Why do the powers that be in Hollywood think it is acceptable to use God’s name as a curse in so many films? “GD” this and “JC” that. Sadly, I believe the fault lies with consumers. We may be disgusted with onscreen sex and violence and offended by the language, but we still look the other way flock to theaters.
The Trivia Question of the Day I posted on my social media sites today read as follows:
WHAT IS THE THIRD COMMANDMENT?
It was actually a random question chosen in the wee hours of the morning, but it really got me thinking. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” isn’t a suggestion or a request…it is an order. We are commanded by God to honor and respect His name, not blurt it out in anger or frustration. Using God’s name as a curse is so common these days that we hardly even notice.
What exactly does “in vain” mean, anyway? Substitute the words “irreverently,” “disrespectfully,” or “blasphemously” and you’ll get the idea. Used as a verb, blaspheme means to curse or revile God, and that is very serious business. I quoted the King James Version of the Bible in my example because it is the translation I learned as a child. Here is an example in more contemporary language: “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. (New Living Translation)
When I was a teenager I tried out for the coveted spot as my high school’s mascot, a falcon. The following morning I awoke to a yard full of white; toilet paper streaming from every tree. It was a crazy way of announcing I would soon be wearing a birdie suit.
Astonished by the display, I gasped, “Oh my God!”
“Amy Sue!” my sister admonished with a smirk on her face. I was supposed to be the churchy one.
“Oh, I was just praying,” I sheepishly replied. Right.
I have a ridiculously horrible memory, so it’s crazy that I still remember that moment. It obviously left an impression.
Over the years I have politely asked friends and coworkers to avoid using the Lord’s name in vain in front of me. They could drop the F bomb as much as they wanted and utter other four-letter words until the cows came home. Most people have been very respectful. I get ticked off like everybody else, perhaps even more so, but I try hard to watch that particular kind of language.
Am I making a big deal over nothing here? When actors casually use “Jesus Christ” as a phrase of exasperation, it trivializes the Savior. It insults our faith. What would happen if dialogue writers substituted “Mohammad” or “Buddha” instead? American flags could be burned and embassies stormed across the Middle East in protest. Faithful Muslims wouldn’t take it, and rightly so. Neither should we as believers in Christ. Some things are sacred, and the name of our Heavenly Father is one of them.
Okay, I’m off my soapbox for the night. See you tomorrow!