Atheists and Swearing

[Hobbitgoth]

I have a pretty simple question for you guys. I'm an atheist, yet I catch myself saying "Jesus (fucking) Christ!" or "God dammit!" I was wondering how many other atheists do this when they swear, as it's just part of U.S. culture. Idk, just a random thing to think about.:)

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

I have a pretty simple question for you guys. I'm an atheist, yet I catch myself saying "Jesus (fucking) Christ!" or "God dammit!" I was wondering how many other atheists do this when they swear, as it's just part of U.S. culture. Idk, just a random thing to think about.:)

I tend to use more sexual/scatalogical swear words than ones involving religion. Don't see the point in blaspheming unless it's to deliberately annoy believers.

[Who?]

I have a pretty simple question for you guys. I'm an atheist, yet I catch myself saying "Jesus (fucking) Christ!" or "God dammit!" I was wondering how many other atheists do this when they swear, as it's just part of U.S. culture. Idk, just a random thing to think about.:)

Same, I'm an atheist and I come from a pretty secular family and we all use those phrases. I think it's definitely a cultural thing.

[Veg_Athei_Socialist]

I never mention religious words in my swearing.

[Axle]

I do feel kind of strange swearing like that as an atheist sometimes...but I still do it. Its cultural, as you said.

[graymouser]

I occasionally intentionally subvert it with a "Jebus" instead of "Jesus" or "Thor damn it" instead of "God damn it." But for the most part it's the language we are raised with - nobody really should be saying these things except for dystheistic Christians.

[Tablo]

I tend to use more sexual/scatalogical swear words than ones involving religion. Don't see the point in blaspheming unless it's to deliberately annoy believers.
I tend to use those and involve them in the religious ones. I don't mean to do it to offend people, it just sort of developed that way.

[Klaatu]

You will offend religious people a lot more by saying "there is no god" than you will by saying "goddamn."

[Sir Comradical]

You will offend religious people a lot more by saying "there is no god" than you will by saying "goddamn."

Holy shit, that is so true.

I say Jesus-fucking-Christ pretty much all the time.

[Meridian]

It's not like a person in sudden pain screaming out "God damnit!" feels badly about God in that moment. It is silly to consider it blasphemous because swearing has a function completely unrelated to religion. If it make you feel a tiny bit better after uttering it, the sentence has served its purpose. It should not be called "swear words", it should just be called "swearing", because that has its own function irregardless of the words used. If I hurt myself I could yell out "jelly man with a broomstick hat!" and it could serve as well as "damn". The specific choice of words doesn't matter as much as the use.

In any case, to answer the first post, it makes at least as much sense for an atheist as for a believer to use those religious words as swear-words.

[gorillafuck]

I say "god fucking dammit" more than I'd like (it makes me sound kind of dumb, but it's a habit).

[Magón]

I used to say "Jesus Fucking Christ" all the time, but since seeing Team America: World Police when it came out, I've gotten into saying "Jesus titty fucking Christ!" more often than just "Jesus Fucking Christ." But saying "Goddammit", etc. is just a societal thing. Nothing to take seriously.

[LOLseph Stalin]

I never mention religious words in my swearing.

Nor do I, but I'm not an atheist. I do tend to use "fuck" alot though.

[x371322]

I say "god fucking dammit" more than I'd like (it makes me sound kind of dumb, but it's a habit).

Haha, that's pretty much my daily catchphrase. Sometimes I switch it around to "fuck god damn" but either way...

[anticap]

Let's see... I make a half-hearted effort not to say "Oh my god." Instead I try to say "Oh my word," or "Oh my goodness."

Same with "For God's sake." I'll say "For goodness' sake," or, if I'm swearing, "For fuck sakes!" (even though I know it should be "For fuck's sake").

Anyway, I tend to just say "Fuck" when I swear, but I do say "Jesus fucking Christ" sometimes, and, rarely, "God damn it."

