For the last year or so, when I hear the term “OMG,” it is like nails on a chalk board. My passion was intensified recently while on the phone with a long-time friend catching up on a number of topics, when all of a sudden, she says “O-M-G.” What!!
I’ve asked myself a few times, if I am just being too sensitive? After all, Usher made an entire song around OMG; although to his credit, he is saying “Oh My Gosh.” I wanted to be sure that I was not over reacting so I began researching the history of the term.
Just as I thought, in the majority of cases, the term is understood as “Oh My God!” The term became popular around 2005 as texting started to increase in popularity. Interestingly enough, my research lead to an interesting fact found in an April 1, NPR article by Ian Chillag. According to Mr. Chillag, the term “OMG” was used much earlier than 2005. As a matter of fact, in a 1917 letter from a British Admiral to Winston Churchill, he actually wrote, “I hear that a new order of Knighthood is on the tapis. OMG!” He later went on to explain, OMG in the letter stood for “Oh My God!”
Exodus 20:7 is a great reminder and simply says, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain….. Leviticus 19:22, makes the point again, “You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God; I am the Lord.
It’s so easy if we are not careful to get caught up in slang! Sometimes we don’t stop and think about what we are really saying. The media and television help us out, because it looks cool, even hip and flip, to exclaim, “OMG” when we are surprised or shocked by something.
For me, “OMG” is off limits in my vocabulary. As a matter of fact the few times, I have used it in a text message I have defeated the purpose of the short cut by writing OMGosh.
It’s always been said that respect is something you earn. When I look back over my life, and all that He has brought me through, respect for His name goes without question.
It seems that texting and email has replaced so much of our communication. Nevertheless, we can become so caught up, that we fail to always check ourselves against what we know to be true.
Oprah started a successful campaign against texting and driving; I am calling for the removal of OMG from our vocabulary. It will be interesting to see how far I get……stay tuned.
