Is "Oh my God!" considered taking the Lord's name in vain?

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coolcatholicguy said:
Is it, and was it a sin for me to even write that up there?
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Why? I say it many times a day. It’s called a prayer.

Oh my God!! I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee!!
And I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishment,
but most of all because they offend Thee, my God,
Who art all good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace
to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin.

Oh my God!! Please help me remain charitable
when others attack me in Your Most Holy Name.
Oh Lord!! Please keep me safe, under Your wings of protection
when evildoers surround me, when I am mocked, when people laugh
at me, when I feel as though You are the only one who has any love
for me. Oh my sweet, sweet, precious God!! I love You so much!!
You have given me so many gifts!! You gave your life for me, for one who
is nothing without You.

Oh my God!! Oh my God!! Oh my sweet, loving God!!
When I lie on my deathbed please send Your angels to me,
please show me Your holy face, take me to heaven, and
let me be with You for the rest of time!!
 
Musician said:
It is just as easy to say “Golly!” or “Gosh!” or even “Holy Moses” as it is to do the OMG thing. I’d rather be on the safe side.
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Yeah, I try to avoid OMG if I can. Are the numerous euphemisms for this acceptable (like “Gosh,” “Goodness,” “Good night,” etc.) ?
 
Scoobyshme said:
Keep in mind that the Jews of Jesus’ time would’ve stoned anyone to death for just saying “God.” No second chances, no saying, “Ooops.” Just one time, and you were a goner!
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No, they wouldn’t have stoned you for saying “God”, they would have stoned you for saying “Yahweh”.

When we say do not use the Lord’s name in vain, we sometimes forget that “God” isn’t His name, but His title. To be sure, “I Am That I Am” is His name in English.

Saying “Oh my God” is not a grave sin. If you are using it as an exclamation then don’'t worry. If you are saying it during sex…well, maybe you have a problem, but don’t devalue the word “God” in anything.

As one poster said, using the name of God in vain is grave when used making an oath (and not just saying “I swear to God” in regular speech, but when in court for example) that you do not mean or intend to break.
 
I believe taking God’s name in vain or using irreverently is a give sin. I used to do this often. The Holy Spirit convicted m if this when I cane to the Church. I Praise God for the grace he has given me to stop that habit. Now my ears cringe when I hear people do that.
 
Ron_Conte said:
The obligation to refrain from taking the Lord’s name in vain is a grave obligation. Some acts offend against this grave obligation to a grave extent, such as by blasphemy or by lying under an oath to God or by breaking an oath to God (such as breaking religious vows). The violation of a grave obligation to a grave extent is an objective mortal sin.

However, other acts offend against this grave obligation to a substantially limited extent, such as saying ‘Oh my God!’ as an exclamation. Such acts are objective venial sins because the violation is substantially limited, it is not so severe as to be incompatible with the love of God and neighbor, and the state of grace.
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this makes a lot of sense to me.
 
coolcatholicguy said:
Is it, and was it a sin for me to even write that up there?
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It is a real grave sin, and I see from your other post that it is a form of habit. As one said it can decrease culpability, but it is still grave.

If it is a force of habit, try and change that habit into a Prayer. So when you say “Oh my God…” add a prayer onto it. The Act of Contrition starts with said statement. LittleSoldier showed an example of this.

Try and change that force of habit into a prayerful habit.

Hoping all goes well,

God Bless,

Christopher.
 
Speaking of habits, my next door neighbor had a trampoline in her yard. It was very popular with the local pre-teen and young teen boys. Although they were basically clean-mouthed, there was one who drove me crazy. Every few minutes he would say “OMG” except he said the whole thing.

Every time he saw something new or was surprised or just about anything happened, out would come that “OMG” - not said in a disrespectful way but said numerous times a day. I think it was a habit, I don’t think he was even away that he was doing it, and I think he would have been very surprised to have heard a recording of his language.

The term can be used as prayer (as I have stated before), as a term of surprise, as a term of ridicule, but I don’t remember hearing it being used to denigrate God.

Still it’s not really a nice thing to say (unless in prayer) and IMO is worse than the “F” word because it uses the name of God in such a lazy, unthinking way. When that term is used we should be down on our knees in supplication.