Like others have said, it's cultural, and a hard habit to break, even for us atheists.

[Meridian]

Let's see... I make a half-hearted effort not to say "Oh my god." Instead I try to say "Oh my word," or "Oh my goodness."

Same with "For God's sake." I'll say "For goodness' sake," or, if I'm swearing, "For fuck sakes!" (even though I know it should be "For fuck's sake").

Anyway, I tend to just say "Fuck" when I swear, but I do say "Jesus fucking Christ" sometimes, and, rarely, "God damn it."

Like others have said, it's cultural, and a hard habit to break, even for us atheists.
Why not use the word "god" while swearing? I don't understand why people say they don't use that word. What does it matter?

I find that weird that as atheists you would care about not using the word "god" when swearing..?

[anticap]

Why not use the word "god" while swearing? I don't understand why people say they don't use that word. What does it matter?

I find that weird that as atheists you would care about not using the word "god" when swearing..?

As I said, I do sometimes say "Jesus fucking Christ" and "God damn it"; but I just have always tended toward the short and sweet "Fuck!"

If you mean my attempt to avoid "Oh my god," well, I said it was half-hearted. But the reasoning behind that one is that it's easy to say something else. That's not always true with such sayings. If I can easily avoid saying "Oh my <thing that I don't believe in>," then why not do so (if I happen to remember as the words are coming out)? I believe in goodness, but not gods. I don't understand why you're bothered by my preference there.

[Nuvem]

It's a linguistic habit stemming from learned vernacular, nothing more. That's typically what I point out to people who say something to me about it; the terms "god' and "Jesus" are used for emphasis rather than as nouns. Again, just a habit born from vernacular.

[Devlar]

If I hurt myself I could yell out "jelly man with a broomstick hat!" and it could serve as well as "damn". The specific choice of words doesn't matter as much as the use.


i agree. Blaspheming is soething that has been around for a long time, and in more religious times, carried more impact, so today it has become another set of words used to 'help' in a situation. as atheists, i dont think it makes any differance what words we use, like meridian says. let god strike us down if he dosnt like it ;)

[F9]

It depends on where you have grown up.The country, the family, but most importantly the school, cause i think thats where most of swearing are learned.
I use those you mentioned(of course in my language) between other of course:lol: i was thinking it soon as i turned to an atheist, but not anymore, its just a swearing, its just something that comes up without much thinking so i dont find any problem with it.

[Hobbitgoth]

irregardless

Not a word! Grammar Nazi strikes!:laugh:

[Invincible Summer]

But if using the Lord's name in vain is a sin, then isn't the use of "Oh my god!" and "God damn it!" and the like be sort of a slap in the face to believers, thus being more anti-theistic?

[F9]

But if using the Lord's name in vain is a sin, then isn't the use of "Oh my god!" and "God damn it!" and the like be sort of a slap in the face to believers, thus being more anti-theistic?

i like your way of thinking, good job basta:thumbup1:

[Broletariat]

I tend to replace "God" and "Jesus"/"Jesus Christ" with Marx, Engels, Lenin, Luxembourg, etc.

[Invincible Summer]

I tend to replace "God" and "Jesus"/"Jesus Christ" with Marx, Engels, Lenin, Luxembourg, etc.


Ew. I realize you're trying to be funny, but deifying Marxist philosophers is pretty ridiculous.

[Tablo]

Ew. I realize you're trying to be funny, but deifying Marxist philosophers is pretty ridiculous.
Lol, but that is what makes it funny. I think I might try that around my leftist friends.

Karl Fucking Marx!

Marx dammit!

Fucking Stalin!

Aww, being an Anarchist is so great.

[DecDoom]

I use religious related swears, as do most of the other atheists I know.

[Sir Comradical]

I don't know about you guys, but I use fascist an an epithet for everything. So if I miss the train I'd say "fucking fascist train".

[Optiow]

I swear very often, as there is no harm in it. They are just words.

