The Dangers of Euphemisms

By Rachel Head

Many of us hear euphemisms on a daily basis whether it is through school, work, or even just running errands. We cannot help that we have to go to school or work and be around those people but we can control our mouths. In this article, I am going to be talking about the dangers of euphemisms.

In Exodus 20:7, God says, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Sometimes, it is used as an exclamation over something that is bad or it is used without thinking. In addition to using God’s actual name, people, even Christians, think that they have come up with a better solution. They use other words instead of God’s name and this is called a euphemism. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a euphemism is “the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant.” People use innocent things instead God’s name to express something bad. The use of euphemisms is very wrong because the name of the Lord pretty much being taken in vain. People also try to come up with alternatives to curse words. This is wrong because we should not even be using curse words in our vocabulary or replacements that can make people even think of those curse words. In the latter part of Exodus 20:7, it says that the Lord will not not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. If we are to ever use God’s name in vain, we are going to be held accountable for that on Judgement Day. We are to treat God with respect because He created us and we are His children.

We should learn to be more careful with our mouths and only speak things that are wholesome for others and God to hear.

“But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay: lest ye fall into condemnation,” (James 5:12).