One is profane who uses sacred things in an irreverent and blasphemous manner. The word vain, in the third commandment of the decalogue, is translated from the word in the He- brew language which means in a light, flippant and contemptuous fashion. It is of serious con- sequence that many members of the church today have allowed to creep into their phraseology words and phrases the use of which amounts to profanity. Others, who would not dare use the holy names, God, Christ, Jesus, Jerusalem, Heaven, Hell, Hades as interjections (“An ejacula- tory word of form of speech, usually thrown in without grammatical connection,” Webster) and for emphasis, will, nevertheless, use euphemisms (the substitution of a word of phrase less offensive or objectionable), the derivation of which goes back to one of the foregoing forms. Were those who thus do aware of the origin of many of these common by-words they would be shocked! It is therefore important that we obtain a clear conception of the significance of such words and phrases and avoid all which even indirectly border on the profane. Among them as such words as Gee Whiz, Gosh, Gad, Egad, Golly, Good Gracious, Good Grief, My Goodness, Jemniny, Zounds, Jove, etc., etc.
Gee is an euphemistic contraction of the name of Jesus. It is slang, and has no proper use in our language. It is used as an interjection and to express surprise. It is, in effect, to say: “Jesus!” (cf. Web- ster’s Unabridged Dictionary which says that it is “a minced form of Jesus, used in mild oaths.”)
Gosh is an interjection and is used euphemistically for God. It is an exclamatory slang expres- sion indicating surprise. The Century Dictionary says it is “A minced form of God: often used interjec- tionally as a mild oath.” Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary says that it is “a softened form of God, used as a mild oath.”
Gad, Egad are interjections and are used euphemistically for the word “God”, in mild oaths. The indicate surprise, disgust, dismay, and similar emotions, and are ejaculatory in character.
Golly, of extremely common use, is described by the New World Dictionary as “an exclama- tion of surprise, a euphemism for God.
Good Gracious! Good Grief! My Goodness! etc., are all mild oaths, where the word good or goodness is used euphemistically for God.
Heavens! Good Heavens! For Heaven’s Sake! And similar expressions are statements of ex- clamatory character in which the heavens are called to witness to the truth of a statement made or to support the affirmation. All such expressions when used as by-words, as slang, and in flippant, frivolous fashion, violate our Lord’s injunction: “Swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King” (Matthew 5:34).
We are not to conclude that it is wrong to use the various names of God in our conversation when such usage is reverent, respectful and sober. We have, indeed, numerous instances of such usage in the Scriptures. (cf. “God forbid”, “If God wills”, “The Lord grant mercy”, etc.) The Jews regarded the name of Jehovah as ineffable and to this day refuse to pronounce it in Hebrew. It is the profane use of sacred things and names against which the Bible inveighs, and all such expressions as these we have above analyzed which should be rigidly excluded from our vocabularies.
(Excerpts from A Commentary on the Epistle of James, (1967), pages 290-292)
Sadly, in the over fifty years since brother Woods wrote this material, several more words and phrases can be added to category of euphemisms. Such expressions as Heck, OMG, and Lordy are irreverent and profane the sacred.