"oh my goodness"

[Shinobu]

There is one thing that has been bugging me for sometime now. Is it a sin to say “Oh my God”? I find myself saying it out of habit, usually if I see something fantastic/pretty/silly or when someone says something silly/surprising. Wondering if it was wrong or not I’ve been catching myself and instead saying “Oh my Go…sh/Go…odness”. I know you aren’t supposed to say the Lords name in vain, does that also mean it’s a sin to say “Jesus” out of surprise/shock?

Thank you

 

[TomK]

I am SO happy for you.

I have such larger sins to worry about.:bowdown:

 

[Steven_Merten]

Hello Shinobu,

It sounds like a violation to the second commandment of God to me. God’s name should be reserved to prayer, glorification of God and discussion of God.

**NAB EXODUS 20:7 The second commandment.**You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.Peace in Christ,

Steven Merten
www.ILOVEYOUGOD.com

 

[abcdefg]

Shinobu:

There is one thing that has been bugging me for sometime now. Is it a sin to say “Oh my God”? I find myself saying it out of habit, usually if I see something fantastic/pretty/silly or when someone says something silly/surprising. Wondering if it was wrong or not I’ve been catching myself and instead saying “Oh my Go…sh/Go…odness”. I know you aren’t supposed to say the Lords name in vain, does that also mean it’s a sin to say “Jesus” out of surprise/shock?

Thank you

according to the discussion in a previous similar thread started by me. “Oh my God” is taking God’s name in vain. but “Oh my goodness” isn’t. there’s no direct reference to “Gosh” but I think it’s similar to “Goodness” and probably is ok.

 

[Michael_s_Sword]

Shinobu:

There is one thing that has been bugging me for sometime now. Is it a sin to say “Oh my God”? I find myself saying it out of habit, usually if I see something fantastic/pretty/silly or when someone says something silly/surprising. Wondering if it was wrong or not I’ve been catching myself and instead saying “Oh my Go…sh/Go…odness”. I know you aren’t supposed to say the Lords name in vain, does that also mean it’s a sin to say “Jesus” out of surprise/shock?

Thank you

So “Oh my God, I need you now” or “Oh my God, you continue to amaze me” or whatever the occassion warrants. The point is to not idly use the name of the Lord but rather to use in in a very brief prayer.

 

[Dj_Roy_Albert]

Steven Merten:

Hello Shinobu,

It sounds like a violation to the second commandment of God to me. God’s name should be reserved to prayer, glorification of God and discussion of God.

**NAB EXODUS 20:7 The second commandment.**You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.

“God” is a title. Gods’ name is not “God”.
“God” has revealed His name as I AM.
In Hebrew - Yahew, or most mis-interpreted Jehovah.

Saying “Oh my God!” isn’t exactly taking God’s NAME in vain.

 

[chevalier]

Sometimes, calling just God’s name without any other words could be interpreted as a short prayer rather than a breach of the second commandment. Imagine an old lady slipping on ice. If she lets out “oh God” before falling, it’s hardly in vain, I think. Now, if it were here grandson getting telefragged in Quake…

 

[shannin]

I sometimes say it when I’m shocked or surprised. What I’ve learned to do is to immediately say to myself, “I’m sorry Jesus”.

I hear profanity in my office on occassion and do the same thing. I silently say to myself, “Forgive (that person), Jesus. He didn’t mean it”.

I think that it is a sin when we continually take the Lord’s name in vain but we all slip up at times. The good thing is that you are aware of it when you do it and you’re trying to correct it.

 

[snowgarden]

Went I went to Utah, I picked up their expression “Gol”…short for Golly. Once we were in a car that was going up a snowy ramp and it began to slip down the ramp towards moving traffic. I yelled out “God” and when we got control everyone got on my case. I said it was a prayer and if you can’t yell out His Name upon impending death, then when can you say it!

 

[Scott_Lafrance]

Shinobu:

There is one thing that has been bugging me for sometime now. Is it a sin to say “Oh my God”? I find myself saying it out of habit, usually if I see something fantastic/pretty/silly or when someone says something silly/surprising. Wondering if it was wrong or not I’ve been catching myself and instead saying “Oh my Go…sh/Go…odness”. I know you aren’t supposed to say the Lords name in vain, does that also mean it’s a sin to say “Jesus” out of surprise/shock?

Thank you

I think that “Oh My God!” as an exclamation is a whole lot better than “Holy ****” (or worse).

 

[Tantum_ergo]

I think that “Oh My God!” as an exclamation is a whole lot better than “Holy ****” (or worse).

How true. . .what really gets me going on the latter is the word of blessing “holy” of something that most emphatically is NOT holy. . .

 

[Shinobu]

shannin:

I sometimes say it when I’m shocked or surprised. What I’ve learned to do is to immediately say to myself, “I’m sorry Jesus”.

I hear profanity in my office on occassion and do the same thing. I silently say to myself, “Forgive (that person), Jesus. He didn’t mean it”.

I think that it is a sin when we continually take the Lord’s name in vain but we all slip up at times. The good thing is that you are aware of it when you do it and you’re trying to correct it.

That’s a very sweet and kind thing to do. Thank you very much for that, I will say that from now on if the word slips, at the same time I am definately going to stop this bad habit I have. It’s even moreso bad because it started to become something I do out of nervousness.

Thank you all very kindly for your help and TomK don’t worry since God forgives all sins, I have many other sins I need to work on!

 

[patg]

“God” is a title. Gods’ name is not “God”.
“God” has revealed His name as I AM.
In Hebrew - Yahew, or most mis-interpreted Jehovah.

Saying “Oh my God!” isn’t exactly taking God’s NAME in vain.

Just say “Oh god” instead of “Oh God”…
There have been many gods and I doubt they would be offended. God will know the difference and you know which you are referring to.

 

[Steven_Merten]

“God” is a title. Gods’ name is not “God”.
“God” has revealed His name as I AM.
In Hebrew - Yahew, or most mis-interpreted Jehovah.

Saying “Oh my God!” isn’t exactly taking God’s NAME in vain.

Some when they pray, pray to Yahew and some pray to Jehovah. When ever I, as like most Catholics, pray to God, we pray to “God”. God is the name we use for God. It is this name God which we use as His name that we should not use in vain.

Some people think that not sending proper donations to charity for the poor, causing the poor to die, “isn’t exactly” murder. Yet the rich man in the Lazerous story burns in hell for not caring for the poor. The general concept of not taking the Lord God’s name in vain, as with all the commandments, is to do as God wills us to do, with all our strength, out of love for God. Continuing to use God’s name as an exclamation to say how much you like someones new shoes is not striving to obey God with all your heart. God, the name we use for God, should be reserved for prayer, worship and evangalization.

Peace in Christ,
Steven Merten
www.ILOVEYOUGOD.com

 

[gardenswithkids]

Why not finish the prayer you started?

Oh my God, I am heartly sorry for having offended Thee. And I detest all my sins because of Your just punishment, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and avoid the near occassion of sin. Amen.