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I went to a talk by a Muslim convert at the local mosque and he was saying he went to Egypt and was very impressed by how they said “insh’ Allah” (God wills it) all the time in reference to trivial things. I pointed out in the Q&A that frequent usage belittled its meaning, and we might as well say “Goodbye” (God be with you) is in the same category – so overused that most people have forgotten its meaning. So Insh’ Allah has become more cliche than piety – it’s more like “que sera, sera” or “stuff happens” in other languages. Thanks, Sam, for the additional commentary. I was thinking only of the name (like Jesus or Muhammad) or unique title (like Christ) and not the generic title of God. I should have been much more precise.
Now that I live in a city that has a lot of diversity, I hear different people’s takes on language – there are quite a few people who frequently speak like DJ mentioned, sometimes using the names Jesus and Christ. But I find their language usage to be much more expressive than mine/what I’m used to in Mormonism, so I chalked it up to just another difference. However, I had noticed that Christianity is the main religion whose deity is also used as an expletive, and I agree with Curt that it’s a difference. I wonder if it has anything to do with the separation of religion and government in the western world, as opposed to religious governance. I could just be making that up, though.
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DancingCarrot wrote:However, I had noticed that Christianity is the main religion whose deity is also used as an expletive, and I agree with Curt that it’s a difference. I wonder if it has anything to do with the separation of religion and government in the western world, as opposed to religious governance. I could just be making that up, though.
(Blasphemy does exist in other religions, but will land you in very hot water.)
A few generations ago the word “damn” used to be blanked out in books.
What has happened is that we have moved on to sexual and anal-related swearwords, and so blasphemy has taken on the role of being seen as more mild.
If you want to be ultra-abusive, then using non-pc language is the ticket. I suspect in the near future the f word will be ever more commonplace, but using slurs related to sexuality/sexual identity will be considered even more offensive than it is now.
[Moderator note: slightly edited to remove possibly offensive language]
In my view, which you are free to reject, taking God’s name in vain would be doing something in the name of God, or making a proclamation in the name of God, which God had nothing to do with. In essence, using a God as a form of authority to justify your ideas, and putting words in God’s mouth.
It’s like how the church uses Jesus’ teaching about swearing as another lesson on not using coarse language, but I’m fairly certain the real lesson is about making oaths and promises you cannot deliver on.
Reflexzero wrote:
It’s like how the church uses Jesus’ teaching about swearing as another lesson on not using coarse language, but I’m fairly certain the real lesson is about making oaths and promises you cannot deliver on.
Quote:And I swear by the moon and the stars in the sky
I’ll be there
I swear like a shadow that’s by your side
I’ll be there
For better or worse, till death do us part
I’ll love you with every beat of my heart
And I swear
All-4-One, making promises they had no intention of delivering on since 1993.
😆 :clap: That song is going to be in my head aaaaaalll day.
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