Religious Exclamations

[Ihateyoumike]

This is a very amusing thread. I'm quite enjoying it. At first I was annoyed by dirt's arguing about everything, but now it just gives me a good laugh. Reminds me of a little kid who'll argue about anything without really knowing what they're arguing.

Thanks dirt. You amuse me, gosh dang you you gosh darned rascal.

[skwurll]

I found I used to use those words a lot when I was a Christian, now I simply say "Atheismo damn it!", or "Oh my Ayeesha", now that I have converted.
Ever since I started praying to the wonderful Lord and Lady Atheismo and Ayeesha, I've refrained from saying "God" anything,.

Atheismo bless you, and may you walk forever with Ayeesha in the hallowed halls of Eternity.

[AnimatedDirt]

This is a very amusing thread. I'm quite enjoying it. At first I was annoyed by dirt's arguing about everything, but now it just gives me a good laugh. Reminds me of a little kid who'll argue about anything without really knowing what they're arguing.

Thanks dirt. You amuse me, gosh dang you you gosh darned rascal.

I'm glad to amuse you.

The sad thing here is that no Atheist has been able to give an answer that one might say fits well within the non-belief in God.

The point remains, as made by Atheists on this thread, that "God" does make it better and gives it more "oomph".  Why?

If "God" does not exist, what is the point of using "God" (again see the post in regard to the meaning behind God damn, holy, Jesus...) and why has the Atheist, as a group, not adopted using something different or not using a "qualifier" that invokes the power of a non-existent "God"?

IMHO, the best thing an Atheist can do on this subject is to discontinue using this language UNLESS it is purposely uttered at a Christian or someone it would offend.  (which it does neither to me).

[AnimatedDirt]

I found I used to use those words a lot when I was a Christian, now I simply say "Atheismo damn it!", or "Oh my Ayeesha", now that I have converted.
Ever since I started praying to the wonderful Lord and Lady Atheismo and Ayeesha, I've refrained from saying "God" anything,.

Atheismo bless you, and may you walk forever with Ayeesha in the hallowed halls of Eternity.

Chalk up another for my argument.

Replacing one "non-existent deity" and creating another personification of a "non-existent deity" to qualify their words.

Thanks skwurll

Why do your words have to be qualified by a god?

[skwurll]

Replacing one "non-existent deity" and creating another personification of a "non-existent deity" to qualify their words.

Thanks skwurll

Why do your words have to be qualified by a god?

Although my post was equal parts sarcasm and hilariously amusing wit, (And that's being modest) I would have to say it's a learned habit.
That's how I've heard people express emotion while I was growing up, I guess I've learned to emulate their speech, sort of like a region-specific dialect or accent.
For example, if I had never been exposed to saying "God" as a qualifier for cursing, I doubt I'd use it in normal speech.

[Davin]

I will not defend your crazy beliefs. You asked me to tell you what kind of power you were talking about. I asked you what kind of power you were talking about, you asked me to tell you what kind of power you were talking about, so I told you what kind of power you were talking about. Of course you could just say what kind of power saying "Jesus fucking Mary and Joseph sideways" has.

I have not defended rainbows exiting from a belly button.  Please refrain from making rediculous made up claims on my part.

Then don't ask me to tell you what kind of power you're talking about when using religious exclamations. You could make your own claim, but you asked me to, so I did.

I'm not trying to say what kind of power, I'm asking what power does the Atheist invoke on "God" when he/she uses exclamations that call on "God" and/or qualities/abilities that belong only to the Christian God?

I've told you, if anything it has a negative effect on the god due to showing that the abilities of the god are matched only by non existence.

You claimed that it gives the words power, I just want to know what kind of power it is that you're claiming it gives.

Well, I know why I think they are used as such, but the OP is of a different question.  THAT is the question.  Why do Atheists keep using these words as exclamations if there is no power in the word(s)...excluding "God" and replacing with "Unicorn", for instance.

The question is, why is "God" more effective?  My use of such exclamation(s) is based on my held belief...the question then is what is *your basis for use?

If "God" is non-existent or *you reject belief in...what makes "God damn it!" more expressive/an exclamation than "Unicorn Damn it!" (Or insert your god of preference.) and why?

