OT: The Phrase OMG=Offensive?

[Starburst]

I think it has more to do with you aren't supposed to say the 'lords name in vain' like they think everytime you say god he just pops up and will be like "This better be important, you pulled my attention away from helping save a child in Africa" (isn't he supposed to be everywhere anyway).

I am not really "religous" (my family is Catholic) but I consider myself to be spiritual (and no that doesn't mean I worship the devil or practice witchcraft or don't believe in God or Jesus). But when I am around kids and people I know are more religious I tend to say "oh my gosh", "oh my goodness", "Oh my", "Oh dear", "oh my stars", "oh man", or "Oh my stars and guarders" ( thats from Bewitched) more because some people think it's not culturally appropriate- also I try to make it a habit anyway so that I don't slip during the wrong moments. Have you also noticed that a lot of shows for preteens and school age kids always say 'Oh my god' too lately (iCarly, Victorious, Regular Show) but family and kid shows from just a few year ago (early 2000s and before) never really did? Weird when you think about it.

And I am taking a 'children with special needs' class and the teacher said they no longer refer to those people as "mentally retarded" now they are either 'mentally delayed', 'mentally challenged', or 'mentally handicapped'. Someone asked him once why they even used the word retarded to begin with and the teacher said it actually was an appropriate word to use to describe their condition because it means "held back", "retained', "latened", or 'delayed' learning but the problem is that people started using it as a derogitory term to insult someone and people misused the term to where everyone uses it to mean 'stupid' or 'inferior' now and that has so many negative attachments to it so now the medical professionals have now stopped using that term so it now is politically incorrect. So yes, I do find it offensive- espesually since it is no longer even used for medical perposes. There was one time this little girl (about 4 or 5 at the time) at a daycare I worked at and she was very "spacey" (she was violated by her G'pa- PTSD) and she one time got angry with another child and called him "retarded" (even though that child was actually more focused and developmentally mature than she was)- I gave her a time out and told her that it is never okay to call someone that espesually because you don't even know what it means.

They have this DSM that is used for diagnosis and defining medical/mental disorders that they change every couple of years, that is going to be one of the changes. Also new in the next addition: ADD and ADHD will now both just be ADHD (types: 1, 2, and 3 {both}) and Aspergers is now just considered a type of Autism (which it is but they it now doesn't get its own definition).

[jenn]

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.

That may be my new favorite word. We use "Craptastic", a word taken from a friend. "The car is broken again. Well, that is just craptastic!" I wish we could erase that word from our language, but it lingers.

I do think taking God's name in vain is offensive. I do think saying retard or retarded can be offensive as well.

[MarinaVanessa]

I;m Christian and although I don't use the phrase I don't let the fact that others use because I have no say in what they do or a right to judge other people for saying it. I can only control my own language and behavior and if others want to say whatever they want to say or do whatever they want to do then that's up to them ... I just avoid people that do or say things I don't agree with.

[just_peachy]

I;m Christian and although I don't use the phrase I don't let the fact that others use because I have no say in what they do or a right to judge other people for saying it. I can only control my own language and behavior and if others want to say whatever they want to say or do whatever they want to do then that's up to them ... I just avoid people that do or say things I don't agree with.

That's how I feel too. I'm Christian and I don't like the way it sounds because we've grown accustomed to not saying it around here. I don't judge others who say it either. It DOES bother me when people say it in front of my own kids, or any swear words for that matter. I usually just let it go and talk to my kids about it later. Retarded is also offensive!!

My best friend is agnostic and she says Jesus Christ ALL the time, which sounds uglier to me than OMG. She asked me once if it offends her. I told her I don't like the way it sounds, but it doesn't necessarily offend me. She still says it.

But it also sounds like you say it a lot? Maybe your aunt had heard it several times in one sitting and that's why it caught her ear. I use "catch phrases" sometimes entirrrely too much. And even though they're innocent ones, I know I annoy people with them sometimes! I've given my husband permission to call me out on it. One is "I know, right?" Gah! So I'd also cut her slack there as well.

So I'm cutting everyone slack for everything.

No wonder I have "backbone" problems.

[AfterSchoolMom]

I say it ALLLLLL the time, and I'm really trying hard to stop, because I'm trying to teach my kids not to. We go to church every Sunday, and I'd consider us somewhat religious. I'm much more offended when someone says "JC". I think when people say "OMG", they don't really mean it that way - it's like "um" or something else like that. Am I offended? Not really. Is that right? Probably not.

I say "crap" all the time too, and my DH is always getting on me to stop it. I just don't find that one offensive at all, and I'm not even really concerned when my kids say it.

Retard is one of the most offensive things someone can say, IMO. It's right up there with the F word that rhymes with "maggot" and the "N" word as far as I'm concerned.

Of course, I try not to say anything at all when I'm around littles and other people's children.

[Scout]

You guys don't want to know the words that come out of my mouth! I am not very religious, I do believe in God and pray to Him but, I do not find that offensive at all but, like I said, I don't go to church on a regular occasion. I do find retarded offensive but, not nearly as offensive as other words that people use for certain groups of people. I had a gay guy that I worked with that would refer to himself as that and I would tell him all the time "I do not like that word, please do not use it, even in reference to yourself." Any words going against ones beliefs, physical appearance, emotional being, etc. I think can be very offensive so I try to stay clear. There are two words in our language that I CAN NOT STAND...I alluded to the one, the other is right along the same lines and I am not shy about telling people to steer clear there either.

