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Questions:

Do you take offense at turns of phrase, such as....

"Bless your heart" (in the sense that a person feels bad about something you're dealing with, not the sense that they are calling you dumb)

"Good lord! (In a fit of frustration)

"Jesus fucking christ!" (Frustration, naturally)

"Oh my god." (In the throws of passion... or frustration.... take your pick)

"Bless you." (when someone sneezes)

I think it's interesting when atheists take offense at turns of phrase. I cannot relate. I have no interest in changing someone's vernacular. Acceptance of people's quirks, makes for a much easier and satisfying life. Their turns of phrase have no bearing on me. To each their own. Most especially in a relationship with a fellow atheist. They are just turns of phrase that became common place, as leftovers from former religious adherence as a child, no doubt. Feeling the need to criticize your partner, and be critical of it, seems extreme. The phrases do not imply belief in the magic fairy in the sky.

nutrition_nerd 7 May 1
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55 comments (26 - 50)

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3

No, for me they all have become figures of speech, or just exclamations that carry no weight or meaning. Sort of like if I would say "Blimey" or "Shit"

3

I agree with you. These phrases are so common that they don't automatically imply religious belief. A phrase like, "she is such an angel" doesn't imply that angels exist only that she did something good at that time.

I think the more we use phrases and words that are/were associated with religions and make them commonplace in different context we extend their meanings to the point that their original definitions have little to no impact. For example the word "gay" used to mean lively, merry, and carefree. Now it is more associated with same sex.

Betty Level 8 May 2, 2018

I sometimes say "bless you" ... For me it came from Rastafarian friends and bhuddist .. so people can assume all they like lol 🙂))))) !!!! Language is so emotive ! context is all.

3

I generally just try to remember that all those "bless your heart"s and so on are just the idioms those people use to express those feelings. Being upset by someone trying to wish me well seems silly. I grew up in the rural south so merely being non-christian (Baptist or methodist specifically) placed me in an EXTREME minority. And expletive versions of these idioms are so ingrained in my vernacular I find myself having to deal with offended believers for all the "goddamned" and "God dammit"s. I just reply that no, neither of those qualify as "taking the Lord's name in vain." The former is simply an adjective, the latter a formal request. Which, again, are nothing more than idioms I picked up from adults during my youth and just happen to enjoy using.

Well said. 🙂

3

you left out, "Bless your little cotton socks".

I was raised in Florida and Georgia and remember the cotton socks blessing.

3

I don’t “take offense”, but those phrases don’t have to be the norm either

3

I still say some of those things. Not because I believe but more out of habit. I do say “bless your heart” but as a “your dumb” type of way. My favorite is “god fucking damnit!”

I can’t stand when someone says “have a blessed day” though. Had a nurse leave an appoint reminder message and closed with “have a blessed day”. My first thought was “how unprofessional”. I guess I’m a religious word snob. Some is acceptable but some infringes on my personal views and how dare anyone force their religious blessings on me.

While it's unprofessional in business, I wouldn' really get offended. I would feel a little insulted that they assume I'm glad to be "blessed"

2

I don't take offense at these turns of phrase, but I admit I have made a bit of an effort to change my own speech habits to remove these types of things.

2

You know (I know you are all going to complain) misspelling is a serious trigger for me and because the majority of the members here are from North America, I am constantly triggered. It's 'offence'! 😉 😉

As regards religious turns of phrase, it is actually a disciplinary offence (see spelled correctly 😉 ) for a nurse to use any religious terms here. Nurses have been disciplined for saying, 'I'll pray for you'. Its something I would never do in clinical practice or in university (I am a uni lecturer these days). Even something like 'blessya'. I think it is generally a good idea because as practitioners or educators our role is never to proselytise.

2

I don't get offended by any of those.

What would offend me would be if someone who knew I'm an atheist said "I'll pray for you." That would piss me off, especially if they said if because I'm an atheist.

The other thing that irks me is when people have religious quotes associated with their work email signature. I don't think it's the right place for that (unless, of course your work is religious based.)

"I'll pray for you" - "That's fine - I'll masturbate over a photograph of you" - same thing really ha ha

@Flettie ROFL - That's.... disturbing, and funny, but mostly disturbing. Mas-durbing??

2

I don't get offended when others use religious expressions towards me but I sure try really hard not to use then myself. It's a subtle way to show resistance. I even avoid OMG and other non religious but misleading words like saying my hypothesis rather than my theory.
In French, we say à tes souhaits to mean bless you for a sneeze. It is secular and is translated word to word as To your wishes
[thoughtco.com]

@nutrition_nerd don't sweat it. Culture is a hard habit to break (and often it should not be broken for it defines us whether we like it or not)

2

Agree, they're just expressions.... Language is a complex subject

2

No, not that stuff so much. But more specifically including me in their religious thoughts does piss me off. Keep your delusions to yourself and leave me out of it!

2

I live in the South. I say "bless your heart" all the time. It's often a way of telling someone to fuck off, when in polite company.

2

thumbs-up
"Awesome ! Need all the help I can get ! Got any money ?"
Which is also pretty effective at running them off quick.

2

Phrases such as that do not bother me.

2

It doesn't bother me. These phrases are ingrained in our culture. I do make a point of saying "gesundheit" when someone sneezes. The sentiment of "god bless you" goes back at least to Mycaenean times and a phrased was invoked (and I'm not sure about this, but presumably) Hades, the god of the underworld. It was believed that when one sneezed, the psyche left the body, and thereby invoking the god of the dead would restore you.

RichE Level 5 May 1, 2018

Gesundheit is wonderful because not only is it an amazing word that is fun to say.., it just means “health”. Hard to conflate that with a diety.

2

No, and I even say some of them.

MsAl Level 8 May 1, 2018
1

You know there is an old Arab saying : your enemy is not your teacher”. We as Agnostics and Atheists can behave like the religious right or Zealots or every day garden variety Christians . We don’t have be rude , unkind , disrespectful, dogmatic, brain frozen... but rather move on and don’t sweat the small stuff

1

My go to curse is jesus fuck. I feel like it would be more offensive to believers than atheists. But I don’t use it with any intention to offend anybody. It just rolls naturally off my tongue. I have been considering retraining myself to say fermi fuck instead.

I sometimes say "sweet monkey Jesus" in reference to that hilarious painting in Spain.

@CalebMarion That is awesome!

1

Better things in life to enjoy not going to be bothered or waste my energy on others I am happy

Rosh Level 7 May 2, 2018
1

yeah hate it as bad as I'll pray for you,which is doing nothing.

1

I do not take offense depending on the source. If someone who knows about my lack of faith then I take it as an insult

I know of your lack of faith and you know mine.

Question.

If I asked you to do an enormous favor and you agreed and my response was...Thank you so much, your an angel. Would you take it as an insult or a compliment?

1

Try not to

1

I agree. ?

1

Granted, not to be taken so seriously

It's more the attitude behind them.

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