Exclamation or Expletive? OMG Is Omnipresent…
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Mon, January 07, 2008
- Viewed 117
- (18) comments so far
More from this article in the Washington Post…
Rosie Brecevic catches herself mid-sentence and says, instead, “Oh my gosh!”
In town for the holidays, the kindergarten teacher from Colorado Springs is taking a break from shopping at the Pentagon City mall. “You try to pick a better way to say it,” she says, especially this time of year and “in front of the little children.”
Working at Sophisticat Boutique on Kenilworth Avenue, Vera Abel, in red shawl and long gold skirt, says she can’t imagine anyone ever uttering the phrase. As she moves merchandise from spot to spot, she invokes one of the Ten Commandments: “You shall not call the name of your Lord God in vain.”
The Rev. Patrick T. Gray agrees with Brecevic and Abel. Curate of the Church of the Advent in Boston, Gray preached a sermon on the subject earlier this year. He exhorted his flock: “There’s one thing, or type of thing, that you’ll never hear me say. And for some reason, it still makes me feel a little bit uncomfortable when I hear someone else do it. If I learned anything in my Baptist upbringing, it’s that you never, ever say, ‘Oh my God!’ in casual conversation.” He finds other words.
But others, such as Brian Gibson, don’t see a need to hold back. Playing with his son at Clemyjontri Park in Langley, Gibson says, “I always say ‘Oh my God!’ “ He’s aware that the phrase occasionally rubs people the wrong way. “Some people are more religious than others,” he says.
On Yahoo, there’s a spirited debate about the name of the new OMG service on one of the message boards. A user writes: “This is taking the Lord’s name in vain, and while I’m fairly certain you could care less about that, I can no longer support Yahoo if they insist on keeping this OMG product. It shows the height of insensitivity to people of faith.”
To which another user replies: “Lighten up, it’s just an instant messaging phrase. If you find that kind of thing offensive, you should unplug your ethernet cable right now and stay off the internet.”
And then someone makes the point: “There is no doubt what the OMG stands for. Every Christian should be outraged that the name of the Lord is used with such disrespect. The point is that people use his name as an insignificant figure of speech.”
Officially, Yahoo avoids the conflict altogether. “The name ‘OMG’ is derived from IM speak and means ‘wow!’ “ says company spokesman Carrie Davis.
Stanley Hauerwas, a religion professor at Duke Divinity School, takes a different slant. He has been known to liberally salt his everyday speech with profanities. Lingua Franca magazine once called him “a foul-mouthed theologian.” He says that when he hears people say, “Oh my God,” “it’s a cry not of profanity or vulgarity. It usually has the grammar of a lament. You’d have to outlaw the Psalms if you wanted to do away with laments.”
Timothy Jay, author of “Cursing in America” and “Why We Curse,” says that according to his research, “ ‘Oh my God’ is in the top 10 of expletives. It is used five times as much by women as by men.” Oddly enough, Jay says, research has also shown that “Oh my God” is often a euphemism for something else.
Hauerwas agrees: “Instead of ‘Oh my God,’ I prefer ‘Oh [excrement].’ “
In fact, our culture is more tolerant of profanities than obscenities. The Federal Communications Commission, for example, draws distinctions between profane language—traditionally defined as irreverence toward God—and obscene material—defined by the FCC as material that describes sexual conduct in a patently offensive way. Most profanities and vulgarities are allowed on the air at certain times of day, but obscenities are not.
In many societies throughout history, it has been taboo to speak the name of God. In Christendom, euphemisms—like “zounds” (God’s wounds), “golly” (God’s body) and “gosh”—evolved. The Oxford English Dictionary defines “gosh” as a “mincing pronunciation of God.”
Historically, sanctions against certain expressions “focused mainly on religion,” Jay says. “People were punished for depravity because they said something scurrilous about the church.”
Over time in the United States, authorities gave up on the prevention of anti-church epithets, Jay says. A major shift in emphasis came in the late 1960s when the Motion Picture Association of America began rating movies. Television and radio followed suit. These days lawmakers are focused on prohibiting sexual and biological word-darts (George Carlin’s seven dirty words) and hateful epithets.
Taking the Lord’s name in vain was denounced again this year by the Vatican, but here in America some religious institutions are softening their stances. Take St. Clare of Montefalco Catholic School in Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. The principal, Sister Kathy Avery, recently read to students a list of words that are unacceptable on the school’s playground.
