Blasphemy?

Endurance Man · 19-01-2007 03:27PM #1

So after reading the title of a recent thread in AH i started to ponder about blasphemy and how acceptable it seems to be in Ireland. The Irish seem very religious and yet using the words Jesus/Christ/God seem to be the norm.
I am not an overly religious person, i have not given religion enough thought ect ect, but i was brought up to respect others and not use "the lords name in vain".
To those who are religious, what are your thoughts? I cringe a bit when i hear people talking in such a way that is obviously offensive to Christians and any religion for that matter.

Not sure i got my view across correctly

, discuss.

MrJoeSoap · 19-01-2007 03:30PM

I say "Jesus" or "Jesus Christ" all the time, have no problem with it whatsoever. And if anyone does get offended by me saying it, I really don't care.

Probably sounds a bit James Dean, but its the truth.

Stephen · 19-01-2007 03:32PM

I'm not a believer so it doesn't offend me in the least.

_blank_ · 19-01-2007 03:36PM

Jaysis.

Endurance Man · 19-01-2007 03:43PM

MrJoeSoap wrote:

I say "Jesus" or "Jesus Christ" all the time, have no problem with it whatsoever. And if anyone does get offended by me saying it, I really don't care.

Probably sounds a bit James Dean, but its the truth.

If i entered a pub while a very important game of football/hurling was on and started spouting off on how sh!te these sports where it would not be long before i had a few less teeth. Of course people dont do this because they respect that others enjoy watching and enjoying these sports (for the most part).
I dont really see how offending the religious people around you by using these phrases is any different? Perhaps its how we are raised, but i feel respect for religions even if you are not a religious person is just decent?

Hail 2 Da Chimp · 19-01-2007 03:44PM

My personal favourite: "Jesus Christ Monkey Balls!"

MrJoeSoap · 19-01-2007 03:49PM

Endurance Man wrote:

I dont really see how offending the religious people around you by using these phrases is any different? Perhaps its how we are raised, but i feel respect for religions even if you are not a religious person is just decent?

Its just part of who I am though, I don't think about the fact that I am "cursing Our Lord" or insulting a religion, it just comes out. Thats why its different to walking into a pub and slagging a sport, because that is a conscious decision.

Why would someone religious get offended by me spurting out "Jesus" in a moment of surprise or frustration?

Endurance Man · 19-01-2007 03:49PM

All im reading is post count +1, well done.

Sangre · 19-01-2007 03:52PM

You can only blasphemy against the Catholic God. Even though its mentioned in the Constitution there hasn't been a case on it in 100 years. Doubt it would stand though, against religious equality. One man's blasphemy is another man's prayer.

monkeyfudge · 19-01-2007 03:53PM

Endurance Man wrote:

If i entered a pub while a very important game of football/hurling was on and started spouting off on how sh!te these sports where it would not be long before i had a few less teeth. Of course people dont do this because they respect that others enjoy watching and enjoying these sports (for the most part).

But I'm guessing the sports aren't figments of their imagination... if they were I wouldn't see any reason to respect their enjoyment.

Blasphemy is actually forbidden under the constitution though... but I don't know how easy it would to convict someone on a blasphemy charge.... one for the legal discussion forum perhaps...

Archeron · 19-01-2007 04:01PM

I am somewhat religious, but I used to use these phrases all the time. However, in recent years, I worked with a guy who was extremely religious, so I avoided it for his sake. He never acted offended or commented on it, but out of respect for him, I just stopped. Now, its habit that if I start an exclamation with "Je" it turns into Jeepers or as someone else said, Jayziz.

I dont cringe when I others use it either, to each their own.

Hagar · 19-01-2007 04:04PM

Endurance Man wrote:

If i entered a pub while a very important game of football/hurling was on and started spouting off...

The pub is the place of worship for many sports fans so I would be as careful spouting off there as I would be taking the name of god in vain in a church.

User45701 · 19-01-2007 04:04PM

I don't believe in religion or anything like that so it means nothing to me i tend to say Yes or wow instead of jesus christ

Blasphemy is a good thing in my view because its my hope it will have influence on children and hopefully they wont believe in God and all that lark.

InFront · 19-01-2007 04:16PM

I wouldn't say I get "offended" by it but frustrated, yes. I don't understand why people say these things, if it only said out of habit? And some of the constructions are so offensive and/ or demeaning that they seem to be only said for their shock-quality, and you usually find the person saying it has nothing intelligent to say.

Sangre wrote:

You can only blasphemy against the Catholic God

I think this is about the non-legislative type of blasphemy. Blasphemy is a factor in most religions as far as I know.

Endurance Man · 19-01-2007 04:35PM

User45701 wrote:

I don't believe in religion or anything like that so it means nothing to me i tend to say Yes or wow instead of jesus christ

Blasphemy is a good thing in my view because its my hope it will have influence on children and hopefully they wont believe in God and all that lark.

You're kids are going to be open minded individuals :rolleyes: .

I wonder why some would refrain from using the lords name in vain in a church, but would have no problem outside of one? Is that saying you do place a certain amount of respect on the church, but dont have any respect on the people who worship there? Confuses me.

cornbb · 19-01-2007 04:43PM

Endurance Man wrote:

after reading the title of a recent thread in AH i started to ponder about blasphemy

I wouldn't think "jesus tapdancing christ" would be terribly offensive to most, if thats what you were talking about.

Now "jesus lapdancing christ" would be another matter.

Crucifix · 19-01-2007 04:44PM

I blaspheme frequently. I wouldn't really have thought any one would be offended by it these days, and if they are I'm not that pushed. A vegetarian might be offended to see me eat meat, but that won't stop me.

MementoMori · 19-01-2007 05:27PM

I'm pro-blasphemy. Anything that is anti-relligion is a good thing in my book.

