gol dang it, gosh darn it, dag nab it!

I think you're right, kicky, but, golly, I don't have any references to support that opinion.

They're all euphemisms for exclamations that were considered taboo in Victorian society, just as dang and darn are polite ways for saying 'damn.' They always seemed supremely silly to me. If you're going to use a euphemism, you might as well say the right word. Otherwise, stifle yourself totally.

Cheese and Rice!

How about "jumpin jehosephats"

What the hell is a jehosephat?

You might trying asking gus, I've heard him say dag nabbit, perhaps he knows.
"Thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain". Not just victorian society but it's a commandment. Blasphemy!
I think dag nabbit is a play on dammit. I'v met some religious people who took offence to refrences to hell as well. So saying damn was just as bad as saying jesus, if you smacked your finger with a hammer. Just a theory.

Dag nab it, ceili, leave me out of this.

2 Chronicles 19

And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.
.2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.
3 Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.
4 And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the LORD God of their fathers.
5 ¶ And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,
6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment.

Whut in tarnation?

My sentiments exactly.

What in the Sam Hill...? Ever heard that one? -rjb-

Well, nuts!

Oh for crying outside; what the heck got into everyone. Jeepers Creepers!

This dad-gummed thread is gettin' to be just plain silly now.

Gee whiz, quit yer beefin'!

What in the blue blazes is going on around here!? Man o' chevitz! Ya ever hear o' that cotton-pickin' one? I'm not even sure if I spelled the dang thing right!

hey, y'all, don't get your teeth in an uproar. Hear?

Judas Priest!

jesus murphy, cause even he wants to be irish!

That one makes me wonder, Ceili, just what is Jesus' real last name? "Christ" means "lord" doesn't it? I find it an amazing coincidence that his last name would actually be "lord".

And what about Jesus H. Christ? What's the H. stand for? Is it some really embarrassing middle name that he didn't want people to use, like "Harvey" or something? And did his parents used to use his full name when they were mad at him, like parents always do?

"Jesus Harvey Christ, how many times do I have to tell you not to turn the gol dang water in the swimmin' pool into wine!"