Cheese and crackers got all muddy
Recently, I've been cannibalizing the blogrolls of Rumpus favorites, and I discovered this post by Michael Gilleland at Laudator Temporis Acti, which quite clearly and beautifully underlines the reason for the prohibition against taking the Lord's name in vain. Gilleland simply offers the prayer he silently recites whenever he hears someone blaspheming in his presence:
It always shocks me to hear the name Jesus Christ taken in vain. Those with more forthright and assertive personalities than mine might object and demand that the blasphemer cease and desist. Adherents of a different religion might even react to blasphemy by taking to the streets and burning cars. As it is, I just bow my head and recite silently the beginning of the Divine Praises:
Blessed be God.
Blessed be His holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus....
Now, I came rather late to the cursing and blaspheming game, and while I wouldn't say I've made up for lost time, I will confess that using the Lord's name in vain is one of my many failings. It's not something I generally do "in public," but Sadeeq and other family members have occasionally been privy to my blasphemous outbursts. What I liked about Gilleland's post was that it made me realize exactly what's wrong with taking God's name in vain, and why it's disrespectful to do it in the presence of Christian believers, and it did so by countering blasphemy with its exact opposite -- praise.
If anyone wants to know who's to blame for my adult onset cursing, I'll have to pin it on . . . Schwartz! Maybe the Divine Praises should replace the bar of Lifebuoy I've been carrying in my purse as a spur to reform.
It always shocks me to hear the name Jesus Christ taken in vain. Those with more forthright and assertive personalities than mine might object and demand that the blasphemer cease and desist. Adherents of a different religion might even react to blasphemy by taking to the streets and burning cars. As it is, I just bow my head and recite silently the beginning of the Divine Praises:
Blessed be God.
Blessed be His holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus....
Now, I came rather late to the cursing and blaspheming game, and while I wouldn't say I've made up for lost time, I will confess that using the Lord's name in vain is one of my many failings. It's not something I generally do "in public," but Sadeeq and other family members have occasionally been privy to my blasphemous outbursts. What I liked about Gilleland's post was that it made me realize exactly what's wrong with taking God's name in vain, and why it's disrespectful to do it in the presence of Christian believers, and it did so by countering blasphemy with its exact opposite -- praise.
If anyone wants to know who's to blame for my adult onset cursing, I'll have to pin it on . . . Schwartz! Maybe the Divine Praises should replace the bar of Lifebuoy I've been carrying in my purse as a spur to reform.
posted by Kate Marie | 3:58 PM | Permalink
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3 comments
3 Comments:
Looks like KM has identified another good Lenten intention. (Traditionalists can think of it as "giving up" taking the Lord's name in vain.)
Unlike many kids, CIV's rugrat does not even say the Lord's name casually (as in "Oh, G-d!"). Brings a tear to my eye. I should have been so good in my youth.
I', staggering under the weight of my Lenten intentions this year, CIV. I can only hope that -- because they're *Lenten* intentions --they don't pave the way to the same place as ordinary run of the mill intentions. :)
The problem with me is that I *was* good in my youth.
Don't be ashamed, KM. I was mostly good, too. Six years in Catholic school can do that to you. Also being the oldest kid expected to do well. And, well, there was Dad's belt and Mom's wooden spoon to consider...
(But, wait. Does that mean I was good or that I was merely scared?)
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