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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 Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

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

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum