OT: The Phrase OMG=Offensive?

[CedarCreek]

This is way off topic but I was curious to hear some other thoughts.

Back story:

While visiting my sister who lives 4 hours away for her daughters birthday, I got into an interesting heated discussion with my 60 year old aunt who also lives in the same town.

I have visited many times over the years and this was never an issue until now.

Apparently, my aunt gets offended every time I use the phrase, "Oh my god".

After I said it, she stopped me and goes "You know, you say that a lot and you really shouldn't because it's not good for your kids to hear."

Let me say that she is a very active Christian and while I respect that, I am shifty about the whole thing. I consider myself to lean more toward agnostic.

I was pretty surprised at this and so I took the opportunity to point out something that she says that bothers me.

"I think it's worse for them to hear you say "Retard" or "retarded" as much as you do. That word deeply offends me because you know ds has intellectual disabilities."

She denied that she used it that much to which everyone at the table raised their eyebrows. And not 5 minutes later, she called someone retarded while telling a story. I just raised my eyebrows and pointed a finger at her.

I would also like to point out that she works as a teachers aide in a special needs classroom.

So the question for Christians (or anyone that wants to weigh in):

*Is "Oh my god" really offensive to you?
*If you find the word "Retard" offensive, is it more so than OMG?

I personally find the word Retard monumentally more offensive than OMG.

Thoughts?

[daycarediva]

oh my god doesn't bother me. I'm agnostic.

Retarded reallllly bothers me. I have a son with ASD.

[LK5kids]

About 5 yrs. ago I noticed people saying oh my gosh and never oh my God. So I switched too.

As far as the word retarded, yes it is such an such an out of date word and totally unacceptable.

[Willow]

I don't consider myself Christian in the traditional sense anymore but I don't allow it to be said here.

I don't use it, don't allow my kids to say it and don't allow the kids in my care to either.

The English language is rich and vast, there are so many better descriptive words to express shock, shame, disgust etc. that won't offend someone's religious beliefs. I don't care if they're not mine. I'm not huge on political correctness but I don't mind being respectful.


I think of it as good karma if nothing else


If I happen to get a kid on a good kick of it I'll encourage creativity to wipe it out. Made popular around here:
Oh my - fart-fig-newton
Oh my - hulla-baloobas
Oh my - nannies and crannies
Oh my - all that is holy crepes and a blessed baby Jesus in the manger (my personal favorite reserved for when my crawling knee finds mini-legos in the carpet )

[momofboys]

This is way off topic but I was curious to hear some other thoughts.

Back story:

While visiting my sister who lives 4 hours away for her daughters birthday, I got into an interesting heated discussion with my 60 year old aunt who also lives in the same town.

I have visited many times over the years and this was never an issue until now.

Apparently, my aunt gets offended every time I use the phrase, "Oh my god".

After I said it, she stopped me and goes "You know, you say that a lot and you really shouldn't because it's not good for your kids to hear."

Let me say that she is a very active Christian and while I respect that, I am shifty about the whole thing. I consider myself to lean more toward agnostic.

I was pretty surprised at this and so I took the opportunity to point out something that she says that bothers me.

"I think it's worse for them to hear you say "Retard" or "retarded" as much as you do. That word deeply offends me because you know ds has intellectual disabilities."

She denied that she used it that much to which everyone at the table raised their eyebrows. And not 5 minutes later, she called someone retarded while telling a story. I just raised my eyebrows and pointed a finger at her.

I would also like to point out that she works as a teachers aide in a special needs classroom.

So the question for Christians (or anyone that wants to weigh in):

*Is "Oh my god" really offensive to you?
*If you find the word "Retard" offensive, is it more so than OMG?

I personally find the word Retard monumentally more offensive than OMG.

Thoughts?

Me personally it would be very offensive because it is taking God's name in vain - it is one of the 10 comandments (don't take the Lord's name in vain) & making it into a swear word so to speak. For me I would rather hear my kids say damn it then OMG but that is just me (not that they say damn!!! ) - Retard is bad also & I would not want to hear it either. Both are huge No Nos in my house

[Msdunny]

I am a Christian, and I cringe when I hear it. I generally say OMGosh. My daughter and her friends say OMGroceries or My-lanta! Gives you something to say without being offensive to anyone.

I despise 'retarded'.

[momofboys]

This is way off topic but I was curious to hear some other thoughts.

Back story:

While visiting my sister who lives 4 hours away for her daughters birthday, I got into an interesting heated discussion with my 60 year old aunt who also lives in the same town.

