Is it wrong for Phil Collins to say, "Oh, Lord," in his lyrics?

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I like to song “In the Air Tonight”, but is it wrong for Phil to say, “Oh, Lord,”?
 
I don’t know, but I think it’s about unforgiveness. Pretty song, though.
 
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord
Ive been waiting for this moment, all my life, oh lord
Can you feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord, oh lord

Well, if you told me you were drowning
I would not lend a hand
Ive seen your face before my friend
But I dont know if you know who I am
Well, I was there and I saw what you did
I saw it with my own two eyes
So you can wipe off the grin, I know where youve been
Its all been a pack of lies

And I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord
Ive been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, oh lord, oh lord
And Ive been waiting for this moment all my life, oh lord, oh lord

Well I remember, I remember dont worry
How could I ever forget, its the first time, the last time we ever met
But I know the reason why you keep your silence up, no you dont fool me
The hurt doesnt show; but the pain still grows
Its no stranger to you or me

And I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord…

There are the lyrics…Is it wrong?? Anyone??
 
I am constrained to wonder under what circumstanes you could conceive that there was something wrong with a human being uttering the words “oh lord.” It’s simply beyond my comprehension frankly. Is there some litmus test you wish to impose upon mankind to use this word?
 
It’s just poetic license. He’s not deliberately using the Lord’s name in vain.
 
SpiritMeadow said:
I am constrained to wonder under what circumstanes you could conceive that there was something wrong with a human being uttering the words “oh lord.” It’s simply beyond my comprehension frankly. Is there some litmus test you wish to impose upon mankind to use this word?
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Yes. I’m in construction and the Lord’s name is not always used in prayer. We must be aware and cautious in how we address our God…In this case, I see no wrong. I posted the lyrics for anyone to see and for discernment. To say that we should not impose a litmus test on the usage of our Lord’s name is in error as many do not use God’s name in reverence…God Bless…teachccd 🙂
 
There used to be a Sunday morning radio show for teens syndicated to local stations by the Lutheran Church, it was called “Power Line” or something similar.

One Sunday they played America’s song “Sister Golden Hair”, which was currently a hit, and which contains the line, "I got so damn depressed’.

Well, they cut out the word ‘damn’, which, of course, completely destroyed the tempo. C’mon guys, we’re talking MUSIC here. If you don’t want to play the song as written and as recorded, don’t play it at all!

I see nothing wrong with the Collins song. It doesn’t seem to be a disrespectful use of the phrase in question.
 
To me it seems as good a time as any to invoke the Lord when your heart is broken… I have done that many times the last year “Oh Lord”… I imagine its the same for good old Phil Collins in this sad love song. We have no access to his heart and therefore we dont know if he takes the Lord’s name in vain, but when we listen and sing along we can assume and act in good faith 🙂
 
teachccd said:
Yes. I’m in construction and the Lord’s name is not always used in prayer. We must be aware and cautious in how we address our God…In this case, I see no wrong. I posted the lyrics for anyone to see and for discernment. To say that we should not impose a litmus test on the usage of our Lord’s name is in error as many do not use God’s name in reverence…God Bless…teachccd 🙂
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And exactly what would you propose? I am always amazed here at all the obsessing about such silly things. I mean for goodness sakes, the lyrics are innocuous. Every day someone is asking whether they are allowed to think this, say this, do that, as if every single moment in life has some “Catholic” answer. It’s quite disturbing to see people behaving so strangely. It’s rather cultish in my opinion.
 
SpiritMeadow said:
And exactly what would you propose? I am always amazed here at all the obsessing about such silly things. I mean for goodness sakes, the lyrics are innocuous. Every day someone is asking whether they are allowed to think this, say this, do that, as if every single moment in life has some “Catholic” answer. It’s quite disturbing to see people behaving so strangely. It’s rather cultish in my opinion.
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Yes, as you say, these lyrics are innocuous. But the Lord’s name is not always used in a proper manner and I was just pointing this out. I’m sorry that you see it as disturbing and strange that we make sure that our Lord’s name is used reverently. We should live our lives within our Catholic Christian beliefs. That is what I propose.

What do you propose? Perhaps we should only think like a “Catholic” at certain times when it is convenient for us?? Your post is disturbing to me…And cultish? Yes, it is called the culture of death and we are wallowing in it…God Bless…teachccd 🤷
 
SpiritMeadow said:
And exactly what would you propose? I am always amazed here at all the obsessing about such silly things. I mean for goodness sakes, the lyrics are innocuous. Every day someone is asking whether they are allowed to think this, say this, do that, as if every single moment in life has some “Catholic” answer. It’s quite disturbing to see people behaving so strangely. It’s rather cultish in my opinion.
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sis, I am with you there…
I sometimes think the same thing… it can strike you sometimes if you spent time on these boards that people come here to ask how to react to all kinds of more or less important things in life… often pertaining to concepts to place on their behaviour so that they know whether or not to confess or how to feel about a certain issue…
It therefore seems in generel that people sometimes dont want to listen with their own ears to the Holy Spirit living in them and to the law that is written on our hearts, according to the Bible.
Often a thing that is a sin to one man or woman is not so to another… as Scripture also tells us.
But this is not a critizism of the OP… however it seems that she already knows the answer in her own heart… if it tempts her to listen to Phil Collins or she feels disturbed in her peace by his words then she indeed should listen to that inner voice… and yes… nothing is too small…
I am babbling here… too tired… good night… :heaven:
 
GraceDK said:
sis, I am with you there…
I sometimes think the same thing… it can strike you sometimes if you spent time on these boards that people come here to ask how to react to all kinds of more or less important things in life… often pertaining to concepts to place on their behaviour so that they know whether or not to confess or how to feel about a certain issue…
It therefore seems in generel that people sometimes dont want to listen with their own ears to the Holy Spirit living in them and to the law that is written on our hearts, according to the Bible.
Often a thing that is a sin to one man or woman is not so to another… as Scripture also tells us.
But this is not a critizism of the OP… however it seems that she already knows the answer in her own heart… if it tempts her to listen to Phil Collins or she feels disturbed in her peace by his words then she indeed should listen to that inner voice… and yes… nothing is too small…
I am babbling here… too tired… good night… :heaven:
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Oh brother…then why are any of us here???🤷
 
I think that there is a Commandment: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. So if someone were to violate this commandment, my guess is that it would be seriously wrong, and a mortal sin. The Commandments of God, were given for a purpose, and the purpose of this one is to respect the holy name of God.
 
