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Question Title Posted By Question Date
"God forbid..." Rosa Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Question:

I was just talking to someone about something, and used the ever-common "God forbid" phrase. But I said it in a sarcastic way, kinda like "God forbid I leave one speck of dirt on the floor, it'd be a catastrophe." I hear that phrase used like that everywhere. Is it using God's name in vain? (I know it'd be a different story if I said it in a serious way, like "I hope nothing happens to him, God forbid." I don't mean like that.)

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+

Dear Rosa:

Yes, it is using God's name in vain. So is saying "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph" or "God aweful" or "God, that hurts" and all other means of utterances in which God's name is spoken but not in the context of prayer and respect but merely as a spontaneous utterance without a prayful intention.

Because this careless and common practice is done by nearly all of us, we more than ever, need to recite the Divine Praises at the end of the day as reparation for all the blasphemies in our own lives and in the lives of others.

Some people may think this is trivial, but God is not trivial. The ancient Jews had such respect for God that they would not ever speak His name. We have come a LONG way since those days, and not for the better.

God Bless,
Brp. Ignatius Mary


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