Yip, you’re a blasphemer dear reader, or at least, it’s highly probable that you are. Many occassions in the past, I have been shocked at the number of people that blaspheme the name of Almighty God. The ignorance is shocking! Infact, allow me to bring it closer to home - even within Christian circles I’ve witnessed perpetual blaspheming of God’s name.
Now let me be honest, I don’t consider myself ‘well read’. I am not a genius, or even close. Infact, in many ways I’d consider myself very limited intellectually. However, all around me are people more experienced, and more learned than I, and they are completely ignorant of basic Christian principles.
Allow me to cut to the chase. These Christians are not saying, “Oh my God” or “Jesus Christ” as a replacement for a swear word or the like. However, they are using euphemisms of blasphemy. More precisely, they are using what they used to call, minced oaths. A minced oath is usually, although not exclusively, religious in nature and date from the days when it wasn’t acceptable to use the name of God, Jesus in everyday speech. To mince your words, means to choose words so as not to offend anyone.
I have known this for quite some time now, and have tried to educate people when the opportunity arises, but today I came across a secular article that highlights minced oaths/euphemisms of God’s name. Here are some examples:
By George –> By God
By golly –> By God’s body
By gosh –> By God
By gum –> By God
By Jove –> By God
Cor blimey –> God blind me
Crikey –> Christ
Criminy –> Christ
Cripes –> Christ
For crying out loud –> For Christ’s sake
Gee –> Jesus
Gee whizz –> Jesus
Good grief –> Good God
Goodness gracious –> Good God
Gosh –> God
Jeepers Creepers –> Jesus Christ
Jeez –> Jesus
My goodness –> My God
My gosh –> My God
Bare in mind however, these are only a few of the more common sayings that relate to God. There are many more that are euphemisms for swear words, but I dare not repeat them on this blog. Because this therefore, I will not give the source of this information, for fear of offending someone, or being accused of referencing to inappropriate material.
In conclusion, allow me to ask, was I right? Are you a blasphemer? For such, we shall be held accountable. “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment”.
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Added Commentary
By Daniel Ritchie
on 15.04.07
Great post; the Bible does not give us a list of four letter words that we should not say, the sinfulness of swearing is that we are profaning God’s holy name by lightly taking an oath.
Interestingly, I have read in a couple of books that the word translated ‘dung’ or ‘rubbish’ in Phil. 3:8 would most accurately be rendered in English using a four letter word which would shock most Christians!
By Armen
on 16.04.07
Daniel - Very true. However, the words in our culture that are considered ’swear’ or ‘curse’ words ought never to be found coming from a Christian, and for a number of reasons.
To use them would, without a doubt, make us a stumbling block for other around us. Our culture being what it is, could never permit one to say certain words, it would be seen as a sure sign you’re not converted, and although it doesn’t name certain words we shouldn’t say, Paul does say,
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Eph 4:29
“Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient” Eph 5:4
There are well over 500,000 words in the English language, therefore it’s not like we’re stuck for choice. I think we’re better to err on the side of caution and avoid what may be classed as non-edifying.
By Daniel Ritchie
on 16.04.07
Armen - I agree with you up to a point. Most ‘curse’ words that are used in our culture are slang words for sex, so for a Christian to use them would be contrary to the two texts you cite; of this there should be no dispute.
While I recognise that there is some merit in the cultural argument, we need to be careful that we are not elevating culture above Scripture. For example, in Victorian England CH Spurgeon admitted that it would be embarrasing to have read Eze 16, because of the graphic language. Others have been afraid to preach on the Song of Solomon because of the ‘explicit’ language.
Moreover, I cannot see how it would be wrong to use a certain four letter word if it can be proved that Paul used a Greek equivalent in Phil. 3:8; otherwise we would have to say that the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to sin. Personally, if I heard someone preaching on Phil 3:8 said “I count my own works of righteousness as a pile of **** compared to Christ” I don’t see how I could condemn them if that is the term Paul used. However, I am not saying that we should all go out and use that word whenever we feel like.
I recommend Douglas Wilson’s books ‘A Serrated Edge’ and ‘Fidelity’ for a Biblical approach to satire and sanctified sexual language.
By Irwin Holmes
on 16.04.07
Hi Armen
Glad to see your article on blaspheming. I heard it preached on I’m sur 20 years ago & ever since then I’ve tried to discourage Christians from taking the Lord’s name in vain by usuing some of the words listed. I think the problem is partly one of ignorance e.g. they do not realise thet Jove is a shortened form of Jehovah. More recently I’ve noticed Christians replacing a common phrase taking the Lords name in vain by using the word ‘WORD’. by obviously tryng to do the right thing but not realising that in John 1 - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Perhaps if Christians & I always include myself, searched the scriptures more & seek to speak God’s name/s with reverence and not lightly or in vain then it will be better for us & our testimony within the world.
Psalm 50:23
Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.
Irwin
By Taleen
on 17.04.07
Good post - this has been something I’ve been aware of for some time now. However, how do you know they are ALL accurately translated??
By Chris Beverland
on 17.04.07
Like your post there Irwin, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.â€-very thought provoking inlight of what you said
By Armen
on 17.04.07
Daniel - I’d find it interesting if the word “dung” ought to be translated as you have heard there is support for. I can’t see how that would be. Dung and ‘that word’ mean exactly the same thing, only one is taboo. Therefore I can’t see how it would be more accurate to translate it to a taboo variation, unless it can be proved that Paul used a taboo Greek word.
