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

[Loop Stricken]

Lovecraftian gods, of course.

 

[FalloutJack]

I have said "Ye Gods!" in the past because I read Discworld novels and it is funny. There is no further answer here on my end.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

I know a few people who are legitimately polytheistic, and it's something that would seem to be more common online than in real life, for the same reason everything else that can get you into hot water in real life is more common online.

Also, this is a bit of an aside, but I frequently find myself making joking references to gods of various things the way the ancient Romans or Greeks would have if they were around today. Started with jokes about the random number god, went from there.

[sub][sub][sub][sub]Who am I kidding? The random number god is no laughing matter. The random number god giveth and the random number god taketh away, and it would be best for me /not/ to draw his anger.[/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub]

 

[Kathinka]

There are probably different reason for different people. Some probably want to avoid Christian connotations, some may believe in a polytheistic religion, some may actually like Jar-Jar Binks.

they are obviously pagan vikings! beware, you might be sacrificed to the thunderer if you appear weak.

seriously though, maybe it's to avoid "blasphemy" *heavy eye rolling* for christians? i remember when i was in the state that i got subjected to some "don't take the lords name in vain" fundamentalist bs..

I find it hard to imagine people actually saying that sincerely.

well, i lived in the states for a whole, in an actually rather progressive area (cal) and i kid you not, i heard that line on a pretty regular basis.

 

[Ambitiousmould]

The Elder Scrolls? Fantasy books/films/series/games? That's why I do it anyway. I have in fact been known to shout "By the nine!" on occasion too.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

As far as I'm concerned, "Oh God" is pretty much always used unrelated to religion, and "Oh gods" is just a slight alteration for comedic effect or at the most a reference to the religious connotations, and implying that the speaker is a pagan or something, although maintaining the usage as being the same as "Oh God" and not actually being a religious statement.

If anyone does actually use that to avoid being offensive to religious people, that's news to me, and I don't see how implying there are multiple gods dodges the issue any more than referring to the Christian one.

 

[Zykon TheLich_v1legacy]

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

Yes, that and probably watching too many old British films. I'm also partial to the occasional Gott im Himmel.

 

[kypsilon]

In my experience the people who have used "oh gods" have been table-top RPG players or LARPers who use it because they're used to using that term in character at a gaming table. Naturally this isn't going to be true for everybody. I personally dislike using "oh gods" because to me it sounds a little pretentious...it's a saying after all, why draw so much attention to it?

I also have an issue with people using the term "fraking" as opposed to "fucking". I have a friend who uses that term constantly and all I can think is, "Dude, your fan-boy is showing." *rolls eyes*

 

[Broken Blade]

I like to say it because it lets me invoke every pantheon ever worshipped, rather than just one cranky dude.

 

[Epidemiix]

I say "Oh, Ford!" or "Thank Ford for that!"

It's a reference to my favourite book.

I get that reference. XD

OT: Well, I just started to say it because it was always funnier to yell that out in a situation then just boring old "Oh god".

And saying "By the Emperor", "By the Nine", "Divines save me", and "Oh Mother" would get me some very strange questions/looks that I would rather not have to deal with from people in public.

Except online when I am gaming...anything goes then in terms of things I shout out. XD

 

[Mr F.]

Well, my mate says it because he doesn't like the conotations of anything. He is not an atheist, he is an apatheist. Which is apparently a thing. He just doesn't even give enough of a fuck to be an atheist. Sometimes, when I am drunk, or tired, or bored and nerdy, I say "By the Nine Divines" instead. Which is odd as a Christian Atheist.

 

[codeg]

I prefere saying "Sweet candy-coated Christ!"

 

[SageRuffin]

Uh... because I don't wanna be perceived as a Christian?

Here in the US at least, talking about God implies you to be a Christian, at least according to my observations. I am definitely not a Christian or any type of derivative thereof, so I modify my speech to reflect that. Not to mention that I don't think there is a single god, if there is an actual god in the first place.

It's really not that difficult a concept.

 

[bandit0802]

I'm pretty sure it came out of a pop-culture reference; Battlestar Galactica, I think. I also hear people say "Oh, spirits" since that's what the turians from Mass Effect say. I get the impression it's more of a geek culture thing than a religious thing.

Also, "mother-fucker" refers to the person being addressed, not the mother. It's an accusation.

 

[Skeleon]

Some people say "by Jove!", which refers to the Roman god Jupiter. Yes, even today. Especially in Britain, I think. Perhaps it started out as a sort of euphemism to avoid "using the Lord's name in vain" or something. But it can also be an attempt to make it clear that God isn't special to you. He may typically be referred to that way, but he's really just one among many other gods people believe and/or believed in.

 

[Catrixa]

Eh, I say stuff like "Praise Elune X happened!" because Tyrande said it a lot in Warcraft 3, and I loved that game to death (WoW has not helped, either). In fact, 98% of things I say that sound completely random are usually references to something I liked or think sounds good/funny/whatever (for example, I prefer "Sweet genius!" to "Sweet Jesus!" Half the fun there is seeing how many people get that reference, or even notice). Usually, no one gets them, so I'm extra awesome/funny to those people. If someone asks, I get to explain how amazebuckets the thing I'm referencing is (more humans in my life need to watch Homestarrunner cartoons, apparently). If they get the reference, we get to joke about how awesome it is. In any event, I win.

Oh, peas, we were talking about religion. Sorry about that, got sidetracked.

 

[Trivun]

I say it because of Discworld. Literally there is no other reason. Personally I follow Anoia, Goddess of Things That Get Stuck In Drawers, but it doesn't hurt to keep Offler and Blind Io on side while I'm at it...

 

[happyninja42]

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?

Why not? Why use "Oh God?" You don't get a monopoly on expressions of frustration.

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.

Then why do you care? I'm pretty sure the people who are using "oh gods" are making as little of a "religious statement as you are when you use "oh god". You actually answered your own question with your question. The "oh god" comment has an equal amount of theological statement as the other. Seriously you make it sound like we shouldn't use anything except "oh god" simply because you dont feel it to be a religious statement (even though it does have that baggage to it), because you think it's silly.

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?

I don't know, it seemed to matter enough to you to bother making this post.

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.

Sorry I just don't buy that. My whole extended family are very christian and they
A) Swear like crazy.
B) Use phrases like "oh god" or "jesus christ".

Besides, his actual name isn't the word "God" so it really doesn't count under that rule anyway.

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."

Except that plenty of people DO still use the phrase with religious connotations to it. They open prayers with the phrase, they use it in times of great stress/grief as they begin to talk about whatever serious problem is bothering them at the time.

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)."

Honestly? I would say a lot of them probably do it to express THEIR religious right to use expressions of faith as they see fit, even though it contradicts your personal beliefs. Other I would suspect do it to annoy people like you, people who felt the fact that other people, of other (possible) faiths, use other expressions besides the common phrase based/rooted on christian belief, was a subject that needed to be analyzed.

 

[Zakarath]

I just do it because I want to swear sometimes but I also prefer to distance myself from the Abrahamic religions as much as possible, they just irritate me for some reason.

 

[lordmardok]

The answer is obvious; the worship of the pantheon, the true powers, the four dark gods of chaos, is finally emerging. BOW BEFORE CHAOS UNDIVIDED!

Or it's the Aesir. Odin is a tricky *****.