Saying "Oh gods" instead of "Oh god" ...Why?

[BiscuitTrouser]

Well i say "Jegus" instead of jesus now. Its even instinctual to the point where i exclaim it when i stub my toe. I read it in homestuck and thought it was kinda funny so started saying it instead of jesus. I also liked the fact i could reprogramme myself to say things that the cultural norm hadnt drilled into me when i injured myself or the like, like that stuff wasnt stuck in me forever, i can still decide what my non consensual exclamations contain if i work at it. I also say "By the gods" or "Thank the gods" because game of thrones (and a billion other fantasy settings) have rubbed off on me. Also its a WAY less serious expression in a lot of peoples eyes. Its obvious im taking the piss and not seriously exclaiming. Which makes it better for mock surprise and humor. Same with the jegus shtick. I never really use them when im seriously upset or being serious about anything. Its usually when i humorously manage to hurt myself. If i mean it ill usually just swear a lot.

 

[WindKnight]

to my mind its just something fun they've affected because its from something they liked, like saying 'frak' instead of f***. Ever since reading it in one of the Death based discworld novels, I've taken to saying 'sodomy non sapiens' instead of 'buggered if I know'.

 

[The White Hunter]

Well personally I just say "Oh fuck" or "feck", "bollocks", etc...

Because it's more cathartic.

 

[Ragsnstitches]

This is something I've heard both online and IRL, and I've really begun to wonder about it lately. There are some people who say "Oh gods" instead of "Oh god," and it just makes me wonder...why? I am a Christian, but to me "Oh god" is simply a phrase to express something like surprise or dread. I don't really think of it as a very religious term, just as I don't think of "mother fucker" as a phrase that is specifically addressing somebody's mother. I understand the phrase will always be slightly religious in nature because it has the word "god," but in its modern usage it's rarely used to make any sort of theological statement.

I never really thought much about it until I started hearing people say "Oh gods" instead of "Oh god." And I just wonder...does it really matter to people that much? Do they think their religious beliefs will be confused or misinterpreted if they use the phrase? I don't think anybody assumes you believe in the Abrahamic God or any sort of monotheistic deity simply by saying "oh god." In fact, simply using the phrase more often sends the message you aren't religious, as conventions still hold that religious people tend to not use "offensive" language or casually invoke their god's name. To me, it feels like taking a phrase which has pretty much lost any religious connotations it once had and adding back in religious connotations, and for no reason at all. It's just a phrase people say, like "Bless you" when people sneeze. I don't think most people assume you are actually performing some sort of rite to bless them if you happen to say "bless you" after someone sneezes. Or "speak of the devil."

I know a few of you out there say this, so I'd just like to ask why? What made you change the phrase? Why is the distinction important to you? I've also noticed some people who will say something like "Oh god (who I don't believe in)." Again, if you are one of the people that says this, why is making this distinction so important? Is that really a problem you have frequently faced, people assuming you are a theist just because you use the phrase "Oh god?" It just seems like a really unnecessary non sequitur. It would be like a religious person saying "Speak of the devil (who I don't worship because he is evil)."

This might sound like I'm deliberately confrontational, but having been raised as a Catholic and having a pretty messy transition to Atheism I've always called myself out when I say those kind of phrases ("Oh God", "Jesus Christ!" "God Help me", "Lord have mercy" etc.), because they conflict with my beliefs (or lack thereof) and they are part of a pretty fucked up culture (Irish Catholicism).

You would think that, because I don't hold those terms as sacred, I would feel more open about using them, but the truth is I feel like I'm propagating the notion that these words have some power and aren't just the superstitions they are to me. The same way I don't avoid cracks in the pavement or avoid crossing paths with black cats, I also don't use these words (if I can help it).

I don't mind other people saying these things, to each their own, but I had to make concious changes to my verbal reflexes. Personally I don't say "oh gods" but I can see how it could catch on as an Ironic use of a common phrase, especially with the popularity of Game of Thrones (where they use this phrase, if I recall).

