When/how did "Jesus" or "Christ", or the whole name, start being used as a curse word?

Question

ok... you can also answer the question of why this happened.
and yes, this is true, people actually use this phrase when they are mad.

Answer 1

I don't know of the exact date it became a curse, but it likely did so through the following progression.

A long time ago, people would cry out to God for aid in a given circumstance, much like they do today. They probably did so a lot more often then, however, since more people believed in God than did not.

Those who did not believe in God, though, probably used the same exclamation because it was the norm of society. Over time, the degree of severity for which one would cry out to God probably diminished until the point when the phrase "Oh my God!" lost all of its meaning.

Answer 2

When he was little and his mother wanted him to stop what he was doing, she'd yell at him with his whole name. Don't think he has a middle name.


I know Christ is a status, a title, not a name; I'm just flingin' a little Christmas poo.

Answer 3

I don't think that it ever did become a curse word, but it is used a lot as an exclamatory word. They are different.

exclamatory
–adjective
1. using, containing, or expressing exclamation: an exclamatory sentence.
2. pertaining to exclamation.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=exclamatory

curse word
noun
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger; "expletives were deleted" [syn: curse]
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/curse%20word

Close, but different.

Answer 4

When/how did "Jesus" or "Christ", or the whole name, start being used as a curse word?
Answer: @3000 years ago. A 1000 years before He was Named Jesus and can in human form to the earth.
Leviticus 24:11
And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)

Leviticus 24:16
And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.

2 Samuel 12:14
Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

1 Kings 21:10
And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.

1 Kings 21:13
And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

2 Kings 19:6
And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.

2 Kings 19:22
Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.

Psalm 44:16
For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.

Psalm 74:10
O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.

Answer 5

That's a good question. I don't know when or how, only why.

Answer 6

The second God said not to do it.