another way to say "thank god"

Guest   Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:20 am GMT
thank goodness sounds silly.. is there a way to say something like this without involving religious superstition?
Guest   Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:27 am GMT
Josh, I mean in a way of exclamation. While those which you suggested can be used as a beginning of a phrase or sentence, they can't really stand alone.
Guest   Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:36 am GMT
Yes, that's what I mean. What I find interesting is that in other languages, well I can really testify with confidence only for one, the situation is exactly the same.
Kendra   Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:10 am GMT
In America, a lot of people say "Thank gosh!" instead of using God. It's silly, but it works.
Guest   Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:10 am GMT
I've never heard anyone say "Thank gosh."
Travis   Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:31 am GMT
Honestly, "Thank gosh!" sounds really silly so me, just like other sorts of "minced oaths" and whatnot...
Guest   Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:25 am GMT
Thanks Almighty would work as well without being too religiously!
Skippy   Mon Sep 17, 2007 12:57 pm GMT
My exgirlfriend is atheist... She says thank God... I think unless an atheist English speaker is really linguistically self-aware, they would still use this. I can't even really think of any non religious equivalent that isn't "Praise the Lord!" or something lol
furrykef   Mon Sep 17, 2007 4:35 pm GMT
<< My exgirlfriend is atheist... She says thank God... I think unless an atheist English speaker is really linguistically self-aware, they would still use this. >>

Agreed. I'm an atheist myself and I still use the phrase, though I do it mostly on purpose. I also remember saying "Praise the Lord!" when I was younger and more ignorant (I'm still young and ignorant ;)) when I was playing an utterly stupid blackjack system that required me to place and win a huge bet, and I did. (But ultimately I lost all the money I brought to the table. Kids, never use a betting system... unless it involves counting cards, it is mathematically proven not to work!)

- Kef
Guest   Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:41 pm GMT
<<Honestly, "Thank gosh!" sounds really silly so me, just like other sorts of "minced oaths" and whatnot...>>

What about "oh gosh!"? How does that sound?
Ron   Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:46 pm GMT
It's stupid for atheists to say things like "oh my God" etc. By doing so, they're denying their own disbelief.
Guest   Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:01 pm GMT
It's also stupid for atheists to say "Bless you" when somebody sneezes, because we all know that it's God whom we ask to do the blessing.
Travis   Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:20 pm GMT
>><<Honestly, "Thank gosh!" sounds really silly so me, just like other sorts of "minced oaths" and whatnot...>>

What about "oh gosh!"? How does that sound?<<

Just the same to me.
furrykef   Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:48 pm GMT
<< It's stupid for atheists to say things like "oh my God" etc. By doing so, they're denying their own disbelief. >>

Illogical, maybe, but calling it stupid seems silly and needlessly inflammatory. My beliefs aren't negated just because I use a common expression.

- Kef
Ron   Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:43 pm GMT
<<Illogical, maybe, but calling it stupid seems silly and needlessly inflammatory. My beliefs aren't negated just because I use a common expression.>>

What's stupid is that many atheists tend to complain about coins saying "in God we trust", the Pledge of Allegiance containing "Under God", and the "B.C." and "A.D." abbreviations, yet they themselves say things like "oh my God". When some atheist says the the "B.C." and "A.D." abbreviations should be replaced, ask them why they continue saying "oh my God" as though they believed in God.