How to react to hearing blasphemy?

[Student09]

It seems as if all the time, especially at college but also with my family members, I hear God’s name used disrespectfully, and light or insulting comments about God and religion, about Jesus. Sometimes it’s hard to tell where the line is in these comments, too, and what is acceptable and what isn’t, but I am becoming more sensitive to them lately. Sometimes another student will say something really obviously terrible, like proposing a toast to the devil! This happened last night and disturbed me very much. I shook my head but I didn’t say anything and everyone sort of laughed and changed the subject. I left, but I wish I had said something. I wanted to say, “No,” and that is what I thought in my mind - hence the head shaking - but I was so shocked I couldn’t get myself to actually open my mouth and say the word.

Unfortunately (well, in some situations it is fortunate), my reaction when I hear things like this or things insulting to the Faith is to lose the ability to speak. On the one hand, this has saved me in the past from being drawn into shouting matches with atheist family members. On the other hand, I want to defend the Faith and God’s name but I am hurting so much inside that I don’t know how to. St. Gemma apparently sometimes sweated blood when she heard blasphemy and while it sounds painful and messy, it must have been nice for her at least to give testimony to how deeply such language hurt her.

How should one respond in situations like this?

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

I wish I knew. My cubie mate at work does it ALL the time! But then she will say heck instead of hell…what is with that?

I usually start praying for her…but it does bother me.

 

[baltobetsy]

Even if you are not in a position to correct them, and most often that is the case, you can silently make an act of reparation to God. I like to use some of the Divine Praises - Blessed be God, Blessed be His holy Name, etc.

Betsy

 

[Student09]

Even if you are not in a position to correct them, and most often that is the case, you can silently make an act of reparation to God. I like to use some of the Divine Praises - Blessed be God, Blessed be His holy Name, etc.

I have been trying to do that - the Divine Praises, and the Golden Arrow Prayer. But what about when you want to say something but you don’t know what to say, or whether you should speak, or if you can’t get yourself to say what you want to? I feel so terrible sometimes afterward for not speaking, and then I wonder also if my silence was a sin, even though it was not an approving silence.

 

[Monica4316]

I like the idea of saying the Golden Arrow prayer or just “Blessed be the name of Jesus”.

as for saying something to the person, I think that if they do this repeatedly, it might be good to mention something like - do you know God’s name is very holy? …but they might get angry at you… or say that you’re over-reacting so I’m not sure…

btw you are not over-reacting

it is right to be upset at blasphemy…

 

[MtnDwellar]

I don’t know how to react.
I am still trying to figure out what to say when I hear people claim that they are “recovering Catholics”.

 

[EmeraldWings]

the best way i know is to say a prayer such as “Jesus mercy” or “Blessed be the name of God” or something like that,

here is something that might help also from a prayer card i have -

From the Holy Bible: “A man that sweareth much shall be filled with iniquity (sin) and a scourge shall not depart from his house.” (Eccl. 23:12)

St. John Vianney, the holy priest of Ars: “God gave men only ten commandments and one of the ten has for its sole object the reverence due to His Name.” He used to say that it was an astounding miracle that people who used His Name in vain were not struck dead on the spot. But he warned them, “If the sin of blasphemy is rampant in your home, it will surely perish.”

Often His Holy Name is used as an expression of speech, for instance: “My God!” with no real thought of God or calling upon Him. Let us always strive to love and honor the Holy Name of God, using His Name only in prayer and adoration and thanksgiving.

Our Lord revealed to Sr. Marie de Saint-Pierre, a French Carmelite Nun, the need for mankind to make reparation for the terrible sin of blasphemy. He told her: “Oh if you only knew what great merit you acquire by saying even once, **‘Admirable is the Name of God’ **in the spirit of reparation of blasphemy!” Please repeat this holy phrase often

i feel that a really justified reason for anger is when someone blasphemes God…although for some even getting angry is a hard thing to do, but i think it is very important for us to show others how highly we respect and honor God, because if they don’t see it from us, who will they see it from?
some people have no respect for God simply because they have not been shown any example of such respect, although many would just laugh at us, but in this case, i think it is very important just to defend the name of God not just for the sake of the souls of those blaspheming Him, but also for God Himself, to appease His anger and to comfort Him.

i’d say pray on it, and talk to your priest about it to,
but whenever someone does take Gods name in vain, always counteract it with something giving praise and glory to His name.

 

[Student09]

I don’t know how to react.
I am still trying to figure out what to say when I hear people claim that they are “recovering Catholics”.

I’ve heard that one too, and thought, “huh?” I guess you could ask, “What in particular are you recovering from?”

Of course, it is always easier to think out conversations before or afterward, and then when you are actually faced with the opportunity to have such a conversation, it doesn’t happen or it is a disaster (at least for me). There are occasional exceptions.

