quote:

ORIGINAL: Harvie

I was reading on another thread a discussion about "taking the Lord's name in vain" ... and wondered what that meant to you. Is there one generally accepted definition out there for this? Or a concensus? Does it mean avoiding trite phrases that mention God ... or not saying God D***, or not saying Jesus Christ (when used as an expletive?) What about Oh my God and Thank God it's Friday?

(Apologies to both the Lord and any Crosswalkers if any of the above uses of the Lord's name were offensive ... I'm merely trying to start a civil and thoughtful discussion.)

NOTE: THE POLL HAS BEEN EDITED TO ADD MORE OPTIONS

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ORIGINAL: PinkCarnations

I could have probably voted yes to all of those, I did for several of them. The one that really gets to me though, is when on a Christian site I see someone type OMG. Those people may not be meaning to appear to be taking the Lord's name in vain, but we live in a world that accepts that as a way of taking His name in vain and I think it hurts our witness.

quote:

Then there are those who need their mouths washed out with soap, using His Name in unwholesome ways.

In the U.S., at least, "G-d" is used as His Name. When people pray, they say such things as "Oh, G-d," and "Father G-d," "Dear G-d," thus using the term "G-d" as His Name, and yet they use these same terms as expletives. The word should not be used lightly, whether or not others say it is not His Name, because in the US, the term is commonly used as His Name.

"Jesus" is also commonly used as Messiah's Name, but it is not His Name. Many believers highly revere the name Jesus. Would it, then, be acceptable for me to deride that name, using it as an expletive? NO! That would be a slap in His face, because He is (ha!) very aware that people use this as His Name, and He hasn't derided any for that! Instead, He has saved souls and lives through that name; He has heard prayers in that name. So it should be for the term, G-d.

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ORIGINAL: laura...

I voted "other".

Consider the following scriptures:

Jer 14:14 Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds. 15 Therefore, this is what the LORD says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, 'No sword or famine will touch this land.' Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine. 16 And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.

Jer 23:21 I did not send these prophets,
yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
yet they have prophesied.

Jer 29:23
For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives and in my name have spoken lies, which I did not tell them to do. I know it and am a witness to it," declares the LORD.

The 3rd commandment is broken when we say, "God said" when God did not.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Johnny_

Ben's post #21 is the correct answer to the OP's question.