Blasphemous Atheist???

lol, This isn't something I fret about lads..... and guys picking up on it are just taking the mick out of me.

But it is something to think about.

liah wrote: »

I use "jesus christ," "for god's sake," "goddamnit," etc. all the time.

They're just words like any other and have absolutely no significant meaning to me, why wouldn't I use them in colloquial conversation?

Words do have a meaning, and are significant. Daily language has a great influence in our world. Isn't this the reason we don't say the N word. Or call disabled people Retards. etc etc. The people saying these phrases don't necessarily mean anything by it... but it's degrading etc.
Surely letting the term "Thank God" be a standard definition of gratefulness by the populace is just fuelling the fire of religion?

robindch wrote: »

From time to time. I suppose it's like religious people saying "f*ck"...?

Not at all. Fck is a generic term and has no connotations to anything (lol, well it does... perhaps its like a celibate priest using the term ).

Dave! wrote: »

Just point out to them that you're a product of your environment, so with phrases like "thank god/jayzus", "bless you", "in the name of god", etc., so commonplace in Ireland/Dublin, you're inevitably going to take to them. It's hard to get out of the habit.

Just because it is brought about from our environment and our heritage doesn't mean we have to keep it. In fact, I would have thought Atheists were probably the most likely bunch to say otherwise.

Dave! wrote: »

Furthermore, what difference does it make? Nothing you or anyone else says has any bearing on the existance of god, so it's irrelevant!

Obviously nothing I say has any bearing on the existence of a god. But an english person call me a dumb irish mick doesn't mean I am one either. Are those words meaningless?

Dave! wrote: »

Lately I've found that I cringe a bit if I reference god in a sentence, conversation, etc., even if it's just by using some idiom. But I don't make any conscious effort to refrain tbh.

What you're feeling is exactly what I'm talking about. I've never tried to refrain from it either.

Jared Victorious Mackerel wrote: »

Well you could just point out to your friend the he/she calls the 4th day of the week "Thursday", or the original meaning "Day of Thor". That doesn't mean you believe in Thor, it's just history/heritage/culture. Same thing saying "Thank God" ... part of our history/heritage/culture. It doesn't mean you believe it god.

It is very unlike the Day of Thor example. Nobody even knows what that means. But everyone still knows what Thank God means. You are saying you are thankful to god, whether you mean it or not.




This is all meant as a bit of fun...... I'm not starting a political party to rid the word of Blasphemous Atheists or anything :pac: :pac:

But it came up a few times there. It's like political correctness for Atheists

liah wrote: »

You kind of blatantly ignored the "to me" part. It isn't significant to me in any way, shape, or form. It's just words. I use them in the same context I use "fúck" or "shít" (for fúck's sake, for example, or holy shít, or thank fúck). Filler.

Words only have meaning if you give them meaning. Like how black people can call each other nigga, and only take offense if white people say it. Or how you can say "Hey, ya bollocks, what's the story?" in a friendly manner, despite the term being a bit of an insult, and your mate wouldn't get offended.

Semantics, mate. Put meaning on what you want but what it really comes down to is BS PC culture and people being to afraid to use certain combinations of letters.. for what? It's about context, anyway.

I know I ignored the "to me" but that's because it's not really the context I was talking about. In saying that, I'm with ya to an extent. The PC brigade is nuts these days.

But... I don't agree with words not having a meaning. They do. Maybe not to you personally, but they have a great influence on the populace.
We need to replace the Thank Gods with something else. Something more secular.

velocirafter wrote: »

theres no good substitute for God in these phrases, you can either use f**k which will make you sound crude or gosh which will make you sound like a 14 year old american in a low budget film

Nail on head. Main reason for posting was because I couldn't think of any substitutes to use

liah wrote: »

Why would I bother changing what I say just to be more "secular" and "PC" then, if I'm perfectly content in the lack of meaning behind my words?

If other people want to take offense to me saying goddamnit, they can go right ahead, it's not my problem what other people read into my words. I'm not going to censor myself just because to other people it has some connotation. To me, it's just a pairing of letters that rolls off my tongue. I don't say it intending to be anti-religion or blasphemous or whatever. I say it the same way I use "the," without even thinking about it.

It is up to the listener's discretion as to how they want to take something they hear, and it is their own fault if they read some unintended meaning into it, not the sayer's.

Liah, think you're misunderstanding the whole point. It's not about offending anyone. What it's about is Atheists unwittingly spreading the word of God

liah wrote: »

I don't see how it's spreading the word of god, especially if it's used in such a casual manner. Pretty much everyone in the world knows about the idea of god already, why the hell would using it in that manner be considered "spreading the word of god?" If anything, it's just making it less sacred.

lol, all right liah, you're taking this way too seriously.

I still reckon using God and Jesus phrases in our daily lives is something most strong willed Atheists would rather not do. Obviously you do not agree. No worries.
Note: I am not either, and undoubtedly will continue to use them regardless.. just thought it would be a fun topic and might be a bit of a distraction from the interesting yet mind numbing debates that go on here between Atheists and the Religious.



So, anyone come up with any better phrases???

Are there any Atheists out there who have made an effort in their lives to eradicate these phrases from their vocabulary???