 

[Student09]

i feel that a really justified reason for anger is when someone blasphemes God…although for some even getting angry is a hard thing to do, but i think it is very important for us to show others how highly we respect and honor God, because if they don’t see it from us, who will they see it from?
some people have no respect for God simply because they have not been shown any example of such respect, although many would just laugh at us, but in this case, i think it is very important just to defend the name of God not just for the sake of the souls of those blaspheming Him, but also for God Himself, to appease His anger and to comfort Him.
.

I used to speak disrespectfully of God and Jesus, out of ignorance. It pains me now, but no one had taught me that I shouldn’t, and I thought they were imaginary. I pray for my classmates who are in the same situation I was, who don’t know that there is a God or a Savior, that they will be given the graces of conversion with which I have been blessed. I also pray for the Christian students who have abandoned or denied their faith. College - at least, the kind of college I’m going to - is an environment astonishingly hostile to faith in just about every way.

I have only met one person who actually seemed to believe in God and HATE God. This is the person who proposed the toast to the devil. No one else really takes him seriously, they think he’s just eccentric; he takes himself seriously, though. He finds some kind of perverse pleasure in studying Christian theology so that he will know exactly what he is rejecting. He has said that he sees suffering in Hell for eternity as a triumph because one would have refused to serve God. I don’t even know how to pray for a person like that. I guess he could still repent and change, but his hatred for God seems so conscious and so deliberate.

 

[baltobetsy]

I have only met one person who actually seemed to believe in God and HATE God. This is the person who proposed the toast to the devil. No one else really takes him seriously, they think he’s just eccentric; he takes himself seriously, though. He finds some kind of perverse pleasure in studying Christian theology so that he will know exactly what he is rejecting. He has said that he sees suffering in Hell for eternity as a triumph because one would have refused to serve God. I don’t even know how to pray for a person like that. I guess he could still repent and change, but his hatred for God seems so conscious and so deliberate.

This guy is in serious danger of falling in love with God. Putting all this emotional energy into hating Him can flip over to love at any moment. It’s indifference and lukewarmness that are truly deadly and dangerous. These deaden the heart, where hatred engages it. Prayers for him would surely not be wasted.

Betsy

 

[Student09]

This guy is in serious danger of falling in love with God. Putting all this emotional energy into hating Him can flip over to love at any moment. It’s indifference and lukewarmness that are truly deadly and dangerous. These deaden the heart, where hatred engages it. Prayers for him would surely not be wasted.

Betsy

You know, I had the same thought in the beginning. If he were to convert, it would have to be a conversion on the level of St. Paul’s - and he would probably end up converting lots of other people, too. He certainly has the capacity for devoting himself passionately and single-mindedly to a religious cause. I did pray for him, at first. As his speech became more and more hateful, I became discouraged. You should see him - he looks horrible. His anger physically darkens his face.

 

[Madeline616]

O Jesus! Heavenly Physician, raised aloft on the Cross to heal our wounds with Thine, remember the bruises which Thou didst suffer and the weakness of all Thy Members which were distended to such a degree that never was there pain like unto Thine. From the crown of Thy Head to the Soles of Thy Feet there was not one spot on Thy Body that was not in torment, and yet, forgetting all Thy sufferings, Thou didst not cease to pray to Thy Heavenly Father for Thy enemies, saying: "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." -From the Fourth Saint Bridget Prayer

Jesus prayed for those who crucified him at the very moment of his crucifixion. It sounds like your acquaintance crucifies our Lord every day with his hatred and blasphemy. He must suffer terribly from all of the evil within him causing this behavior. I hope that the poor soul simply does not understand the glory of God or the magnitude of his grievous sins, but that he will quickly come to understand, and to repent like St. Paul!

Don’t stop praying for him! He needs our prayers for sure. If you’d like to PM me his first name and last initial, I will pray for him, by name, too.

Bt the way, I’ve been around a lot of religion-haters and blasphemy over the years. When people say the Lord’s name (“JC!”) in anger, sometimes, although I admit not nearly often enough, I’ll get up the courage to say “What does Jesus Christ have to do with it?” or “Why are you blaming Jesus Christ?” Recently when this happened, I just flinched, visibly wincing because it was so offensive and painful to hear. My friend noticed my reaction, and seemed to be contrite.

Hope this might help a little. Hang in there!

 

[Student09]

Don’t stop praying for him! He needs our prayers for sure. If you’d like to PM me his first name and last initial, I will pray for him, by name, too.

Ok. Thank you. You and Betsy have given me the encouragement I needed to take up the fight again.

Anyone else who is reading this, please say a prayer for this young man who is putting so much effort into throwing his immortal soul down the sewer.