It’s weird the memories that stick out to us from our childhood. Seemingly random moments take on significance and are forever etched in our minds. One such moment happened for me when I was six or seven. My grandparents were visiting and I was making some iced tea with my grandma. Apparently there was an abundance of bubbles in the tea we were making because I exclaimed, “Oh my God! Look at all those bubbles!” My grandma then told me that it wasn’t good to say “Oh my God” because we shouldn’t take the LORD’s name in vain.
That night has stuck with me and, to this day, when I say “Oh my God” I feel a little twinge of guilt, like I’m letting down my beloved grandma. At this point, though, I know that there’s more to the third commandment than not saying, “Oh my God.” Perhaps “Oh my Yahweh” would cross some lines, but I think God has more to worry about than people using a word that can be applied to many different deities as an exclamation.
There are worse ways of taking the LORD’s name in vain. Specifically spray painting the name of Jesus on a mosque as an act of vandalism.
Over the weekend two mosques in Hawthorne, CA were vandalized. On one of the mosques “Jesus” was spray-painted on a fence and crosses were spray painted on the windows. On the other mosque “Jesus is the way” was written on a wall
I saw this story on Sunday night and I was immediately filled with equal measures of anger and shame. The name of Jesus is the highest name, worthy of all praise, yet here it was being used in an act of hatred. Jesus is the Prince of Peace, yet here his name was used to bring animosity. The cross is the ultimate symbol of forgiveness and redemption, yet here it was being used to drive people further apart.
It made me sick. It still makes me sick.
As a six-year-old I said “Oh my God” and felt badly because I had taken the LORD’s name in vain. As a 34-year-old I felt embarrassed that someone had taken my Lord Jesus’ name in vain.
On Sunday night I tweeted that those who vandalized a mosque with the name of Jesus and crosses do not represent that name or symbol. I can only hope that any Muslims from those mosques understand that those who vandalized their houses of worship don’t represent every Christian. Just like I’m sure the Muslims from those Mosques don’t want people to think that terrorists represent every Muslim.
I do believe that Jesus is the way and would love to see every Muslim in the world – and everyone else – come to know him as Lord and savior. However, using the name of Jesus as a tool of hate and fear mongering will never see that purpose accomplished. Using Jesus’ name in that manner, truly is in vain.
Leave a Comment