Taking the Lord’s Name in Vain

[clbent04]

Exodus 20:2 commandment #3

”THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN.”

What does it really mean to not take the Lord’s name in vain? Does it even have to do anything with using one of Jesus’s or the Father’s many names to express anger, shock, excitement...?

I’ve heard before that it doesn’t necessarily have to do with the words you speak. More so it’s meant to command us that when we take the name of the Lord upon ourselves by taking the sacrament, that we prove ourselves faithful servants and followers to the Lord, that we don’t sit idle when work is to be done, that we use our time wisely...

Is this looking into the commandment too deeply or taking it out of context as the Lord originally intended for us to understand it? Anyone familiar with the Greek/Hebrew behind commandment number 3 to clarify if it was meant to only address the spoken words out of our mouths?

Sacramental Prayer

Doctrine and Covenats 20:77 “O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.”

[mrmarklin]

I personally agree with your take on this matter. 

 

For instance in Latin countries Díos mío (my God) is a common expression with no intended insult to the Diety. 

[zil]

51 minutes ago, mrmarklin said:

For instance in Latin countries Díos mío (my God) is a common expression with no intended insult to the Diety. 

I'm not sure people who say the same sorts of thing in English intend insult to deity, but in either case, is reverence present?  That, IMO, is the far more important question.  "No intended insult" seems like too low a bar.  Are they speaking a mindless exclamation, or is there sincerity, reverence, and real intent when invoking the name of a holy being?

As to the OP: I think nearly every interpretation of this command should be used - avoiding using any name of any member of the Godhead as an expletive seems like the minimum.  Certainly, any prayer, ordinance, or action taken as part of our calling or office in the Church is done in the name of the Lord, and should not be done in vain - that is, in a way so as to make it ineffectual, either through our poor "effort" or through unworthiness on our part.  Further, in our covenants (as previously mentioned), we take upon ourselves the name of Christ.  The choices we make thereafter can potentially mean we have taken that name in vain, something which clearly ought not to be.

[Vort]

It's not a choice. We don't have to specify, "This means either A or it means B." We can say, "This means both A and B." Such is the case here. Using God's name in unholy ways is indeed taking it in vain. Every European language includes ways to blaspheme the name of God, and I daresay in every European nation it's common. That does not make it right or justified.

[Sunday21]

I wish there was a big bleeper app that would eliminate the blaspheming expressions! ?

Edited January 7, 2018 by Sunday21

[Guest]

Quote

For behold, verily I say, that many there be who are under this condemnation, who use the name of the Lord, and use it in vain, having not authority.

D&C 63:62

Any time we invoke the name of Deity in any manner that He does not approve of, then we take it in vain.  This covers:

Cursing (whether we curse God or curse man)
Insincere prayer or ordinance participation (administering or receiving)
Declaration of His word without authority

[anatess2]

On 1/7/2018 at 9:23 AM, mrmarklin said:

I personally agree with your take on this matter. 

 

For instance in Latin countries Díos mío (my God) is a common expression with no intended insult to the Diety. 

Same in the Philippines.  Praise the Lord is a common expression there too.  It is supposed to bring people to a constant state of Thanksgiving.  It is raining, praise the Lord.  It is not raining, praise the Lord.  But a lot of times, people use the phrases as a superstitious utterance.  Like, if they don't say it then it might bring them bad luck or something.  Or they say it in the hopes of avoiding some calamity.  I'm not sure if in that usage it passes for reverence.  Is using God's name like a talisman considered reverence?  Or is it plain and simply what's in the heart of the person who says it? 

Anyway, my brain is not quite working full capacity since I came back from vacation.

 

[JohnsonJones]

On ‎1‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 11:49 AM, Vort said:

It's not a choice. We don't have to specify, "This means either A or it means B." We can say, "This means both A and B." Such is the case here. Using God's name in unholy ways is indeed taking it in vain. Every European language includes ways to blaspheme the name of God, and I daresay in every European nation it's common. That does not make it right or justified.

I go to extremes most times and try to only use the Lord's English versions of the name of the Savior, or that of the Father when I am talking about it in a respectful or holy fashion.  Even in Normal speech or writing I normally will refer to them as the Lord or the Son, and the Father rather than how we refer to them when in holy settings.

I'm probably just more paranoid about avoiding even the chance of breaking the commandments than I need to be.