April 24, 2026

Letters to the Editor

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Stop weaponizing God’s name for political gain, reader says

To “invoke the name of the Lord, your God, in vain” (Ex 20:7) is grave matter.

The word vain describes a person with an oversized opinion of their own appearance, capabilities, worth or success.

To act in vain is to do something useless, worthless, to no avail.

To use God’s name in vain is to invoke God’s name pointlessly or unworthily, including for one’s own self-aggrandizement and the promotion of one’s own agenda. Politicians—some of strong faith, some of no faith—are shamelessly stage-managing God’s clout for their own vainglory.

Reverencing God’s name is serious business. Think about it. It’s the only one of the Ten Commandments for which God specifically pronounces penalty: “For the Lord will not leave unpunished anyone who invokes his name in vain” (Ex 20:7). God help us.

This happens on both sides of the aisle. This is not about finger-pointing nor judgment.

Rather, this is a caution to heed this divinely emphatic yet highly ignored commandment. Let’s stop weaponizing God’s name for political gain.

- Denise Roney McGonigal | Indianapolis

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