Asked if the phrase “Oh my God!” is on Avery’s list, a school employee says, “We don’t encourage that, but it’s not on Sister Kathy’s list of swear words.”
The first written record of the word “God” in English, according to the OED, is from the 9th century. “Gosh” enters the lexicon 900 years later. In 1804, one writer observed that “by gosh” is the “most elegant and classical oath imaginable.”
And so there are two kinds of people in the world: those who say “Oh my God!” and those who say something else. Even atheists have been known to cry “Oh my God!” on occasion.
“Sure!” says Eric Mintz, webmaster of the Ask an Atheist Web site. “I say it all the time.”
Here’s a permalink to the entire article...
So… what’s your take on OMG? Swear word, taking the Lord’s name in vain, or just an innocent phrase?
"Oh my God!" The expression, once considered taboo in polite conversation, has become as commonplace as "that's cool" or "see you later" in American parlance. The acronym, OMG, is nearly as ubiquitous. Room-chatters rely on it, so do text-messagers. The search engine Yahoo now uses OMG as the name of a gossip-alert service. It's a sign of a free-speech society, right? Say what you want when you want. But for many, the omnipresent phrase sounds like a sinful swipe at the Almighty. Or at least another iceberg of disrespect cracking away from the icecap of civility.
Comments
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Pastor Jamie Bertolini on Mon, January 07, 2008
“But for many, the omnipresent phrase sounds like a sinful swipe at the Almighty. Or at least another iceberg of disrespect cracking away from the icecap of civility. “
This is a joke right? I doubt that any one is saying this in a disrespecting way. I am so tired of the “self rightous” people of the faith condemning everthing. Pull the plank out of your eyes before we pick at that speck.
“If I learned anything in my Baptist upbringing, it’s that you never, ever say, ‘Oh my God!’ in casual conversation.” He finds other words.”
Give me a break. With people falling away from Christ and His church every day we need to put our efforts to reviving the church not condemning it. And if they are not Christians they can say and do whatever they want. They are not obliged the the standard that Christ has set. Let get them in a relationship with the Lord and he will correct through the Holy Spirit on if someone should text OMG or say Oh My God!
Camey on Mon, January 07, 2008
It reminds me of the 80’s…
Nora on Mon, January 07, 2008
Perhaps the more learned theologians here can correct me, but “God” isn’t the Christian/Hebrew God’s name, is it? Isn’t it YHWH? I mean, OMG could be translated Oh My Deity and have the same meaning, referring to any god. Yes, common usage has rendered god as God to us Christians, but I’m not sure that nonChristians are much interested in abiding by our rules anyway.
Tony on Mon, January 07, 2008
The Bible states that “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name” (Exodus 20:7 –NIV) which clearly makes OMG a violation of one of the 10 commandments and God’s law.
However, I do disagree with Pastor Jamie: “And if they are not Christians they can say and do whatever they want. They are not obliged the the standard that Christ has set.” Huh? Sure they can do and say whatever they want, but God’s wrath is on ALL that violate His law, not just Christians.
It is the law of the Lord that converts the soul – Psalm 19:7 so you can’t get into a relationship with the Lord until you use the law (commandments) as a mirror to reflect (makes us conscious of) our sinful nature (Romans 3) and then repent from those sins and trust in the savior. Not the other way around pastor.
But Pastor Jamie does have a point – “I doubt that any one is saying this in a disrespecting way.” It does however show a low view of a holy and just God that gave us life and breath.
Daniel D. Farmer on Mon, January 07, 2008
Nora, you are correct. ‘God’ is not a name, it is a role/job-description. The ancient Hebrews replaced the name of the Lord ‘YHWH’ with ‘Adonai’ (’the Lord’). Most Bibles have a note to this effect (hence the difference between ‘the Lord’ as title and ‘the LORD’ as substitute for YHWH).
The practice of not speaking emptily about God is nevertheless a good practice. Meaning supervenes on common usage in important ways. And so it is difficult to speak meaningfully about the Christian god if we insist on saying ‘oh my god’ as a substitute for ‘how surprising!’. Further, it empties genuine cries of ‘oh my God’ (the lament Hauerwas mentions) of real punch.
I can just see Jesus on the cross saying ‘OMG! this like, totally sucks!’—instead of ‘my God, my God, why have you abandoned me!’
As for legislating what other people say… I’m all for informing people we find it offensive or unnecessarily flippant, but the anger and vitriol is uncalled for. It’s unChristian. Heathens will say what heathens will say. We are called to witness to the truth through the practice of truthful speech.
