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Why do some people get offended when someone says :"Oh my God" instead of let's say "Oh my goodness" or "Oh my Gosh". They mean the same thing, but the offensive one contains the word "God". It probably isn't referred to God in Christianity at all, but still some people don't care about "my Gosh", but they do about "my God". Others would be "For God's/Christ's sake" or "What the hell?" If you substitute similar words nobody would say anything, but with the original phrases some would feel insulted. Why?

The phrase "Oh my God," is understood as a phrase that takes the Lord's name in vain. I'm not sure why, it is understood as such. It may be one of those things from certain Jewish religions. A lot of Jewish religions believe that the name of God is to holy for us to communicate, so when they speak of him, they usually say something like "The Master of the Universe," and when they write of him, it's usually YHWH or G-d.

As for "Christ's sake," that is usually said when something that we didn't want to happen, happens. Because it is used during such negative times, it is seen as taking the Lord's name in vain.

The second commandment of Christianity is "Thou shalt not take the Lord, thy God's, name in vain."

Though, it's funny when I say such phrases around my dad, he either looks at me strange, or yells at me. He's a non-strictly strict Roman Catholic, as for myself, I am a deist buddhist, so such phrases mean little to me, in terms of being offended by them.

Joseph is a word (Hebrew, I think) that means "May he add."

Does the fact that it's a word with a meaning, mean it is not a name? Is not a word with a meaning, a name for the meaning of that word?

great...we're figuring out names....

anyways, I offend everyone within earshot at times just by being me. Only people I've ever pissed off by "taking the Lord's name in vain (OMG, so to speak)" was my mom and some crazy person in school. The person in school was also saying she was a prophet, so were not going there....

i think the "in vain" part means when you say it without really meaning it. like someone could say "Oh God, save us," as actualy prayer, but you say "Oh God" in the same context that one would say "Oh poop," as an exclaimation.

i heard that in the movie Pi.

The christian and Jewish God name is YHWH, it is pronounced Yah-Weh and your not supposed to say it at all..!! Me I'm not christian so I'll say it all I want but as for you (well most of you) just pronouncing the above is using his name in vain. At least thats what my religion teacher says O_o God has been know as God since he made his apperience as a burning bush to Mosses, you know the story right.
-Mosses: What is your name?
-Bush/God: I am what I am!

From then on he was known as God.
(Amazing how I know to much about christians? biggrin )

That part I don't understand, I have read part of the bible and the old testament seems to be where some race recorded thier history, wars etc. Anyways I would not know if it is speaking Gods name in vain if you read the bible aloud, I guess it's all in your head, if you have good intentions but accidentaly do something or you did something that you didn't know was wrong I'm sure he'll forgive your "sin". I mean come on if a baby repeats its father and says swears as a child without knowing better it's forgiven right?