Is the phrase "Oh my God" blasphemous?

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I read somewhere quite a while ago that this is blasphemous or taking God’s name in vain. but I forget where I read it. what’s the true meaning of this phrase?

can’t one say omg when he sees something extraordinarily good?
 
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abcdefg:
I read somewhere quite a while ago that this is blasphemous or taking God’s name in vain. but I forget where I read it. what’s the true meaning of this phrase?

can’t one say omg when he sees something extraordinarily good?
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I would think if you are not saying it to offend the Lord that it would not be. I hear our priest say it for the Homily about the samaritan woman. He said something about the disciples probably were like oh my god when they saw him talking to her because she was a woman and samaritan at that.

I mean the way we say it is only an expression. But I can be wrong I have been before.

God Bless, Kerri
 
I say “Oh my Gosh.” I don’t feel comfortable using the Lord’s name that way. I especially don’t like it when people say “GD.”
 
Unless it’s a sincere petition for help (or something along those lines), I’d say it’s definitely grave matter.
 
I think it is, which means a lot of “Valley Girls” of the 80s encouraged a very bad habit. (like in Moon Unit Zappas 80s song “Valley Girl”).
 
I believe it violates the commandment forbidding the usage of God’s name in vain.
 
I’m prone to this habit and I’ve seen it defended by some clergy as harmless, but I think it’s careless, cliché, and shows sort of a frivolous attitude toward God and things religious. So I’ve been trying to cure myself of it, at the very least around other Catholics. But I find myself reaching for the word, searching for something else and it sort of comes out “oh my gawww…MAN, er, wow…” I can’t figure out why I need such exclamations in the first place but it’s a lifetime habit, what can I say.
 
Yep. Blasphemous as they come, pretty much.

Think about the Jews, to whom the ten commandments were first given. They don’t even say “God” They say “G-d” in thier writing, because the word that we translate as “God” is, in its original form, a very powerful word which signifies not only the being but the very nature of the Lord in fullness.

Now, I personally don’t have a problem with saying or writing the word if I need to, but just saying it to prove a point when you could take the word out of your sentence and insert a cuss word in it’s place quite easily - probably not a good idea.

And there’s no reason for it, you may even offend someone who you would otherwise have left a good impression on.
 
As a priest told me once, it’s not a mortal sin, but words are very powerful, so watch what words you use. There are other ways to express suprise, or awe. You don’t have to put His name into it. It’s just a bad habit, that takes time to break. Just make a concious effor to avoid it, but don’t lose sleep over it. (I’m not trying to trivialize this)
 
I dont like it! I dont have an eclesiatical reason. I dont like it!
 
A very conservative priest that has had programs on EWTN was at our parish this week doing a mission. He said it during his homily.
 
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campion:
I believe it violates the commandment forbidding the usage of God’s name in vain.
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“God” is the title we humans have given to The Almighty we worship.
God revealed His name to Moses as Yahew or I AM.

Saying “oh my God” doesn’t violate the commandment because God’s name isn’t “God”. Neither does saying “God ____it”, although that’s not the proper use of the title “God” nor is it very respectful.
 
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Christian4life:
Yep. Blasphemous as they come, pretty much.

Think about the Jews, to whom the ten commandments were first given. They don’t even say “God” They say “G-d” in thier writing, because the word that we translate as “God” is, in its original form…
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I believe your thinking of how our Hebrew forebearers combined the words Adonai (meaning Lord) &** Elohim **(meaning God) with the proper name of God which was revealed to Moses as Yahew and created the word Jehovah. This led to the misinterpretation of the text by protestants & why they worship God under that name.
 
why wouldnt it be? we call god “God” so thats our name for him. if we use it like a swear word of course its in vain.
 
With respect to the Apologist and the other priests who have been quoted here, it seems to me that this phrase is doing great violence to our attitude toward God. As has been said, it tends to trivialize God. Not only that, but it has given Hollywood a way to trivialize religion. “God” has become a word of wit, of exasperation, of scorn, or endless forms of emotion. His Name is anything but sacred to many millions of people because of this phrase.

Sometimes the phrase comes out automatically and there certainly can be no fault unless there is a habit that has not been attended to. But to me, since God is not divisible, God’s Name in fact is God, no matter the spelling of the Name or the religious derivation. We should try to use His Name only in the most sacred matters, when speaking of His attributes and gifts, in praise and thanksgiving. And then when we hear that Name, we are immediately in His presence. His Name should never, not ever, be associated with anything that takes away from our perception of His glory.
 
Some uses it because they think it’s a trend or ‘in fashion’. I know of a person who never uses ‘Oh my God’; then one day, he just starts using every time he speaks. As if he just found out a new trend in speaking! It gets so annoying…
 
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