So then, the question is, does the common expression ‘oh my God’ as a synonym for mild surprise help us to be a truthful people who can speak meaningfully about the Creator?
My two cents.
-Daniel-
(PS: I find it ironic that we can quote others saying ‘oh my God’, but we have to blip out Hauerwas saying ‘oh shit’… how revealing of our priorities!)
CS on Mon, January 07, 2008
This quote hit the mark: “Instead of ‘Oh my God,’ I prefer ‘Oh [excrement].“People are exchanging the name of God (as it exists in the context of the English language), and exchanging it for four-letter filth words. Not to mention when people invoke the name of our Savior more specifically in shock or disgust. This is all textbook blasphemy.
Pastor Jamie said above, “With people falling away from Christ and His church every day we need to put our efforts to reviving the church not condemning it.” No, sir, the church needs to hear when they are doing something wrong and asked to correct it in a loving manner. For example, I chatted with a young woman recently who was living with her boyfriend and had a child. Did I show her the scripture that showed how her fornication was a sin in a loving, gentle, and firm manner? You bet. It is only through exhortation like this that the church will be revived; you cannot have revival with the allowance, permission, or turning a blind eye to sin.—
CS
Jan on Mon, January 07, 2008
I find it offensive as I do “Jesus Christ” which I hear often.
I ‘m not sure why it’s not okay to offend every other religion in the world. Try saying “O My Allah” and not get a death threat
But if it’s a Christian who is offended,
Yeah, I’m offended, they are called “self righteous”.
I say find another way to say “Wow”.
CS on Mon, January 07, 2008
Sorry about the spacing there. Although the preview showed everything formatted into four nice little paragraphs, the HTML must have munched it. I promise, I don’t think or type in run-on paragraphs.
—
CS
Vogie on Mon, January 07, 2008
This is ridiculous. ‘God’ is a title, a designation, and in this case, a statement of the obvious.
Here’s the reality of it: there are swears in the Bible. I have the original Living Translation, where Saul calls David an SoB, as a modern translation of “son of a rebellious, perverse woman”. I’ve been told by many a humored scholar that when Paul says “I count all gain as loss” he uses the Aramaic swear word for manure. Thus far, I’ve never seen a Bible with the transliteral word in English.
As for me, my personal favorite exclamation is “Siddhartha”. That usually brings a chuckle or two. Building up other believers with encouragement, much? Perhaps we should just focus on ripping each other to shreds with minor nuances & making the world laugh at our stupidity. Nowadays you no longer have to be Spanish to have an Inquisition…
HER on Mon, January 07, 2008
Recently, my 2-year old picked it up from his abuela. Even its utterance from a toddler pained me. I’ve always thought of it this way…would I want the world taking my name in vain? No, I wouldn’t.
Melody on Mon, January 07, 2008
I don’t approve of the expression, and have trained my children not to use it. That said, I recognize that heathens blaspheme; it’s their nature. I reserve my real outrage for the blasphemies of those who put themselves forth as speaking the word of God, but are teaching doctrines of demons. I’d put most of the leading so-called “prosperity” preachers in this category, for example.
Lilian Low on Mon, January 07, 2008
Oh my goodness - does that help?
Leonard on Tue, January 08, 2008
You step away for a few days and suddenly everyone is swearing. Two thoughts. I don’t think you can classify this as blasphemy in the classic sense of the bible.
Second, I sort of think the commandment was not necessarily meant to curb speaking the name of God poorly. I actually think it was given to the people of God as an instruction about how to “carry” the name. These were the people that the creator chose to give his identity too, his name as it were. He is saying, do not carry my name in a way that makes having the name vain.
I would say it is much more about lifestyle than language.
Tony on Tue, January 08, 2008
It is absolutely about lifestyle and language reflects the lifestyle you have chosen: “Ye shall know them by their fruits” - Matthew 7:16
Kim Martinez on Tue, January 08, 2008
I just had this conversation with my two teens this week. My 12 year old was relaying a conversation.
“So, I emailed her ‘OMG…’”
I was so surprised! Both of my girls serve God, love God, and wouldn’t use His name in vain, but thought I was being totally anal when I told them that “OMG” was NOT okay.
I’m still working through this because rules that make no sense are only rules and will frustrate instead of help. I need a way to have the conversation that a teen will get - that OMG isn’t just three letters, that is really does represent real words.
Some battles are best won in prayer, I have discovered.
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