Moon over the Mississippi Delta
By PONTIFICUS MINIMUS
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” — The Third Commandment given to Moses by God
Having spent many a year eschewing all forms of cursing and vile language I have slipped over the last 10 years into saying many words and phrases that I am sure grieve the Lord. I am rather loose with my language now, but I hate to hear folks take the Lord’s name in vain. I really do.
Am I a hypocrite? Yes! But, the Lord takes no delight in hearing His name taken in vain. “G** damn it” is not okay for a Jew or Christian to utter and it is futile for a non-believer to speak. I often hear Christians in leadership positions say GD, and this just shouldn’t be. Also, too many blues musicians do the same thing. I can stomach “damn,” but please leave God out of it! Damning God or asking him to damn others is unconscionable.
I hate, hate, hate hearing someone say GD. I will not even spell it out and I don’t use it. I am amazed how many folks who do not believe in God will consistently say GD! I am also astonished how many people will say “Jesus,” or “Jesus Christ,” and not in supplication, but in frustration, and many of them do not believe in Him. This post, however, is relegated to GD.
Who says, Buddha damn it, Mohammed damn it, or some such foolishness? I’ve never heard those words spoken and I can assure you Westerners in the Arab world do not say it about Mohammed as they know a fatwah will be placed on their ass. How sad is it that we fear man more than we fear God?
So, if we want to damn something it would be better that we do it in our own name, then the consequences belong solely to us! Have a good day, Billy Damn It!
I always thought that taking the lords name in vain meant asking the lord to make ‘vain changes’, for instance, asking him to do things that obviously he hasi n his control, like asking him for OLE MISS to win, , or asking him to change the destiny of those who are already in his hands, like our lives, Vain, like vanity, like asking him for OUR will be done,, instead of humbly accepting what he has planned. Doesn’t he already know what to do?
G.D., Thanks for the comment! I do imagine that could be an interpretation! In my feeble mind taking the Lord’s name in vain just means using it lightly, irreverently, disrespectfully, or with little thought for how He views it! I do not think God damns us every time we do so, but I do think it grieves Him! And, I agree with you, praying that a team will win a game is “vain” and too many folks including moi treat God like a bank or Sugar Daddy, instead of embracing His will; though it is okay, in my opinion, to pray for what we deem small things; it is the attitude I reckon that makes the difference! Thanks for the comment! 🙂
A close friend of mine, who also is very schooled in the use of profanity, uses “Judas” as his go to curse in place of the gd or the jc curse.
You can say “G-d damn” or “G-d blind me” on network TV. BUT! Only if you’re an athiest the channels will allow it. If a Christian, Catholic or Jew says it, the word “G-d” gets automatically bleeped.