I'm curious to know if some of you can't help themselves saying " Thank God" or Oh my God", even though you're atheist or agnostic ? Just an hour ago I was sure I lost my presto card ( bus card in Toronto). I was panicking... Looking everywhere. When I finally found it I said " Thanks God !!" But immediately I thought God has nothing to do with that. Or anything ! Lol
It's something we've heard and said all our lives. It's not going to leave your head just because you don't believe. It's like the 4 leaf clover I carried for a year because I found it at an emotional time in my life. I didn't believe it brought luck, but for some reason I kept it.
It's a phrase. It's popular in north america. Belief or no belief, not surprising you'd utter it. We use phrases without the original intent all the time.
It's just a conditioned habit. I occasionally use those terms, sometimes I say "good Grodd almighty", sometimes I'll say "by Zeus' flaming nipple!"
I know it's just a way of letting off steam and doesn't imply any belief
@backwardsman we say OMG, rarely Thank God... But It might come to my mind if I come Lol
Maybe it's some kind of twisted metaphor.
Hey ! Ça fait du bien de voir un québécois ici !
Indeed... It's a metaphor
We spend so much time thanking real people, it becomes an instinctive habit. It is the "oil" that keeps the wheels of society turning. When there is no-one obvious to thank then your reaction is natural. But you could thank yourself for looking in all the right places and keeping calm and logical.
Most of us have spent a lifetime saying OMG or thank god, etc. Even among the religious I never see people actually thanking a god. It is only words. I view this the same way when people are praying for you or sending prayers your way. These words are simply sayings. NOBODY is actually doing these things. It is empty words.
It only takes a few months of conscious practice to substitute the words of your choice for various occasions. Thank goodness! Jeepers Creepers! Oh my! Even terms already in the category of myth or fantasy, such as thank your lucky stars, Gad Zooks! and so on.
I like the hat idea.
If I sneeze,and someone blesses me, I ask that they save their blessings for the children raped by catholic priests. Shocking yes, but it makes them think.
I avoid those words at all costs. I've come up with a few phrases not related to religion. It ain't easy. Lol
The substitutions have long since become 2nd nature. When someone sneezes, I say, "Gesundheit." If I sneeze, it's "Bless me" - unless nobody says anything, in which case it's "BLESS ME!" even though I already know I'm blessed.
I say those thing all the time. I also celebrate Christmas. Who cares?
I try to include all of them by saying "thank gods" or "gods damn it". Lol
I catch my self saying thank god but i am guilty of oh my god
I find myself saying goddammit from time to time. I'm trying not to say it at all.
Just exposure to common language is all.
Holy fuck! Is another contradiction. Although I do remember some biblical encounters.