When examined, or just because it’s weird on its own.

Example: Beat a dead horse

  1. You whip a horse to go faster
  2. It dies from being whipped too much
  3. You still want the horse to go faster
  4. You continue to whip it
  • sping
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    3 days ago

    I thought it was stating that something is God’s will for your own purposes. AFAIK it’s not just using terms for God as a curse.

    • tetris11@lemmy.ml
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      3 days ago

      https://www.etymonline.com/word/vain

      The expression comes from the phrase “in vain” which restores the original meaning of the noun vain away from the conceited meaning and more towards the vacuous sense. So if you’re taking God’s name in vain, it’s using God’s name needlessly.