[meow]

i sometimes swear in language not my own. depends on company. i some times 'blashphem' but not normally.

scheisse merde shit! (and into even more depraved and awful language depending on situation)

[Hobbitgoth]

scheisse merde shit!

The tri-language triple shit. I like it.:D

[Meridian]

If you mean my attempt to avoid "Oh my god," well, I said it was half-hearted. But the reasoning behind that one is that it's easy to say something else. That's not always true with such sayings. If I can easily avoid saying "Oh my <thing that I don't believe in>," then why not do so (if I happen to remember as the words are coming out)? I believe in goodness, but not gods. I don't understand why you're bothered by my preference there.
Well, it doesn't really matter much. I am not at all bothered by it, I just didn't see how it made sense.

Swearing with the name "god", or other biblical references, is considered blasphemous by christians. I don't see why one would want, as an atheist, to stop using the words while swearing. If you were a christian I would understand it, of course. It's not like uttering "Oh my god!" after some surprise or accident implies you believein a god, is it?

[zimmerwald1915]

I like using "Jesus Tapdancing Christ!", mostly because it gets people to do legit double takes.

[anticap]

Swearing with the name "god", or other biblical references, is considered blasphemous by christians. I don't see why one would want, as an atheist, to stop using the words while swearing. If you were a christian I would understand it, of course. It's not like uttering "Oh my god!" after some surprise or accident implies you believein a god, is it?

Firstly, I don't consider "Oh my god!" to be swearing, but I suppose someone who believes in gods might.

Secondly, yes, it does imply belief, if taken literally. Granted, most people don't take it literally.

Anyway, I've explained my reasoning, and like you said it doesn't really matter much.

Why do you not capitalize "christian"?

[Quail]

I think the main reason I use expressions like "oh my god" or "god damn it" is because I've grown up hearing other people saying them. I don't believe in a god, so sometmes I do think it's a bit of a hollow expression coming from me, but then again, loads of other expletives I use don't make any sense, like I don't know, "shitting fuck" or whatever.

[Omnia Sunt Communia]

Let's chill out on all the profanity, cursing, swearing, and cussing!

http://www.nocussing.com/

[Meridian]

Firstly, I don't consider "Oh my god!" to be swearing, but I suppose someone who believes in gods might.

Secondly, yes, it does imply belief, if taken literally. Granted, most people don't take it literally.

Anyway, I've explained my reasoning, and like you said it doesn't really matter much.

Why do you not capitalize "christian"?
You are supposed to capitalize "christian"? Sorry, I didn't know that. I don't believe it's capitalized in my own language, you see.

[anticap]

You are supposed to capitalize "christian"? Sorry, I didn't know that. I don't believe it's capitalized in my own language, you see.

Interesting; what language is that?

I thought it might have been due to opposition to the notion of a "Christ," which I was going to agree with.

[Reznov]

It's not like a person in sudden pain screaming out "God damnit!" feels badly about God in that moment. It is silly to consider it blasphemous because swearing has a function completely unrelated to religion. If it make you feel a tiny bit better after uttering it, the sentence has served its purpose. It should not be called "swear words", it should just be called "swearing", because that has its own function irregardless of the words used. If I hurt myself I could yell out "jelly man with a broomstick hat!" and it could serve as well as "damn". The specific choice of words doesn't matter as much as the use.

In any case, to answer the first post, it makes at least as much sense for an atheist as for a believer to use those religious words as swear-words.

I fucking love to swear. I don't know why, but it... relieves me I guess.

Anybody know why this is?

[Jazzratt]

If this is seriously anyone's actual concern then I can pretty much garuntee that the person in question is a boring motherfucker.

[Queercommie Girl]

The best blasphemous swearing I've seen comes from an Asian American forum in which one anti-Christian member said:

"Fuck you and fuck God. Your fucking God can suck on my big fat Buddha cock."