[CedarCreek]

That's how I feel too. I'm Christian and I don't like the way it sounds because we've grown accustomed to not saying it around here. I don't judge others who say it either. It DOES bother me when people say it in front of my own kids, or any swear words for that matter. I usually just let it go and talk to my kids about it later. Retarded is also offensive!!

My best friend is agnostic and she says Jesus Christ ALL the time, which sounds uglier to me than OMG. She asked me once if it offends her. I told her I don't like the way it sounds, but it doesn't necessarily offend me. She still says it.

But it also sounds like you say it a lot? Maybe your aunt had heard it several times in one sitting and that's why it caught her ear. I use "catch phrases" sometimes entirrrely too much. And even though they're innocent ones, I know I annoy people with them sometimes! I've given my husband permission to call me out on it. One is "I know, right?" Gah! So I'd also cut her slack there as well.

So I'm cutting everyone slack for everything.

No wonder I have "backbone" problems.

I do say it a lot. I honestly was not aware that it was widely offensive. I'll be working on another term from now on. I like "oh my stars" or the Guinea pig one.

I was also just plain shocked that someone who works with special needs children and is around my special needs son quite a bit would find that using retard was acceptable but omg wasn't.

[MotherNature]

I'm a very liberal Christian, and saying Oh my God doesn't bother me at all. For one, which God is the phrase even referring to? I know some people say it's using God's name in vain by being so casual about it, but perhaps the person using the phrase is actually referring to a deity outside the Judeo-Christian pantheon, if they're even referring to a deity at all. My mom is verrry conservative & while she used to say Oh my gosh, now says Oh my golly b/c gosh was too close to God. IMO, that is just goofy sounding. Besides, everyone knows what the intended word was, just say gosh.. I don't like when preteens use it with their snotty attitudes, but there's a lot I don't like about that age group.:: They'll try to cuss or use courser words like stupid & ****s just for shock value, & end up sounding like someone who can't even cuss properly. Yes, it's an art. I do cuss, but I don't do it around kids, mine, or others. I cringe when I hear preschoolers & toddlers cussing habitually..not a good impression. As for retarded, nope don't say it. It's offensive & archaic.

[AfterSchoolMom]

I'm a very liberal Christian, and saying Oh my God doesn't bother me at all. For one, which God is the phrase even referring to? I know some people say it's using God's name in vain by being so casual about it, but perhaps the person using the phrase is actually referring to a deity outside the Judeo-Christian pantheon, if they're even referring to a deity at all. My mom is verrry conservative & while she used to say Oh my gosh, now says Oh my golly b/c gosh was too close to God. IMO, that is just goofy sounding. Besides, everyone knows what the intended word was, just say gosh.. I don't like when preteens use it with their snotty attitudes, but there's a lot I don't like about that age group.:: They'll try to cuss or use courser words like stupid & ****s just for shock value, & end up sounding like someone who can't even cuss properly. Yes, it's an art. I do cuss, but I don't do it around kids, mine, or others. I cringe when I hear preschoolers & toddlers cussing habitually..not a good impression. As for retarded, nope don't say it. It's offensive & archaic.

Yes to this. You said it much better than I did!

[Country Kids]

Yes, I find it offensive and I think just not saying oh my "anything" helps alot.

When you use slang of anytype also its just a "lighter"version to me of the actual word. I don't like slang words either because of that.

Words I really don't like:

OMG or what ever the person puts with it
Crap
What The (big ones with my preschoolers and I really hate cartoons that use this)
Retard/Mental

[Evansmom]

I lived in UT for 10 years and everyone there says "oh my heck!" ::::

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I am a conservative Christian and find the phrase, "Oh my God!" to be very offensive. It's as offensive to me as, possibly, me saying "F you!" to you. Very, very rude.

When I hear a DCK say it I immediately tell them they CANNOT say that here and teach them to say, "Oh good golly!" Oh good golly is adorable. Oh my God is very offensive.
Exodus 20:7 talks about not using the name of the Lord God in vain. It's pretty much using His name as a curse word. It tends to make light of who He is since it's so flippantly said and is used to exclaim excitement, anger, frustration, shock, etc. It's not actually calling upon the Lord for ANYTHING. When I say, "Oh my God" it is the beginning of something I am saying TO Him. Totally different ballparks.

I also find retard to be offensive.

[Lavender]

I don't like it and won't let my kids say it. It doesn't really offend me so much though. I can choose to not let it be something in my vocabulary without being offended by other people's choices. I do think it is a little inappropriate when I see "OMG!!!" plastered on stuff since it is one of those things that DOES offend people.

I would never use the word retard and my children certainly won't either. I do have a child with some disabilities who tests right at the level of mental retardation in one of the 4 areas, and her overall IQ score is low due to her particular challenges. I would be bothered if someone was using that word to describe something bad since I know that there is nothing wrong with my daughter.

[MissAnn]

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

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

I really hate that word too.

[littlemissmuffet]

I don't really say "Oh my God", but I do say "Jesus Christ" and "Good Lord" alot. I am an athiest, but those terms are more habits for me than anything else since I grew up hearing them... from Catholics of all people ::