Third Commandment: How to react when someone breaks it

[StMartinTours]

I work for a Catholic organization and my manager has a habit of cursing when a technical problem or other frustration arises in the office, even to the point of using the name of God or Jesus Christ. I am quite shocked by this, as we are a religious organization. Nor do I know how to react; she is, after all, my supervisor and I work for her. Usually I just look down or away, refusing to make eye contact and thus withholding any empathy. How should one react in this situation?

 

[Nelka]

You cannot put a curse on God.

 

[LilyM]

You cannot put a curse on God.

The person is speaking of using the Lord’s name in vain.

A good trick I sometimes employ is to respond ‘Yes, My child?’ when they say it. Normally they are puzzled for a second, so I just say ‘well, you called on God/Jesus, here I am!’ It gets a laugh, but also gets them thinking about just how often they do it without even noticing what they are saying.

 

[Daniel_Joseph]

I think you should remember that Jesus cares about you both. Using the name of God in vain is certainly a sinful act and it is shameful coming from the mouth of a Christian. This stumps me sometimes, too. I would say ignore it, or else, correct her. Praying for her would be a good thing to do, also.

 

[grasscutter]

Another tactic that I employ is, “Oh, are you praying?”.

 

[lssanjose]

To use the Lord’s name in vain, is really using the name to raise yourself, not God. What your supervisor is doing, actually, is blaspheming His name, which is worse.

 

[ricks1948]

I used to say “Amen”. When a fellow worker asked what I meant, I said ,you said a prayer and I said “Amen” to it.