I have visited many times over the years and this was never an issue until now.

Apparently, my aunt gets offended every time I use the phrase, "Oh my god".

After I said it, she stopped me and goes "You know, you say that a lot and you really shouldn't because it's not good for your kids to hear."

Let me say that she is a very active Christian and while I respect that, I am shifty about the whole thing. I consider myself to lean more toward agnostic.

I was pretty surprised at this and so I took the opportunity to point out something that she says that bothers me.

"I think it's worse for them to hear you say "Retard" or "retarded" as much as you do. That word deeply offends me because you know ds has intellectual disabilities."

She denied that she used it that much to which everyone at the table raised their eyebrows. And not 5 minutes later, she called someone retarded while telling a story. I just raised my eyebrows and pointed a finger at her.

I would also like to point out that she works as a teachers aide in a special needs classroom.

So the question for Christians (or anyone that wants to weigh in):

*Is "Oh my god" really offensive to you?
*If you find the word "Retard" offensive, is it more so than OMG?

I personally find the word Retard monumentally more offensive than OMG.
Thoughts?

You say yourself you are slightly agnostic so of course it would not be offensive to you ::- but for someone who tries to focus on having a relationship with God it is extremely offensive

[CedarCreek]

You say yourself you are slightly agnostic so of course it would not be offensive to you ::- but for someone who tries to focus on having a relationship with God it is extremely offensive

Obviously its not offensive to me. I'm the one who said it.

I'm forming a better idea of how offensive it is so that I can better understand that I need to change it to something else. That's the point of the thread for me.

[Candy]

Im a christian and it doesn't bother me. I say it don't really care if it offends some one. I would have told auntie that i would start using her word retarded then

[SilverSabre25]

Out of respect for other people's beliefs and feelings, I try to avoid it. I use "oh my gosh" or "oh my goodness" or "good grief" or "For the love of guinea pigs!" or something else similarly goofy. When really annoyed or stressed though I do say oh my god. Like while I was writing this post and I redirected the baby away from the ONE bag of "not toys" that's sitting in this room at least five times. The last time I said, "omg, baby! GO PLAY TOYS!"

I do, however, have a hard time curbing the word "crap" from my vocabulary. "Crapalanche" is our word for the pile of assorted clutter that just goes "avalanching" down, and I say crap for a variety of other things.

Retarded is very offensive when used in that context. I actually told off some boys at the bus stop earlier this week for using that word. I glared at them and say, "Hey, watch your language! There are little kids right here!" and gave them my best "mean mommy" face. They now cross and walk on the other side of the street, haha.

[momofboys]

Obviously its not offensive to me. I'm the one who said it.

I'm forming a better idea of how offensive it is so that I can better understand that I need to change it to something else. That's the point of the thread for me.

I understand that - obviously my word choice was poor -I was just trying to point out that to some it is very offensive.

[Evansmom]

I'm Buddhist so it doesn't bother me but I was raised Catholic and we were certainly not allowed to say oh my god ever growing up. It is considered as another poster pointed out to be against one of the 10 Commandments and so is offensive to Christians.

It doesn't bother me but I do avoid saying it bc I live in TX and there are so many Christians around. And I don't say it to my sis bc she loves Jesus a lot

The "R" word is completely horrid and I won't allow anyone to say it in my presence.

I try to remember that words can hurt and try to keep mine kind at all times. It's one of the principals of Buddhism, Right Speech. It means to watch what you say but also it means knowing when and when not to say thing that could be harmful to oneself or to others

[momofboys]

Out of respect for other people's beliefs and feelings, I try to avoid it. I use "oh my gosh" or "oh my goodness" or "good grief" or "For the love of guinea pigs!" or something else similarly goofy. When really annoyed or stressed though I do say oh my god. Like while I was writing this post and I redirected the baby away from the ONE bag of "not toys" that's sitting in this room at least five times. The last time I said, "omg, baby! GO PLAY TOYS!"
.

Retarded is very offensive when used in that context. I actually told off some boys at the bus stop earlier this week for using that word. I glared at them and say, "Hey, watch your language! There are little kids right here!" and gave them my best "mean mommy" face. They now cross and walk on the other side of the street, haha.

Love the guinea pig phrase

[CedarCreek]

I understand that - obviously my word choice was poor -I was just trying to point out that to some it is very offensive.

Gotcha

[momofsix]

Both are offensive to me. I can see where someone that is not a Christian would obviously not have a problem with OMG but I think that everyone should have a problem with the word retard.