Are we not talking about religious exclamations? We're still on topic here. I've answered that question, now please answer my question that I've been asking since you posted this on page one:

The point being that to use these words as exclamations, as curses, as swear...is to give these words/names power. If the Atheist denies God (or any god), then why, by using these as such, do *you continue to "shoot yourself in the foot"?

What kind of power are you talking about?

[AnimatedDirt]

Although my post was equal parts sarcasm and hilariously amusing wit, (And that's being modest) I would have to say it's a learned habit.
That's how I've heard people express emotion while I was growing up, I guess I've learned to emulate their speech, sort of like a region-specific dialect or accent.
For example, if I had never been exposed to saying "God" as a qualifier for cursing, I doubt I'd use it in normal speech.

The fact remains...you have labeled yourself an Atheist and have no belief in "God".  Many here attest to their choosing Atheism AFTER having been Christian as a child or having been raised by parents of some religious belief.  You have freely chosen to leave religious beliefs behind.
The fact remains...you do understand the meaning behind the words...yet you refuse to leave religious words and qualifiers behind.

Why?  It matters not one iota that it is "accepted", "learned", or "region-specific dialect".
Religion is accepted, learned and also region specific.  *You've been able to put it aside...why not simple words?

[skwurll]

Why?  It matters not one iota that it is "accepted", "learned", or "region-specific dialect".
Religion is accepted, learned and also region specific.  *You've been able to put it aside...why not simple words?

I'll just put it bluntly, I do not know.

[Ihateyoumike]

This is a very amusing thread. I'm quite enjoying it. At first I was annoyed by dirt's arguing about everything, but now it just gives me a good laugh. Reminds me of a little kid who'll argue about anything without really knowing what they're arguing.

Thanks dirt. You amuse me, gosh dang you you gosh darned rascal.

I'm glad to amuse you.

The sad thing here is that no Atheist has been able to give an answer that one might say fits well within the non-belief in God.

The point remains, as made by Atheists on this thread, that "God" does make it better and gives it more "oomph".  Why?

If "God" does not exist, what is the point of using "God" (again see the post in regard to the meaning behind God damn, holy, Jesus...) and why has the Atheist, as a group, not adopted using something different or not using a "qualifier" that invokes the power of a non-existent "God"?

IMHO, the best thing an Atheist can do on this subject is to discontinue using this language UNLESS it is purposely uttered at a Christian or someone it would offend.  (which it does neither to me).

My question, and this is in all honesty, is why do you care so much what words we use?

I use fuck you quite often (joking more often than not) but I'm not literally telling the person that I'm going to put my penis in them forcefully. Or using go fuck yourself, I'm not literally instructing the person to masturbate. So why should using god damn you, or jesus conworthy fucking christ be any different. Honestly, until you started this thread, I never thought about the fact that god or jesus is used in so many "curse words" and I didn't care. Still don't give a flying fuck, and no.... I'm not talking about not giving you a fuck while in a flying airplane. That would just be ridiculous.

[AnimatedDirt]

Then don't ask me to tell you what kind of power you're talking about when using religious exclamations. You could make your own claim, but you asked me to, so I did.

God does not spew rainbows from His belly button.  I'm not certain why you'd again make such an assertion if it does nothing to answer why or what power there is in using "God" to qualify exclamations.  I leave it to you to sort out.

I've told you, if anything it has a negative effect on the god due to showing that the abilities of the god are matched only by non existence.

Negative effect?  How so if "God damn" qualifies a curse uttered to another?  It would seem it rather enhances the curse rather than negatively affects it.  To "negatively" curse at someone is to yell something that has no power...or something like "Feather you!"  A feather has the unique ability in a word to hardly promote a curse or pain of any sort.  So to yell "Feather you!" at someone is counter-productive if a curse is what is needed/wanted to convey.

You claimed that it gives the words power, I just want to know what kind of power it is that you're claiming it gives.

Well, I know why I think they are used as such, but the OP is of a different question.  THAT is the question.  Why do Atheists keep using these words as exclamations if there is no power in the word(s)...excluding "God" and replacing with "Unicorn", for instance.

