• Pray for me. I will pray for you.
• Just trust God. He will provide for you.
• Amen.
• Praise God.
• Praise the Lord.
• Hallelujah.
• God is at work in this situation (good or bad).
• God is good. All the time.
• Good sermon.
• Bless you.
• No problem. It’s all under the blood.
• I felt that God told me to ….
• Worship today was wonderful.
• The music moved me in my spirit.
• He/she is a Godly man/woman.
• He/she is a real prayer warrior.
• I did my devotions today.
• He/she has a real anointing for ….
• God is in this place.
• Can you feel the spirit?
• He/she is spirit-filled.
• He/she is born again.
• He/she flows in the spirit.
• I am called to ….
• God put it on my heart to ……
• I am a Christian.
• I am a Lutheran, Catholic, Baptist, etc.
• I am born again and spirit filled.
• What church do you attend?
• Are you saved?
• Are you born again?
• Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

This kind of language is powerless, self-serving cliches spoken by false prophets who quote them mindlessly as a kind of programmed response to a situation or when another cliche is quoted in response to a certain circumstance. As a result, these exclamations are void of any positive spiritual content.

Often this empty language is used to fill the air when people don’t know what else to say. Religious language is accepted (and even expected) in religious communities. It is used with with little or no thought by pseudo spiritual people who impress others with their language. It is what religious people say to make names for themselves that identify them as spiritual.

Social media website such as Facebook and Twitter are full of this kind of language. It only has meaning and value to religious people. It has no meaning or value to God. Like prayers that are said over and over again, religious talk is foolish and empty.

Most religious people do not realize that when they use religious language in public, they have a real potential for being a turn-off for people who are not members of the group that typically uses them. The reality is that religious speech and actions tend to be offensive to those who do not subscribe to that particular religious tradition. Thus, using such speech or actions in public places may communicate your spirituality to members of your group, but it speaks of holier-than-thou religiosity to those who are not members of your group.

STUDY TIP: See Favoritism and Partiality.

When we offended others with our verbal religious displays, it is possible that we build walls between religious insiders and outsiders. It has the same effect as wearing religious clothing that separates clergy from the common people. Anyone who hopes to be able to reach out to others and build a fruitful relationship should always be mindful that religious speech can be a real obstacle to building new relationships.