I used to say it a lot and not as a prayer. It was a habit and many times it just popped into my mind with no conscious control. So certainly it was not a mortal sin as it didn’t meet all the criteria.

I don’t say it anymore, except in prayer. I’ve replaced it with “Wow!!!” or something like that, which doesn’t use the name of God at all and also doesn’t use any foul language.

When a certain phrase is used to the extent that “OMG” is used in some English-speaking countries, it loses the meaning it is meant to impart, similar to the use of the “F” word over and over and over until people just ignore it. Then, when it actually might be appropriate to use, such as in admiration and awe when one sees the Grand Canyon for the first time, it means nothing.

I didn’t word that last paragraph very well and I apologize for that. I hope people understand what I am trying to say. :o
 
Ron_Conte said:
The obligation to refrain from taking the Lord’s name in vain is a grave obligation. Some acts offend against this grave obligation to a grave extent, such as by blasphemy or by lying under an oath to God or by breaking an oath to God (such as breaking religious vows). The violation of a grave obligation to a grave extent is an objective mortal sin.

However, other acts offend against this grave obligation to a substantially limited extent, such as saying ‘Oh my God!’ as an exclamation. Such acts are objective venial sins because the violation is substantially limited, it is not so severe as to be incompatible with the love of God and neighbor, and the state of grace.
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Do you really think it is taking the Lord’s name in vain? I can’t say that I believe it is - it’s more like taking the Lord’s name in laziness.

Ron, when you say “lying under an oath to God” are you referring to a person who has been sworn in in a court? I was under the impression that we are not allowed to agree to swear to God in court but must affirm instead. And of course we must always tell the truth. Not swearing to tell the truth "so help me God’ is backed up by scripture and I heard it in a homily but I can’t remember which scripture passage it is. I remember being told not to swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help me God in that homily because I had to attend a deposition the next week and I refused to swear using God’s name.

This is off-topic a bit (sorry) but I am curious and would like to read your response.
 
An EXCELLENT reminder to think about the literal meaning of the words we use out of unthinking habit.

When we speak the Lord’s Name, are we trying to show RESPECT for the Lord?

If not, then we are showing DISRESPECT. Disrespect is NOT LOVE.

Now why would we, who believe in God regardless of our particular Faith, ever want to disrepect the Lord? But I suspect that there are degrees of disrespect ranging from venial to mortal sin.

If we unthinkingly speak the Lord’s Name outside of a prayer or instruction, does not our apathy tell us that our relationship with the Lord is weakening rather than strengthening?

I, for one, will be more conscious of running my tapes and I will also be more willing to gently try to remind others to do the same.
 
Yes it is a sin as it takes the Lords name in vain and in the 10 commandements we are told “thou shalt not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” so it is a sin.
 
catholicgirl201 said:
Yes it is a sin as it takes the Lords name in vain and in the 10 commandements we are told “thou shalt not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” so it is a sin.
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I just don’t see it as taking the Lord’s name in vain. There are so many other little phrases and terms to use if one wants to do that (and I really wish nobody wanted to do that). You all know what I mean. I’ve told people to stop when it gets offensive. I hate it when someone says a very nasty thing about God just to shock people and then laughs.

There are times when saying “OMG” is appropriate. And I know, having been through an extremely traumatic experience, that using God’s name in that way is absolutely, 100 percent not taking it in vain, but instead crying out from the depths of one’s soul for help.

But as someone has pointed out, if it’s said out of laziness then it isn’t being said in respect and that is taking God’s name in vain.

So I suppose it all depends upon the circumstances in which it is said.
 
i feel like i have to chime in on this question.
there is a very distinct line that has to be observed.
“GD”
“OMG”
and all of the other sayings that were posted by a previous person are all foul if used in a flippant manner.
the term GD means “please heavenly father destroy this …” if i use it in any other way it IS A SIN ! there is no way around it. OMG is the same if i say it and am not LITERALLY praying to the heavenly father then i have used the name of our creator in vain. There is no point in our existence in which the above phrase can be accidentally uttered.
my daughter asked “what about if you get your finger cut off?” to which i can only respond “if your finger has been cut off and you aren’t praying to the creator for help coping with the pain. then you are a person i hope never to tangle with”

