Sunday, February 22, 2026

Swearing Falsely By God's Name

Using the word "God", in reference to a particular deity like Yahweh, or "god", in reference to an unnamed being from a specific metaphysical category, in a manner like "Oh my god" or Goddamnit" cannot be using God's name in vain/misusing his name because these words are not a name, but a title for a specific kind of being.  This is already clear from what a name is and is not.  As for whether or not such language is blasphemous, Leviticus 24:11 clarifies that cursing Yahweh (whatever name or title one uses, this would apply as long as it is maliciously intended) is what constitutes blasphemy, which is quite different from uttering slang like "Oh my god" out of frustration, shock, or awe, especially if one is not even intending a reference to the Biblical God.

Another verse in Leviticus specifies that misusing God's name is not about saying such a phrase, which does not inherently involve any sort of actual name at all—in the same way that "Oh my chief executive officer" or "Oh my prime minister" when used as slang/profanity are not slanderous or malicious phrases on its own.  In Leviticus 19:12, the Bible says not to swear falsely by God's name and thus profane the name of God.  Now, this is not speaking of profanity or substitutions for it when it uses terms like swear and profane.  It is contrarily talking about taking insincere or sinful oaths in the name of God, which can slander his reputation.  Empty promises or erroneous statements made as if they represent God's nature is to distort the truth, and this is what misuses the "name," or reputation, of Yahweh in a general sense.

Broadly misusing God's name in the aforementioned way (Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:11) and blaspheming God, whatever wording one uses and irrespective of if an actual name is used (Leviticus 24:11, 15-16), are not the same.  God is not a name, though it can be used like one.  Cursing God is not the same as calling him by any name at all and is not the same as uttering "Oh my God" or any similar phrase.  Cursing God's (Yahweh's) reputation as opposed to God himself more directly, which Leviticus 24:16 partially addresses, would be a subset of misusing his name, but, again, this does not mean what many alleged Christians assume, and it is the only misuse of God's name that is a capital sin—one that deserves the premature death of execution.

Words mean whatever is intended by them, and it is logically possible for a Christian or non-Christian to say "Oh my god" without malice towards, slander of, or other misuse of God's literal name or his reputation.  This is not cursing God's name, for it is not a bitter or disrespectful statement made towards Yahweh in itself.  The swearing falsely of Leviticus 19:12 is likewise not at all the same as cursing God or his name (mentioned in 24:11-16), as in his character or reputation, even if not one of the literal names for him like Yahweh, Jehovah, and so on.  Evangelicals in their legalism are so caught up in non sequiturs, red herrings, and their own asinine customs that all of this is likely to never enter their mind even to be dismissed on the basis of assumptions.

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