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[Wavid]

Why do Christians find the phrase "God damn" so offensive? I wouldn't be asking this question if only the hard core Christians got offended by it, but it seems like anyone I know who even remotely considers themselves Christian has a pretty bad knee jerk reaction to this phrase.

Logically, this makes no sense to me, because they don't get offended by the word "damn" very much. And since the definition of "damn" is "to be condemned by God to suffer in hell for eternity", damn and God damn are the exact same thing. You're taking the Lord's name in vain either way, because either way you are vainly asking God to damn something to hell (unless you are using the word correctly.)

The only thing that makes sense to me is that most Christians hear the phrase "God damn" and mentally flip it to mean "damn God". Why else would every Christian I know have a knee jerk reaction to it? I can't see most people going "oh, he asked God to send something to hell, how vain....I'm so offended!"

So I guess my question is, are most Christians more pious than I thought and hate the thought of someone asking God to send something to hell that didn't deserve it, or are people interpreting the phrase to mean something it's not?

[jimwalton]

It sounds you have it right. Christian are offended because (1) you're taking the Lord's name in vain, and (2) because in using the phrase as a curse word we trivialize an very significant theology: asking God to damn something or someone to hell.

Just to clarify, we don't mentally flip it to mean "Damn God." Never heard that theory before.

The root problem is that God is deeply concerned that people understand him correctly. The whole idea behind the covenant is that people have an accurate understanding of God, and that he be treated with the respect due to someone of his stature. Anything that trivializes or misrepresents the reality about God needs to be thwarted. There is far too much distortion and misunderstanding about God. In addition, people who start to think trivially about God and his actions end up disrespecting him and his work in the world, all of which have eternal consequences. We should never take God lightly.

Using the phrase "God damn" in common discourse, trite frustrations, and thoughtless responses just makes God and his work as insignificant as a petty irritation, and it's an expression of disrespect and dishonor. That's why Christians get so offended.

Another addition: I get just as offended by "damn" as by "God damn," because they are both really expressions of the same thing, the former is just truncated.

[Wavid]

This answer makes sense to me. Thank you! I'm not a Christian but I try to avoid the phrase around Christians and now I can actually understand why they get offended.

[My Salary]

As a Christian, I'm very thankful for your reply. I detest the phrase, but have a hard time explaining the why the way you did. God bless