(Submitted and Written by Natalie K.)
It would be logical to assume that Jewish Young Adults would, in keeping with their ethnic heritage and embracing of kitsch make use of uniquely Jewish expressions of exasperation and annoyance. But in their native habitats, whether that’s Cherry Hill, Huntington Woods or Mercer Island, their profanity resists this sort of stereotyping.
JYAs today are much more likely to invoke the famous but contentious figure of Jesus Christ. In addition to the classic exclamation: “Jesus Christ!” The Hebrologist will also note a number of variations on the theme, ranging from the more profane “Christ on a Cross!” or “Jesus son of Joseph!” or “Jesus, Mary and Joseph!” to the silly “Jeezy Creezy” and “Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick!”
This phenomenon is not isolated to diaspora Jewry. When JYA Rebecca moved from New York to Tel Aviv she commented, “I have to start practicing not saying Jesus Christ anymore, I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea.” After a year in the ancestral homeland, her usage has increased, and this is hardly atypical.
Maybe it is rooted in irony, or maybe it just feels good to say, but if you hear an under the breath “Jesus Christ!” look around, it’s probably coming from from a JYA.
I also like the expression “Blinkin’ Baby, Jesus!” It’s always fitting around Xmastime.
I’ll sometimes use the word “Christsicle”. Hey, it’s something on a stick, right?
i definitely use it. i use it because i can, like i don’t have to feel bad cuz he ain’t MY lord.
i ofen say….. “jesus effing christ”
hahha but instead of effing the real worddd
hahahhahahhaa
Perhaps a better relief when profaning could be, using the revealed name of God. Better yet, let’s use the name of one of our own Patriarchs, or Prophets. Abraham, Moses, those would probably be better suited in place for a word of profanity. Why is it that young Jews desire to use the name of someone elses deity to “relieve” their filthy minds? Jesus may not be a deity to Jews but He is to Christians, of which I am a believer. I find it quite degrading that members of the Jewish community would show such harsh and blatant disrespect for Christians. I understand that Jews don’t believe that Christ is their Moshiach, but Christians do. I also understand that Jews may not be bound to love Christians, but the Christians that believe the Bible, are bound to love Jews. “Pray for the peace of Yirushalayim, may those who love the Holy City prosper.”
I have read and heard so many of the eldest Jews, including very respected Rabbi’s speak lovingly of the Christian Community. I am appalled at the lack of respect that you show the Christian’s. You can’t claim to “love” or “respect” Christians and then blaspheme their Moshiach. It almost makes me regret defending Jews all of my life. Growing up in the south I have heard Jews and blacks being defamed quite a bit. I will continue to pray for the Jewish-Christian relationship, we are both an Abrahamic faith. I pray that God will continue to heal the wounds that continue to seperate us, in the MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS…
It wasn’t Christians who burned Jews in large ovens at Nuremberg or Auschwitz. those were Nazi Germans. It WAS Christian soldiers who fought and died to put a stop to that. Does that sound like people who would take Abraham’s name in vain for their amusement?
Muslims are praying Christians find Allah. Jews are praying Muslims find Abraham. Christians are praying everyone finds Christ…
God is praying we ALL find him.
“Jews are praying Muslims find Abraham. ”
NO, we definitely are NOT praying for anything of the sort. judaism is not a proselytizing, missionary faith.
@Adam: I’ll be praying God blesses you with a sense of humor. Praise be and Jah bless.
Personally, I say the following:
Christ on a bike!
Christ on a pike!
Sweet Pan Fried Jesus
Holy Jesus (hey-sus) christopher walken!
i have heard people say christ on a crutch!
laugh now, cry later…
i certainly…….don’t force you to believe in Jesus….but i beg you ppl please…..leave him alone….leave us alone….. do our own businesses…… if you don’t believe in our Lord then not a loss for us, but please… don’t use his image in disgraceful and offensive ways if you don’t believe fine but you don’t have to show it this way……
So rude.
Please learn to have some respect for other people’s faiths, as we do for you.
Being American born and bred, using the term “Jesus” or “Jesus Christ” as an exclamation isn’t disrespect but a common form of speech in a christian dominated culture.
If we, as Jews, stopped to think about our use of such expressions we would probably use “Holy Moses” or “Jumpin Jehosephat” or other creative expressions of surprise.
To those offended that Jews would use “their” messiah for such purposes, I suggest you “get a life” in this world, the world to come will take care of itself.
Did you guys know the word “shit” means “Jew” in Polish? Not sure if that is the actual origin of the English/American curse word, but I think the pronounciation is too close for comfort.
@Christians…
No worries about Jesus, He can take a lot of curses. His name is a powerful word indeed? Why not let people say it in hard times.
