Is "oh my god" offensive?

[plutotek]

It bothers me and here's the reasoning behind it (as explained by a Pastor at a church I went to previously)...

If someone was using your name constantly in exclamation, exasperation or just for the heck of it, such as "Oh my Timothy" or whatever your name is, and you were in close enough proximity to hear, you would keep saying, "What do you want?" and if the person would go on to say, "oh nothing" or ignore you, it would exasperate you because you're waiting to see what they need or want. Wouldn't you think that's how God feels? My husband and I teach our kids and the youth we mentor that the only time you should say "Oh my God" is when you are talking to him - in praise, to share or for help. Unlike many of the other 'curse' words, God is the one who said don't take the Lord's name in vain; most of the other words are only bad because society has made them that way over the course of history.

There are some that can say this is the perfect argument in defense of using the phrase as well.

 

[goofy!]

Do I find it offensive? Personally, absolutely not. As others have pointed out, there are so many potential gods out there that it could be referencing, I would never jump to the 10 commandments or that they were specifically using the Christian God's name in vain.

Do I use it? I try my best not to, although it slips out too often for my taste. I try not to use it as I know it does offend some people. Having a child with mental retardation, I know all too well how words can hurt and offend, so I try to be sensitive to phrases that may be offensive to other groups.

 

[scraps4abc]

And as I say to my kids (or anyone who asks my opinion on it), if you want to talk to Him, it's fine to say it before speaking, but for every day exclamations or exasperations, we don't do it. I think it's way overused in completely inappropriate and ridiculous circumstances, but that's just my opinion...to each his own.

 

[MichelleVW]

Honestly I do find it offensive and can't stand when I hear children say it. I use OMG, but in my mind it's Oh my goodness.

 

[homedad]

yes your taking the Lord's name in vain....

 

[autumnpalm]

Yes, I do find it offensive. I would never say anything to the person using the term, but I do inwardly cringe when I hear it. To me, it is taking the Lord's name in vain and it makes me uncomfortable.

I do not use it and if I am typing/texting I will write "OMGosh" like some other posters have mentioned.

I have not always been a Christian and used to use the term very flippantly before. It was a hard habit to break, just because I was so used to it, but it absolutely out of my vocabulary now.

 

[Donnainnj]

I don't find it to be. We were in church for my daughter's first penance and she screamed it! The whole church stopped and looked. It was funny because on the way over, she swore up and down she had not sinned. Really, couldn't think of single one in her seven years on Earth.

Act Of Contrition?

 

[aprilgail2]

Nope- not offensive at all...I say it , my daughter says it...no biggie.

 

[luvthatduke]

Yes, I do find it offensive. I would never say anything to the person using the term, but I do inwardly cringe when I hear it. To me, it is taking the Lord's name in vain and it makes me uncomfortable.

I do not use it and if I am typing/texting I will write "OMGosh" like some other posters have mentioned.

This pretty much sums it up for me, but I can't say I've never
said something about it to the person who just yelled it out.
For instance, if you are in our home & continue to say it
(I have an uncle I adore who just won't stop repeating it),
I may find a moment to ask you to try not to say it,
and I will do it nicely

 

[portocall]

No, I don't find it offensive.

 

[Tuffcookie]

Yes, it bothers me.

TC

 

[amyren]

hmm... let's try this again. I personally don't use the phrase but I don't find it offensive if others use it.

 

[yeartolate]

If you are saying essentially

Oh my God !, meaning...what a wonderous thing God has shown me (whether it is a perfect rose or a beautiful Sunset oe a long lost friend......)

not offensive.

If you are looking at looking at Mickey Mouse and say

Oh, my God

That may be a different issue.

JMHO

 

[Cat0727]

This is a good question, I've wondered other people's opinions on this.

I say it a lot. When staying with some relatives of my friend's who were super-religious Christians I made sure not to say "oh my god" around them because I wasn't sure if they would be offended by it. I personally think there are worse things to be offended over though, honestly.

 

[happygirl]

yes, I find it offensive taking the lord name into vain

 

[postage stamp]

Doesn't bother me at all. But I'm an Atheist, so I bet that's why.