cash3 wrote:Eorl wrote:At least when atheists say "Oh My God" they don't think they are "taking the name of the Lord in vain".
Christians who say it, however, are...even though he specifically forbid them to do so. Who is the more hypocritical?
Would you consider a person breaking the speed limit a hypocrite? I think not. Breaking a law or a "code of conduct" is not a hypocritical action merely a mistake or in the religious sense, a sin. Therefore a christian taking the Lord's name in vain isn't a hypocrite.
A person breaking the speed limit could be a hypocrite. Possibly not. Did he know he was doing it? Did he believe it was wrong to do so?
Likewise a Christian taking the Lord's name in vain could be a hypocrite. Possibly not.
It remains to be seen whether the phrase "Oh my God" is always taking the Lord's name in vain.
We could ask, for starters, is "God" God's name, or is it a title?
When the phrase is said, is it always disrespectful of God in the context it is used? Does the speaker intend disrespect of God?
An atheist, since he believes there is no God, certainly sounds ridiculous when He says "Oh my God" referring to Someone he claims not to believe in. But it is more a reflection on him than anything else. What if I said "O my Martian"? You would scratch your head and wonder what's up, since I do not believe in Martians.
Maybe some atheists believe in Martians, but that's probably for another thread.