 

[Lord Garnaat]

I generally use "Oh God" or "Jesus Christ" when the situation demands it, but as a fairly religious person I've been trying to cut back on it. I've been experimenting with new phrases to express disbelief or exasperation, and recently thought up "Six Save Us" as a sort of quasi-Brony swear and "Grand Galloping Galas" to show surprise - haven't tried them much yet, but they may serve.

Anyways, I think most people who use the phrase are either referencing some medium that uses the phrase a lot (Game of Thrones, Elder Scrolls), or are just trying to be funny. I'm sure there are some that use it to display in an insufferably smug way how totally above the ordinary faith system they are, but I think the first two reasons cover most of it.

 

[erbi79]

I really started hearing this a lot during and after the RDM Battlestar Galactica Series.
In western countries its also a neat way to use a "oh god" for an atheistic person. ^^

 

[DoPo]

Or it's just a reference to the holy trinity.

But is the trinity talked of as multiple gods? I've never heard of it referred as such.

However, on tangent - I just thought that, hey, since you're not supposed to use god's name in vein, you can totally still use the angels. And then, I thought how hilarious that would be if you go around yelling "Michael!" (for example) as exclamation. Imagine what would happen during sex if one of the partners substitutes "Oh, god" with "Oh, Michael".

 

[Diddy_Mao]

Not quite the same, but I occasionally use the phrase "Ye gods" (should probably be said The rather than Ye) as an exclamation...

Ditto. I couldn't give you a reason for it beyond the idea that I just like the way it sounds.

In terms of Theistic vs Atheistic exclamations. I'll have to admit that there just aren't any good meaty exclamations that we can use that don't invoke a deity of some sort.

"Damn, Crap, Son of a *****, Fiddlesticks" and "Yikes" just don't carry the same verbal weight as

"Oh my God, God Damnit, Jesus Christ, Holy Mary Mother of God" and my personal favorite "Jesus Wept."

 

[Dangit2019]

I'm a theist, and I just sir of say it without any real reason.

 

[Hazzard]

I say "Oh Gods" if I'm in game, it's a way of getting around real religions and I can cover it by saying I'm roleplaying. It works quite well.

 

[Arkaijn]

Some say it because they've watched too much BSG,
Others because they don't want to come off as religious or offend someone else's religion,
and then there's people like me who have multiple gods and use "oh gods" because we can't remember which god does what on the top of our heads.

 

[Flunk]

I think you mean "Oh God" not "Oh god".

I think the big thing you're after here is that the idea that other people would insinuate that there are multiple gods is hurting your Christian sensibilities. There isn't anything wrong with exclaiming "Oh gods" or even "Oh heavenly chickens." (fairly certain no one really says that). You need to step out of your own place sometimes and look at it from other people's view. You may live in a place with a majority of one religion that all believes certain things but on the Internet there are a lot of other people with different thoughts and experiences.

I personally say whatever I feel like saying at the time. Sometimes if it's a RPG I'll tailor my responses to whatever fictional world I'm in.

 

[Hazzard]

Also, Hindu technically isn't polytheistic because they believe that all of the gods are "aspects" of a god called Brahman. With Vishnu, Bramah and another one being the three main aspects.

 

[King of Asgaard]

People don't want to be limited to the Christian deity when they swear; they want to insult all of them.
As a former Christian, I tend to use the singular form because I'm just used to it.

 

[Revolutionary]

If you don't consider it a religious term then it shouldn't really bother you, just let it be and cater to all the Politically correct / Polytheists out there, I don't get upset When people say "Dear lord in heaven" despite my non-belief in any Theistic doctrine.
Also may wanna move this over to religion and politics.

 

[kommando367]

Well, there are still polytheistic religions around. It stands to reason that a follower of a polytheistic religion may say that when surprised.

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

You could always say 'By the Nine!' and earn some geek-cred.

Or you could say 'By Azura, by Azura, by Azura!' and get punched in the face.

 

[Abomination]

I use plural and lower case "G" purely to piss off monotheists.

I have started using the word "fuck" more than "gods" recently though.