People need to wake up from the grip of ancient superstition and fear, all the sordid history of the evolution of religions is available for free at the local library. Isn’t anyone curious about what is real anymore? All the religions are related as we are, in a giant interconnected tree of evolution, they learned from each other, copied stories, stole rituals..and adapted to their environments..sound familiar? They’re all fake, what’s real is that you evolved here and you should be thanking all of our ancestors for all the crap they put up with in their hard, work filled lives to get you here, to give you the incredibly huge gift of seventy years or so on this lovely planet with all the folks you love. It’s just plain disrespectful to be thanking some imaginary father figure imposed and imprinted into your ‘programming’ by evil men who wish to keep you all thinking like sheep. Wake up my cousins, it’s a wolf’s world. Go kiss your parents, thank them, embrace them, forgive the little crap and show some appreciation. Best gift you ever got.
thank christ i was born into jewish humor (the world would be a lot less uglier if people didn’t take themselves so god dammed seriously)!
re to rena: Amen. I mean that in a strictly non-denominational sense, of course!
I’m a christain. Do you think I’m here to convert you?
I guess the reason I ask that is because I don’t think your mad at christains but your mad about what the christain relegion does to it’s people. I’ve also become very intersted in jewish mystism,the kabbala and if it has a relation to the third eye, mathmatical discoveries due to biblical stories, and the house of jacob and its relation to jesus as the son of god and the son of man,and the story of Abraham and issac. I was told that the kabala is something hollywood does with yoga, oddly enough they say you can open the third eye while doing yoga, the third eye is said to see through space and time while also functioning as a device that catchs planet waves which makes since because time slows down out there(thats the best way that I can describe that function yet its far more complacited then that) bob Dylan, jewish does album called planet waves the album cover is painted with a man with a anchor in his head, I’ve run into this weight before its quiet heavy and through yoga it spins or the mind tries to compute it while it’s actually the holagram image of the third eye as describe to explain time and space(if your intersted look up the third eye gland you’ll see the diagram therre) The third eye is said to be unknown to christains due to the story of abraham and the concept of the alpha and omega. A friend of mine who was a columbia professor whom I talk to often says he isn’t worried about the son of man son of god complex because there’s 42 prohets in the house of jacob all of these prohets among many other things wrote about the messiah entry into the world, the messiah is a decendent then of the house of jacob being the 43 prophet.
It is difficult to be understanding when Jews frequently
use the expression “Jesus Christ” in times of anger or frustration.
It is difficult to be understanding when Jews frown and show clear disdain when hearing “Merry Christmas” during the Decmeber Holiday.
It is difficult to understand why any one group wants respect yet will not respect another. The excuse is the very well worn repetition of horrors allegedly committed by Christians and their Church.
Without a doubt, my family and i had not part in it.
If you start invoking “collective guilt” of the Christians for all the
past sins then maybe the Christians should go further back and
tell their side of the story.
i’m sick of the one sided attitude of “how my people suffered”.
Yes, it is tragic but enough is enough.
I didn’t take part in the insanity in Germany or any other antisemitic activity so stop knocking my Faith and my Beliefs.
You think Jesus is a lunatic and a bastard?
OK. Keep it to yourself.
Hmmm.
The next time one of my Jewish friends says “Jesus Christ” out
of frustration or anger, this should allow me to say something
insulting without the typical and predictable accusations of being
an antisemitic.
Typically when mentioning such a tactic, Jews go into a long and unwelcome lecture on “how my people suffered” and how “your Church” was responsible.
I never heard any hate filled sermons about Jews in the last
50+ years of attending Church. Must have missed a few Sunday’s. Guess i didn’t pay my Antisemite Dues and missed
the monthly Newsletters.
How about this.
Either go to on vacation during the latter part of December or simply wear ear plugs so we can say “Merry Christmas” without observing sour expressions and hearing cursing almost under your breath.
i’ve noticed the stores are abundantly decorated during Channuka with Dreidels and the 9 branchMenorah.
To me, this looks quite Festive and familiar.
Why can’t you simply tolerate (or ignore) the Nativity or the Star
or Bethlehem in stores?
I’m simply sick and tired of this negative bias towards Christians.
Come on, can’t we all just get along?
Meanwhile, if you christians don’t like the way we do things, then why are you on a website for stuff that JEWS like. Jesus christ.
@ Ehster Because “Taking Christ’s Name in Vain” is a topic that interests Christians.
You Google it to learn something about it and you end up here…
And I can´t say I´ve learned something but that people will always tend to take everything personally and make wars out of stupid things…
Shalom
sweet baby jesus your right!