Irwin - I agree with Chris. That is a very interesting and valid point you make. Thanks for sharing that.
Taleen - It’s taken from a secular, encyclopedia source. They would have no reason to lie in this case. Do you question the accuracy for a reason?
By Daniel Ritchie
on 17.04.07
Here is another list of phrases that are profane which we often here Christians use:
“Its not the end of the world” - the end of the world is not something we should be making light off.
“There’s no rest for the wicked” - that is mocking hell, and making a joke of God’s justice.
“I hope the queue on the day of judgement is not this long” - enough said.
“glory above” - making light of heaven and God’s glory.
Such and such is “divine” - which is idolatry.
By Armen
on 18.04.07
Daniel - That definately adds to the post indeed. The first two and the last one are so common it’s scary. Infact, on occasions I’ve been guilty of the first one myself. I really appreciate the enlightenment here, thank you.
By Saman Sadeghi
on 18.04.07
This touches on a theme that I talk about all of the time: I know so many people, religious and not and people who don’t like to swear who use words like:
Freak!
Fudge!
Shish!
While they’re not actually cussing, the connotation of the words is the same!
By Armen
on 18.04.07
Saman - Interesting that you should point this out. Some of the words in the article that I never quoted, were very similar to what you’ve noted e.g. “shoot”.
By Peter Mitchell
on 02.05.07
Dear Armen and fellow writers.
I have never responded to anything on the internet before but I would just like to add a comment on ‘profane words’. Are we not ‘all sinners who fall short of the glory of God’ and, is not ‘our righteousness as filthy rags’? Should we, for one moment, get a tiny glimpse of God’s glory we would all fall prostrate before Him and plead for his mercy. Perhaps then there wouldn’t be a need to debate which words we can/cannot say.
In Christian love to you all, Peter (from Adelaide)
By Armen
on 02.05.07
Peter - Welcome!
You are absolutely right. We are all sinners, who daily display acts of disobedience before God, and if we truly saw the Lord in His glory, we’d be completely overwhelmed.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I assume your comment has been made because you possibly sense a ‘holier than thou’ spirit in our comments? Or maybe you just think there are more important issues than the things we say?
Whatever the case, I am genuinely sorry if the impression you have got is a negative one. However, in my (or our) defence, we have just been discussing one of the many issues that surround our walk as Christians to become more godly. Learning about our sins, is how we (by the grace of God), “put off the old man with his deeds”.
Do you not think so?
By Peter Mitchell
on 03.05.07
Dear brother Armen
No dear brother, I do not sense a ‘holier than thou’ spirit in you or the other contributors. I was clumsily trying to say, let us contemplate God’s Holiness and exalt our Lord Jesus Christ above all else - let our striving be for Holiness and humility - yes!, but IN CHRIST - He must increase and we must decrease.
I think we (and me in particular), in this modern age, have lost sight of the true Holiness of God. Bunyan wrote his last work, entitled, ‘The Acceptable Sacrifice’, based on Ps 51:17, ‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise’, where he talks about the sinner’s deep remorse for sin as a daily occurrence, hence his broken heart becomes acceptable to God. What I am trying to say is that if we truly surrender our foolish pride and our sinful flesh to the Lord and realise we are TOTALLY DEPRAVED by nature, the Lord will shapen us according to His image, through His Son, because HE is Holy. Then the issues of language, dress, music etc. etc. will take care of themselves (in other words - they will be a relection of God’s glory). I think there is a danger in exploring the depths of rights and wrongs/do’s and dont’s too much because it can ELEVATE man’s opinion of himself whereby he may start to believe he is actually nearing holiness (there’s pride again!). I think we have lost the simplicity of the gospel in many ways. May I now take the liberty to share a little story with you.
I know of an old Christian lady in a Nursing Home (who has suffered from Multiple Sclerosis for most of her adult life) who cannot put together an intelligable sentence except for these beautiful quotes ONLY, ‘Christ is the whole law’ and ‘Christ is coming back again’ and ‘We are here for a short time only but eternity is forever’. If ever there was a person who should have the liberty to use profanity instead of praise it would be her. But the only phrases that are produced from her feeble and lifeless body ARE the words of life itself - Christ, Amen.
By Armen
on 03.05.07
Peter - I’m indebted to you for taking the time to reply in such a manner. Thank you.
What you’re highlighting and reminding us all, is that, just as justification is all of grace, so is sanctification. We must always be careful not to allow ourselves to think sanctification is by works.
Thanks Peter! If you’re ever in Port Lincoln, let me know.
By Martin
on 17.05.07
“However, all around me are people more experienced, and more learned than I, and they are completely ignorant of basic Christian principles.”
That’s because intellectuals tend to be atheists to a much higher degree than the rest of the population.
By al d’andrea
on 22.11.07
Hi,there is a song with the line and it is often sung’its brill brill wicked wicked to have a friend like Jesus’kids love it and we sang it in our fellowship during the kids slot,I am troubled by this,it seems so wrong, though I add most of the words are good and its a catchy tune, I just think its wrong and it would of been a good idea if they had used a different word,perhaps I need to lighten up,any comments,Al.
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