way, though I have heard people say that, but they were praising or praying at the time. So, since God isn't God's name, then saying, "Oh my god" would not be taking His name in vain.
I don't think, however, that this is even what is being referred to in this command. I believe that what He means is not to identify yourself with Him as a believer in Him if you don't really believe. To take the name of something is to identify yourself with it, like taking the last name of your father identifies you as your father's child. Women who marry take the last name of their husbands, conventionally, to identify themselves as their husband's wife. If you don't really believe in God, to call yourself by His name as a believer would be in vain because it would avail you nothing. He knows your heart, and He cannot be fooled by your words. You can call yourself by His name without believing in Him, thousands of people do this every day, but He knows His sheep, and will only allow those who are truly His to enter into His Kingdom. This, I believe, is what He's talking about when He says not to take His name in vain.
2007-07-26 07:23:38 · answer #4 · answered by Steve 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you should not curse, swear, conjure, or deceive by his name, otherwise, used as an expression, or in speaking of him, i don't think he gets too upset. BUT:
g*d damn you! no-no.
i swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth--then lie? no-no
by the power of christ, i command you demon to do my bidding? no-no (for lay people; priests get an ok)
go ahead and eat the apple, eve, god won't mind! no-no
i wonder myself how god feels about nonbelievers using his name in vain, he probably expects it. but believers should know better, the sin is counted, and must be confessed, and receive absolution.
2007-07-26 07:24:30 · answer #5 · answered by sugarbabe 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it surely is not. OMG is declaring that God is there, has his hand in your everyday life, and to me it is a short prayer to him.
2007-07-26 07:24:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it doesn't seem fair that you'd ignore non-believers when they utter profanity. do u ignore/correct believers when they swear
2007-07-26 07:11:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is called Blasphomy. "Thou shalt not use thy Lords name in vain" Becasue God will not hold anyone guiltless who does, unless they repent. It makes me sick when I here foolish people say that.
2007-07-26 07:03:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Different values at different times.
Words that were offensive decades ago are common place now.
.
2007-07-26 07:24:35 · answer #9 · answered by Rai A 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Do not worry about others.
2007-07-26 07:12:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