In that vein - how f**kin much of a dumb moron was Joseph to believe that Mary was a virgin - yeah the Holy Spirit impregnated me - Sap!!!

How can otherwise intelligent people believe this ****e?

Honestly.

19-01-2007 06:05PM

Always wondered what the middle initial "H" stood for?

User45701 · 19-01-2007 06:07PM

Endurance Man wrote:

You're kids are going to be open minded individuals :rolleyes: .

I just hate the way religious people try to brainwash there kids into religion if i have kids i will wait till they are 16 maybe 18 depending on there maturity and then tell what i believe and then give them a copy of the bible and let them make a fair and informed decision free from pressure

Kingp35 · 19-01-2007 06:22PM

I use it quite alot. You pick these things up when you here so many other people using it.

That said, im a non-believer so I couldnt care less.

Ruu_Old · 19-01-2007 06:28PM

Blue_Lagoon wrote:

Always wondered what the middle initial "H" stood for?

sez Wiki;

Other variations

The phrase "Jesus H. Christ" has been extended in many cases, both as a colloquialism, and in its use in television and film. For example, in the comedy The Blues Brothers, a 1980 film starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, Jake Blues (Belushi) exclaims, "Yes! Yes! Jesus H. Tapdancing Christ, I have seen The Light!" in a moment of fervor. The 'H' has also been used to stand for "Harvey", "Hermen", "Harold", and other male names starting with 'H'. A parody of the phrase ,"Science H. Logic", appeared in the South Park episode 'Go God Go XII'

[edit] Etymology

Using the name of "Jesus Christ" as an oath has been common for many centuries, but the precise origins of the letter H in the expression Jesus H. Christ are obscure. While many explanations have been proposed, some serious and many humorous, the most widely accepted derivation is from the divine monogram of Christian symbolism. The symbol, derived from the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus, is transliterated "IHS," "IHC," "JHS," or "JHC." Since the transliteration "IHS" gave rise to the backronym Iesus Hominum Salvator (Latin for "Jesus savior of men"), it is plausible that "JHC" similarly led to "Jesus H. Christ".

One factor in the transmutation of the monogram into the expression Jesus H. Christ may be that when the first syllable of the phrase "Jesus Christ" is strongly emphasised (as some speakers of some English accents may do when cursing), the rhythm suggests a missing middle syllable between "Jesus" and "Christ". The H may have been adopted from the monogram to fill this gap.

Harold does sound cool. It never bothered me really and don't really care if it offends anyone, just out of habit and everyone around me using it.

Sleepy · 19-01-2007 06:32PM

Couldn't give a **** if my blasphemy offends the religious. Their beliefs offend me.

Terry · 19-01-2007 06:41PM

Bah. You can't do or say anything these days without offending someone.
To hell with everyone else. I'll say what I want to say and if it offends you, then grow a set of balls.

Endurance Man · 19-01-2007 06:58PM

So deceny to your fellow man is out the window heh, fair enough

.

Terry · 19-01-2007 07:03PM

well i do try not to offend people in an overt manner, but if someone is offended by my every day actions, then i really don't care.
some people are just too touchy.

Kernel32 · 19-01-2007 07:04PM

User45701 wrote:

I just hate the way religious people try to brainwash there kids into religion if i have kids i will wait till they are 16 maybe 18 depending on there maturity and then tell what i believe and then give them a copy of the bible and let them make a fair and informed decision free from pressure

You will be in for a shock when you have kids then. If you think you can wait until 16 or 18 to tackle those issues with your kids then you are sadly mistaken. In the same way that kids are introduced to things like sex and drugs before parents are prepared to handle it, they will be introduced to religion even earlier. You better be prepared to have answers to a 4 or 5 year old questions about god and religion. You won't have the luxury of being able to wait for a 16 year old mind to work with.

Peyton Manning · 19-01-2007 07:05PM

I always thought the H stood for Holy....?

Terry · 19-01-2007 07:13PM

InFront wrote:

I wouldn't say I get "offended" by it but frustrated, yes. I don't understand why people say these things, if it only said out of habit? And some of the constructions are so offensive and/ or demeaning that they seem to be only said for their shock-quality, and you usually find the person saying it has nothing intelligent to say.

I think this is about the non-legislative type of blasphemy. Blasphemy is a factor in most religions as far as I know.

perhaps you can answer a question for me.

I have noticed that you (and other Muslim users here) always put (praise be upon him) whenever you mention jesus, moses or mohammed. why is this? I'm guessing it's out of respect for these three religious figures.
also, if you mention any of these in spoken conversation, do you say "praise be upon him" after mention said name?

InFront · 19-01-2007 08:20PM

Yes that's sending the salah on them, a message of blessing. In real life you might be more inclined to refer to a Prophet with Rasulu Allahi salla Allahu `alayhi wa-sallam. (Roughly 'peace and blessings upon him the messenger of Allah').

The thing about swearing doesn't really affect me personally, apart from being a bit annoying. I just don't understand why people use these words in particular, I mean, if you don't believe in God, why do you call him?

Dave! · 19-01-2007 08:33PM

InFront wrote:

The thing about swearing doesn't really affect me personally, apart from being a bit annoying. I just don't understand why people use these words in particular, I mean, if you don't believe in God, why do you call him?

Because it's a habit, and it's language that's been in use in Ireland for decades. If you're brought up in an environment where a particular expression is used regularly, you are going to pick it up. It's the same reason almost everyone in Ireland celebrates Christmas, despite not everyone being religious. It's just the way Irish society has evolved.

How about you don't analyze every word used in daily conversation?

Personally I'll give religious beliefs and customs the same amount of respect I give to political beliefs, for example. I'm not going to obey them just because you do, and they're both up for debate.

Blasphemy?

Comments