//mackk
 
As the Scholastics would say “always distinguish”

I have found that various authors distinguish between “profanity” and “Blasphemy” in using or rather misusing God’s name …or that of the Saints etc. (the CCC too uses these terms)

Profanity in this sense is to take what is holy and use it in a profane (ordinary) way …usually I see this as described ordinarily as a venial sin…(or perhaps not a sin due to habit …inadvertance etc)

Blasphemy on the other hand is objectively gravely sinful…which in this sense would be to use the name of God in a way that expresses hatred etc towards God (or similar…see the CCC for more details)

As for the habit of saying “oh my God” --this should not be done…but would usually fall into the area of profanity…and often in the habit area…or inadvertant use…which may mean no sin happened at all…

Here is the CCC for the full treatment: vatican.va/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a2.htm (one will also note there that technically what using God’s name in vain is)

Here are the Catholic Answers Apologists:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=469417&highlight=name+of+god

Hardon: catholicreference.net/index.cfm?id=32193

of course talk with your confessor too as to particular questions that come up for you.

Let us “hallow” his name…let us bless it …praise it…
 
coolcatholicguy said:
Is it, and was it a sin for me to even write that up there?
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From the relevant passage of Scripture
“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” - Exodus
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This is quite serious then, for even murder merits no special mention in regard to being held guiltless.

The question then becomes is a colloquial such as ‘ohmigod’ more serious than murder?

And if so, what is the word ‘taketh’ mean exactly?

Scholars of the Hebrew note that the more accurate translation of take is bear, as in when one bears a flag maybe.

So here we are presented then with the idea of a people carrying God’s banner and acting in the name of God. They are presenting their actions to the world as if those actions belong to God. Their actions are a reflection not just on themselves, but on God himself.

So if ‘taketh’ implies ‘bear’, how is vain defined?
vain (vn)
adj. vain·er, vain·est
  1. Not yielding the desired outcome; fruitless: a vain attempt.
  2. Lacking substance or worth: vain talk.
  3. Excessively proud of one’s appearance or accomplishments; conceited.
  4. Archaic Foolish.
    Idiom:
    in vain
  5. To no avail; without success: Our labor was in vain.
  6. In an irreverent or disrespectful manner: took the Lord’s name in vain.
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Disrespectful for sure is part of the idiom, but so too is fruitless, lacking substance and pridefully conceited. ‘Unfruitful’ brings to mind how God planted a garden of righteousness, and a crop of wild grapes grew in its place. It is the vanity of bearing unrighteous deeds as if they were being done in God’s name.

Disrespectful phrases for sure are not ever called for, but the true import of this commandment under which we will not be held guiltless, unforgivable even, is a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit in which great evil is performed in the name of God.

Sending suicide bombers into crowds of children under shouts of ‘Allahu Akbar’ is perhaps a greater example of the evil this commandment addresses. Silly juvenile phrases on the other hand are just not in the same class of sin which is greater than murder itself.
 
If you are trying to lead a virtous life and are fundamentally turned towards God and this was a deeply ingrained habit (i.e. you were a convert) I would suggest that whilst grave matter this act would not constitute a mortal sin. Of course if you add on the words ‘I love you’ have changed the matter from something grave to something holy…so it seems easy enough to rectify. I would seek a good confessor and ask for advice. Like all habits though it is beatable.

I suffer from swearing when I am playing sport. I have virtually eradicated it but occasionally an expletive occurs (but it is totally compulsive). I try and remain at peace and will mention it calmly in confession
 
I am pretty sure that saying God’s name in the form of an exclamation or in excitement is pretty much always a grave sin unless it is during some sort of prayer.
 
I am a little confused about this. The word “God” isn’t a name, is it? I thought “do not take the Lord’s name in vain” would mean don’t say Jesus Christ’s name in vain. Wouldn’t “oh my Jesus” said vainly be the actual sin rather than “oh my God”?
 
“Oh my God!” is not considered taking the name of the Lord in vain if you worship any other god apart from the Lord God Almighty. However, as a Christian, you worship one and only one God and the “God” in “Oh my God!” refers specifically to the Lord God Almighty which makes it a very bad habit.
 
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