The question is, why is "God" more effective?  My use of such exclamation(s) is based on my held belief...the question then is what is *your basis for use?

If "God" is non-existent or *you reject belief in...what makes "God damn it!" more expressive/an exclamation than "Unicorn Damn it!" (Or insert your god of preference.) and why?

Are we not talking about religious exclamations? We're still on topic here. I've answered that question, now please answer my question that I've been asking since you posted this on page one:

I'm probably not understanding, but I don't see a question in that post at all.  Maybe it would be best for you to simply re-ask it.

The point being that to use these words as exclamations, as curses, as swear...is to give these words/names power. If the Atheist denies God (or any god), then why, by using these as such, do *you continue to "shoot yourself in the foot"?

What kind of power are you talking about?

That is the question to the Atheist.  I've already given you why it is so for me.

[AnimatedDirt]

My question, and this is in all honesty, is why do you care so much what words we use?

As I mentioned to Davin above; to yell at someone and say, "Feather you!"is no curse at all.  To yell, "God damn you!" is to invoke the power of God to damn...one must not only invoke the power of God TO damn, but to believe in God is to understand what it is to DAMN a person.  So, since the Atheist denies the existence of God (or any gods), what then is it about "God" and "Damn" that invokes a curse if neither exists?  It is a moot curse on the part of the Atheist that employs it because he/she does not even believe in God.  One might as well yell out "Unicorn you!" and it SHOULD be the same curse and meaning behind such an utterance in the Atheist community.  But as evidenced by this thread and the many times the Atheists have gone to qualifying their utterances with God or a god-like character..."God" still qualifies the curse.  Why is this so and how is this logical coming from a freethinking, logically-minded, and non-deluded person as the Atheist promotes him/herself to be?

I use fuck you quite often (joking more often than not) but I'm not literally telling the person that I'm going to put my penis in them forcefully. Or using go fuck yourself, I'm not literally instructing the person to masturbate. So why should using god damn you, or jesus conworthy fucking christ be any different. Honestly, until you started this thread, I never thought about the fact that god or jesus is used in so many "curse words" and I didn't care. Still don't give a flying fuck, and no.... I'm not talking about not giving you a fuck while in a flying airplane. That would just be ridiculous.

The F word has the ability to stand alone in cursing be it meant in a sexual connotation, or a pain-inflicting connotation (among many others).  When you use "I don't give a flying fuck", you are not invoking God, so I have no problem with it.  The literal meaning of it is not based on the existence of God, whereas the literal meaning of "God damn you", "Jesus Christ!", "Holy fuck!"...and the like, DO invoke a power that God alone has that Unicorn, for example, does not have.

Check out the word fuck in wikepedia.  Very interesting.

[AnimatedDirt]

Why?  It matters not one iota that it is "accepted", "learned", or "region-specific dialect".
Religion is accepted, learned and also region specific.  *You've been able to put it aside...why not simple words?

I'll just put it bluntly, I do not know.

An honest answer.  Appreciated.  However we are still left with the question and the appeal to better logic.

[Davin]

Then don't ask me to tell you what kind of power you're talking about when using religious exclamations. You could make your own claim, but you asked me to, so I did.

God does not spew rainbows from His belly button.  I'm not certain why you'd again make such an assertion if it does nothing to answer why or what power there is in using "God" to qualify exclamations.  I leave it to you to sort out.

Again, I don't think it's my responsibility to tell you what you mean.

What kind of "power" are you talking about?

You tell me...what makes adding "God" to an exclamation give it more "oomph"?

I asked you what kind of power you were talking about, to which you asked me to tell you. So I told you what kind of power you were talking about. I'm sure you get it by now. It was a humorous attempt to show how you avoided the question and continue to avoid the question.

I've told you, if anything it has a negative effect on the god due to showing that the abilities of the god are matched only by non existence.

Negative effect?  How so if "God damn" qualifies a curse uttered to another?  It would seem it rather enhances the curse rather than negatively affects it.  To "negatively" curse at someone is to yell something that has no power...or something like "Feather you!"  A feather has the unique ability in a word to hardly promote a curse or pain of any sort.  So to yell "Feather you!" at someone is counter-productive if a curse is what is needed/wanted to convey.

