Is this a sin

[TheHolyTrinity9]

So if someone says the typical Oh… Etc etc in exclamation or excitement but only uses the abbreviation, is it a sin to do so?

 

[Hodegetria]

I’m sure someone will correct me if this is wrong as far as official Church teaching, but I have to believe it IS a sin, and the expression should be avoided as (most) everyone knows what the initials stand for–it’s still using the Lord’s Name in vain and it’s still disrespectful to our Lord.

 

[Nixbits]

Hodegetria, you’re claiming that it’s a sin to say ‘OMG’ because it’s taking our Lord’s name in vain, right? Is ‘God’ our Lord’s name? Similarly, is ‘Lord’ our Lord’s name? If so, you presumably think it would be a sin to say ‘Good Lord’ as an exclamation of surprise. Are there other ‘names’ that our Lord has that a good Catholic should also avoid?

 

[truetofaith]

Hodegetria, you’re claiming that it’s a sin to say ‘OMG’ because it’s taking our Lord’s name in vain, right? Is ‘God’ our Lord’s name? Similarly, is ‘Lord’ our Lord’s name? If so, you presumably think it would be a sin to say ‘Good Lord’ as an exclamation of surprise. Are there other ‘names’ that our Lord has that a good Catholic should also avoid?

Writing OMG , I believe is a sin, possibly, venial, because you have time to think about what you wrote and can change it!

Saying Oh my G-- in surprise is not premeditated so I doubt sinful…but I hear people mostly female and even children saying it almost constantly. That is a habit that is making God like a throw-a-way.

If you hit your hand with a hammer & yell OH S—, or Ahh F—,…I don’t think it’s a mortal sin & you will go to hell…but if you call people these names, in anger, I consider it a mortal sin which must be confessed!

I don’t get to communion too often because I can’t always get to confession.

 

[Iron_Donkey]

Hodegetria, you’re claiming that it’s a sin to say ‘OMG’ because it’s taking our Lord’s name in vain, right? Is ‘God’ our Lord’s name? Similarly, is ‘Lord’ our Lord’s name? If so, you presumably think it would be a sin to say ‘Good Lord’ as an exclamation of surprise. Are there other ‘names’ that our Lord has that a good Catholic should also avoid?

It’s not about whether the particular word can be construed to be God’s name, but about using references to God in inappropriate ways. Look at the sentence “I swear to God, if you do that again I will kill you.” Taken literally, the person who says that has just made a promise to God to kill “you” under certain circumstances. That’s kind of not a good a thing to do in response to, say, someone stealing your Coke out of the break room fridge.

Likewise, “OMG you’re soooooooo stupid, LOL,” is, to quote the Catechism, “to invoke the divine truthfulness as a pledge of” the truthfulness of the fact that this “you” is soooooooo stupid (LOL). Which we really ought not to do.

So yeah, OMG, oh my God, etc, are all on the level, and are all doing something we should not do. Again, you could say that we don’t mean what the words mean, but still: we ought not say things we don’t mean, especially when they reference God.

Whether or not or to what extent a particular person is sinning when they do so is, like any other such question, hard for us to answer. Nevertheless the act itself is objectively sinful (that is to say, if done with full knowledge etc, is a sin).

The Catechism covers it here: vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a2.htm

 

[hansard]

Ultimately, you have the choice and you have to take some responsibility for the words that come out of your mouth. There are usually other words or utterances to use.

Sin is a choice. If you don’t think you should be saying it, then don’t say it.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

There is no argument that you are using that phrase abbreviated like that in a Holy way. There is no prayer there, no respect or reverence.

Sin.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

I know a Sister (SSJ) who is very old now, but was a teacher in her younger days.
She taught my mother in grammar school, and then worked in the parish where I grew up.

Whenever she was exasperated with her students, or just life in general she would say
“Jesus, Mary & Joseph”, followed by a big sigh.

Who here wants to tell her that she is sinning?

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I know a Sister (SSJ) who is very old now, but was a teacher in her younger days.
She taught my mother in grammar school, and then worked in the parish where I grew up.

Whenever she was exasperated with her students, or just life in general she would say
“Jesus, Mary & Joseph”, followed by a big sigh.

Who here wants to tell her that she is sinning?

I do.

 

[truetofaith]

I know a Sister (SSJ) who is very old now, but was a teacher in her younger days.
She taught my mother in grammar school, and then worked in the parish where I grew up.

Whenever she was exasperated with her students, or just life in general she would say
“Jesus, Mary & Joseph”, followed by a big sigh.

Who here wants to tell her that she is sinning?

My nuns in school used to say this…I took it as a little prayer.