SpiritMeadow said:
I am constrained to wonder under what circumstanes you could conceive that there was something wrong with a human being uttering the words “oh lord.” It’s simply beyond my comprehension frankly. Is there some litmus test you wish to impose upon mankind to use this word?
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I would say the *litmus *test is the second commandment where God Himself stated not to use His Name in vain. It reads.
You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished him who takes his name in vain. Exodus 20:7 NAB
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And here is what the Catechism has to say on this matter.
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            PART 3, SECTION 2 2, CHAPTER 1 1, ARTICLE 2, SUBSECTION 1             *
                                                     **I. THE NAME OF THE LORD IS HOLY **
                                                                                     2142 The second commandment *prescribes respect for the Lord's name.* Like the first commandment, it belongs to the virtue of religion and more particularly it governs our use of speech in sacred matters.
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2143 Among all the words of Revelation, there is one which is unique: the revealed name of God. God confides his name to those who believe in him; he reveals himself to them in his personal mystery. The gift of a name belongs to the order of trust and intimacy. “The Lord’s name is holy.” For this reason man must not abuse it. He must keep it in mind in silent, loving adoration. He will not introduce it into his own speech except to bless, praise, and glorify it.
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2144 Respect for his name is an expression of the respect owed to the mystery of God himself and to the whole sacred reality it evokes. The sense of the sacred is part of the virtue of religion:Are these feelings of fear and awe Christian feelings or not? . . . I say this, then, which I think no one can reasonably dispute. They are the class of feelings we should have - yes, have to an intense degree - if we literally had the sight of Almighty God; therefore they are the class of feelings which we shall have, if we realize His presence. In proportion as we believe that He is present, we shall have them; and not to have them, is not to realize, not to believe that He is present.http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2144&FNoteNum=75
2145 The faithful should bear witness to the Lord’s name by confessing the faith without giving way to fear. Preaching and catechizing should be permeated with adoration and respect for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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2146 The second commandment forbids the abuse of God’s name, i.e., every improper use of the names of God, Jesus Christ, but also of the Virgin Mary and all the saints.
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                                                                                       2147 *Promises* made to others in God's name engage the divine honor, fidelity, truthfulness, and authority. They must be respected in justice. To be unfaithful to them is to misuse God's name and in some way to make God out to be a liar.
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                                                                                       2148 *Blasphemy* is directly opposed to the second commandment. It consists in uttering against God - inwardly or outwardly - words of hatred, reproach, or defiance; in speaking ill of God; in failing in respect toward him in one's speech; in misusing God's name. St. James condemns those "who blaspheme that honorable name [of Jesus] by which you are called." The prohibition of blasphemy extends to language against Christ's Church, the saints, and sacred things. It is also blasphemous to make use of God's name to cover up criminal practices, to reduce peoples to servitude, to torture persons or put them to death. The misuse of God's name to commit a crime can provoke others to repudiate religion.
Blasphemy is contrary to the respect due God and his holy name. It is in itself a grave sin.
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                                                                                       2149 *Oaths* which misuse God's name, though without the intention of blasphemy, show lack of respect for the Lord. The second commandment also forbids magical use of the divine name.[God's] name is great when spoken with respect for the greatness of his majesty. God's name is holy when said with veneration and fear of offending him.
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After reading this, I conclude that the lyrics are indeed improper as this song does not appear to be a prayer.

As this is a very grave issue, I think it is right for people to “obsess” over it. That the media have completely caved in to the point where the Name of God has become nothing more than expression of surprise does not make this any less grave.
 
rpp said:
I would say the *litmus *test is the second commandment where God Himself stated not to use His Name in vain. It reads.

And here is what the Catechism has to say on this matter.

After reading this, I conclude that the lyrics are indeed improper as this song does not appear to be a prayer.

As this is a very grave issue, I think it is right for people to “obsess” over it. That the media have completely caved in to the point where the Name of God has become nothing more than expression of surprise does not make this any less grave.
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First of all, I’m not sure that Phil Collins, who wrote as well as performed the song, is a Roman Catholic. If not, he is not bound by the teachings of the Catholic Catechism per se. I suspect that he is a member of the Church of England but I am not sure.

If he is a professing Christian or Jew, he is bound by the Commandments, but I am not sure that invoking the Lord’s name in a time of crisis, as related in the song, is taking that name in vain. It could just as easily be interpreted as calling upon the Lord for moral strength and guidance.
 
Lord of the Rings
Lord of the Flies
Lord Mountbatten
Lord and Lady Von Higgenbothem

Lord is not capitalized in the lyrics, so there is no reason to believe that the word in the song refers to any deity

Lord is a title of British Royalty

The word lord, in modern usage, doesn’t necessarily refer to God.

Talk about a tempest in a teapot.
 
Folks, I doubt whether he had any intention of using the Lord’s name in vain. He’s using it as filler which is completely acceptable in terms of poetic license. Why do we always have to judge people around here?
 
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