8of9

Former theists:

Fill in the blank -- how do you express what used to automatically be "Thank God" (as in "Thank God I didn't shoot my eye out.")

Some options I've considered:

Fortunately (although in strict grammar terms, this is incorrect)
Boy, am I glad
I'm lucky
Isn't it a good thing
Thank Santa (that's my brother's)
Thank the IPU

What do you say, and why?

Do you even think twice about it?

AquaVita

I still say thank God...mainly because I'm not so insecure about saying god that it makes me uncomfortable when I do.

It's just an old habbit...I'll lose it when I lose it. Not really in any kind of hurry.

Melkor

Thank Manw�? Thank Eru? Thank Iluvatar?

simian

To put "thank god" in perspective:

I (and many other people) use the phrase "knock on wood". This does not mean I believe there are spirits living in wood that will help or hinder me, it is just another meaningless phrase. Kind of like "how are you?" Try honestly answering this one when you are having a bad day and see how quickly people try to get away from you.

Simian (who is having a fairly good day today, other than the cat vomiting....)

Manta

I've been thinking about this very subject...

Usually I say "thankfully" although I like "thank IPU"

I'm still trying to educate my friends about what to say when I sneeze, though Ga-zunt-heidt in place of 'god bless you' - I'd rather have good health anyway

Clarice

I say, "thank goodness." It conveys roughly the same meaning as "thank God," without creating confusion as to what I really believe.

Chicken Girl

whenever possible, I give credit where credit is due:

"thank George Lucas this Star Wars movie didn't suck."

"thank Wal-Mart I found this on sale."

"thank Charmin for rotary kleenex"

Mediancat

I do the same.

Every once in a while I'll say "Thank the gods," just for variety, but usually it's just "thank goodness."

Rob aka Mediancat

Feather

It depends on my mood.

"Thank goodness," "Thank the Fates," "Thank the gods," and "Thank Cthulu" are my favorites.

Melkor

I rather like that approach....




Lemme try this on for size:

"Thank Oscar Mayer these hot dogs are great!"

"Thank random luck for small favors!"

"Thank Intrinsic Angular Momentum that the Earth hasn't stopped spinning!"

"Thank the neutron flux attenuating properties of Hafnium that the reactor isn't raging out of control!"

Perfect.