"Unicorn damn you" and "god damn you" are equal statements in that both a unicorn and a god do not exist.

In the interests of being lazy, instead of reiterating in yet another way what my position is, I'll just link and quote what I've already stated in this thread:
[spoiler:vy4nn1xo]Here

They're just words, unless you think saying "Jesus Christ" all the time will actually make Jesus Christ exist. I suppose we could substitute "god" with "science" like; "science damn it!" and "oh my science!"

Though all kidding aside, I'm sure you don't mean that kind of power, because that's like incantations, summonings and dark magic. In the other kind of power of words, I think it hurts the religious more to say things like "god damn it!", "Jesus Fucking Christ on on a stick!", "god fucking sideways!" and "Pig fucking Jesus Christ!" Because a lot of religious people tend to get offended even though the person saying it may not have their same belief. On Penn & Teller's: Bullshit (I think one in season 2), there was a lady that said that people should substitute the word "god" with the word "Buddha" because they didn't believe in Buddha so it wasn't bad. Hilarious how hypocritical some of the more extreme religious can get without ever seeing it.

Here

The things I mentioned don't have to be curses at someone, like if I drop a box of tools on my foot I yell "Jesus, fucking, goats, in a shed!" There is no affirming of power either, it more shows that god can't damn anything, more an affirmation of how weak god is than gods power.

Here

I say things like that a lot when talking with my friends and family. Even "oh my science!" Sometimes I even yell "Kirk Hammett!" Am I invoking the power of Metallica when making that exclamation? Because I'll put the power of Kirk Hammett up against the power of your god any day, we'll see with one can drink a beer the fastest, which one can rip a piece of paper faster, which one has evidence for their existence, and to be fair, I'll even see which one can appear on toast the fastest (gotta give god at least one gimme). This notion that atheists are invoking some non-existent being to... I'm not sure what you're think an atheist is invoking something they don't believe in to do when using a religious term as an exclamation.

To be more to the point: your god is not the only thing I use as an exclamation, also my exclamations take many forms not limited to deities and irrationally labeled "foul language". Even if this god existed, using religious terms as exclamations does not change it into a state that is indistinguishable from not existing.

Here

They both work the same for me. There is no difference to me which exclamation I or anyone else chooses to use, except maybe in the case of making a humorous exclamation vs. not humorous. But other than how funny an exclamation is and the context it is used in, there is no difference.

[/spoiler:vy4nn1xo]

Are we not talking about religious exclamations? We're still on topic here. I've answered that question, now please answer my question that I've been asking since you posted this on page one:

I'm probably not understanding, but I don't see a question in that post at all.  Maybe it would be best for you to simply re-ask it.

The point being that to use these words as exclamations, as curses, as swear...is to give these words/names power. If the Atheist denies God (or any god), then why, by using these as such, do *you continue to "shoot yourself in the foot"?

What kind of power are you talking about?

That is the question to the Atheist.  I've already given you why it is so for me.

No, that is my question to you. You've yet to answer the question.

[AnimatedDirt]

I asked you what kind of power you were talking about, to which you asked me to tell you. So I told you what kind of power you were talking about. I'm sure you get it by now. It was a humorous attempt to show how you avoided the question and continue to avoid the question.

The OP is not directed at the Theist...it's directed at the Atheist.  I already told you why ME using these curses is more appropriate as I believe in God.  *You don't.  So...the question remains.

"Unicorn damn you" and "god damn you" are equal statements in that both a unicorn and a god do not exist.

I agree...from the Atheist point of view.  THE QUESTION THEN REMAINS, why does the Atheist continue to use "God" instead of employing something with more logical meaning to the Atheist?

No, that is my question to you. You've yet to answer the question.

And just above, I've given the answer for at least the third time.
Now it's your turn to answer WHAT "God" does to qualify the curse(s)?  What power is there in the word, "God" that makes it more meaningful to the Atheist in that he/she continues to invoke power to something non-existent??
My answer:
[spoiler:39npxqzp]I believe in God.
Make that 4 times I've answered.[/spoiler:39npxqzp]

[Lost]

gosh dang you you gosh darned rascal.

That made me almost spit out my drink  

(Almost at 50 posts! weeehawww)