#3

Consider this a give and take conversation.  I’ll give my opinion and reasons and take the opinions and reasons of anyone who cares to comment.  See, I’ve been struggling with a commandment lately.  I’m not struggling to keep the commandment (though I am guilty of breaking it), but to interpret it beyond its obvious reason. 

The commandment I have been contemplating is the third one, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain (King James Version), or as the New Living Translation puts it, “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God.”  I think this translations best represents what I am thinking about.  Misuse.

I was always taught not to take the Lord’s name in vain, as in a profanity.  I was also taught not to use His name loosely or disrespectfully in any way.  That’s why it pains me to hear the phrase, “Oh my god” used so frequently and without a second thought.  Isn’t using His name to express our own frustration or excitement the same as using His name in vain (an expression of our own vanity)?  I can think of a sister or two in my Catholic elementary school who would swoon if they heard how OMG gets tossed around these days.

But the thing that has really concerned me of late is how I have begun to hear people call on God to use His power as their own personal curse against someone else.  Is it not our vanity that leads us to assume God will punish someone for their sins against us?  In effect, isn't this practice another form of taking God's name in vain?  

My Lord's prayer teaches me to ask forgiveness for my sins as I forgive those who sinned against me.  Isn’t asking God to punish someone the opposite of forgiveness?  Do we have the right to use the name of God for personal retribution?   I think it is His will be done, not what I want His will to be.

Again, give and take.  What do you think, reader? I am not schooled in bible study, therefore, if you give an opinion or a reason based on biblical fact, please give me the scripture reference so that I can look it up for myself.  I want to learn.