How should we apply this commandment, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name” (Exodus 20:7)?
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OnMyWayHome on February 16, 2012 at 4:20 pm
My wife and I have been seeking answers as well as when to curb our eyes and ears from others and even more so media such as TV to music.
It started with hearing GD in a movie it was an older not ie from the 70s and wasn’t even rate R yet PG. Then we noticed on TV that actors are allowed to say GD yet not other swear words. Even worse these were prime time shows and a lot worse on cable shows.
After hearing a few sermons on this verse we knew that the Lords name was being used from swear words to common language in conversations such as OMG…..or Jesus H ____. I didn’t want to go over board yet does say “God Bless You” when someone sneezes is that wrong. To even hearing that Jimmy Cricket used in Wizard of OZ was use for JC back then (yeah that’s what some older folks told me)
It seems that the LORDS name has become common language used not in respect for who he is and especially He is GOD. I don’t want to go off and point at this and that its just we are taking a stance and trying not to watch any shows movies and such where His name is taken in lightly or for swearing. Does this mean we are missing some cool shows…naw cause then their not cool.
The bummer is some of the best movies we like or want to watch use GD a lot (do I name the movies?)
To end my thoughts I saw the distance from the words when I was at another friends house who is a older and wiser Christian as he was watching a TV show on cable they kept swearing. He did not notice it as he was to much into the show after which he considered he has gotten to close to it and he has become desensitized from it.
Do I have the answers No I’m just trying to hear His voice not the noise and polluted words.
tom felten on February 17, 2012 at 8:30 am
OnMyWayHome, thanks for sharing some specific, practical ways in which you are speaking to honor God and His name. Navigating our sin-saturated culture is not easy. May God give us all discernment and true reverence for Him as we make entertainment choices.
kram4mark on February 18, 2012 at 10:07 am
You are so right OnMyWayHome. The world today is finding so many more ways to sneak in misusing Gods name. I have looked these following words up on dictionary.com a secular online dictionary and was overwhelmed by what I found. These are just a few but there are way more so look for urself:) golly,gosh gee goodness and so on. If u decide to look these up u must scroll to the bottom and there u will see the origin of these words.. all euphanisms for God.
OnMyWayHome on February 19, 2012 at 6:24 am
Thank you ‘kram4mark’ for your lead I did look and the search for ‘ euphemism of God’ showed a lot of words that are missed used. I don’t want to be ‘piois’ as this means a lot to me. Yet on the page I went yesterday had verses Eph. 4:29-30 and my verse of the day for Saturday was Eph. 4:29 for which I’m thankful for this topic.
Thanks Tom for your encouragement and kram4mark again thanks. I never realized how I’ve been messing with words thinking they were alright instead of swearing. That’s what I’m looking for discernment and reverence at this time.
cali4ange on February 19, 2012 at 7:00 am
Well as much as you want to block it from you and your family, it is hard not to , but we can make an awareness through friends, bible study, etc, social network of how precious His name is, and how to handle stress or anger rather than swearing His name. Rather than block or tune out what is said on tv, praise Him, life Him up. In that way, You acknowledge Him, a good way to have Him always in your thoughts. Say a prayer for the person who uses His name in vain, They don’t know any better.
kram4mark on February 19, 2012 at 7:51 am
sorry cali but I choose to block it out of the tv. If God’s name is misused the tv goes off. If u sit and continually listen to it ur accepting it and I won’t. His name is too precious to listen to it degraded like that!