[Hobbitgoth]

The best blasphemous swearing I've seen comes from an Asian American forum in which one anti-Christian member said:

"Fuck you and fuck God. Your fucking God can suck on my big fat Buddha cock."

That is fucking awesome!

[Jazzhands]

why is this in philosophy?

[Die Rote Fahne]

Tabernac. The only french swear i can remember. just sayin.

[Invincible Summer]

Tabernac. The only french swear i can remember. just sayin.

Oh man Quebecois swearing is great! It's so blatantly against Catholicism

Crisse de tabarnak de calice!

[mikelepore]

This a good one:

"Great Caesar's ghost!" -- Perry White

[Klaatu]

I've got one for you guys. There was this Chaldean guy working in our shop, and he was a bit retarded.
We asked him how to swear in Arabic. We asked "how do you say: Dirty Asshole?"

He thought for a minute and replied, "Woojee-wasuckh" (or something like that.) We laughed, and for
the next few months, went around saying "Woojee-wasuckh" to everyone. When we said it to an older
Chaldean guy, he looked puzzled. We asked, what EXACTLY does "Woojee-wasuch" mean, anyway?
He replied, that doesn't mean anything at all - where did you hear this gibberish?

Well, that was the end of "Woojee-wasuckh..." :rolleyes:

[Reznov]

Jesus fucking christ.

Hahaha, god dam I fucking love saying Jesus Fucking Christ.

[cska]

I always use religious swear words, cause to annoy the hell outta those goddamn religious loonies. :thumbup1:

[L.A.P.]

I say Jesus Christ all the time and God damn it but when I'm near a church on a sunday I like to yell "JESUS MOTHER FUCKING CHRIST" or "THE VIRGIN MARY WAS A WHORE" or "THE VIRGIN MARY TOOK UP THE ASS". I love turning those heads.:laugh:

[etjusticepourtous]

I consciously try refraining from swearing with any religious connotations.

[9]

I really don't care. I say 'god' all the time, it's purely rhetorical, who cares.

[William Howe]

I'm not religious, but I am Theistic (I believe there is a sort of God, but I don't agree with organized religion), and rarely use religious swears out of respect.

However, when extremely angry, I may shout "Jesus Christ!" or "God damn it!", but that's rare.

[RedAnarchist]

I do sometimes use religious-inspired swear words, but I don't really consider them any different to other swear words. It doesn't really bother me, because they don't have any religious meaning behind them for me, personally.

[Omi]

No one can beat us Dutchies. We swear with diseases, hows that?

When saying shut the fuck up, some Dutch people will say: ''houd je kankerbek'', which literally translates to: ''shut your cancermouth.'' To swear with cancer is considered quite rude by older people, but a lot of youth use it all the time. Cancerpolice is another one used very often:thumbup1:.

Oh and not to derail the thread to much, yeah I constantly swear using both diseases and religious terms. Preferably combined.

[Ravachol]

No one can beat us Dutchies. We swear with diseases, hows that?

When saying shut the fuck up, some Dutch people will say: ''houd je kankerbek'', which literally translates to: ''shut your cancermouth.'' To swear with cancer is considered quite rude by older people, but a lot of youth use it all the time. Cancerpolice is another one used very often:thumbup1:.

Oh and not to derail the thread to much, yeah I constantly swear using both diseases and religious terms. Preferably combined.

This.

Also, don't forget the fact that the semantics of Dutch allow for abnormally large sequences of obscene adjectives. For example "kanker tyfus tering hoeren politie" is semantically correct and would translate roughly to "cancer typhoid Tuberculosis whore police".

[Luís Henrique]

Holy Office of the Inquisition, is there nothing better to discuss?

Luís Henrique

[Quail]

Also, don't forget the fact that the semantics of Dutch allow for abnormally large sequences of obscene adjectives. For example "kanker tyfus tering hoeren politie" is semantically correct and would translate roughly to "cancer typhoid Tuberculosis whore police".
Dutch sounds like it has some awesome insults.