Let's Go Back to the Bible

Don’t even mention the names of other gods

When God delivered the Israelites from the land of Egypt, they were leaving one land that was full of idolatry (Ex. 12:12) and entering another land that was full of idolatry (Ex. 34:12-16).  Not only did God command His people to “have no other gods” before Him (Ex. 20:3) and then tell them to utterly destroy all evidence of these gods and their worship in the land of Canaan (Ex. 34:13; Deut. 12:2-4).  God specified, “Make no mention of the name of their gods, nor let it be heard from your mouth” (Ex. 23:13; cf. Josh. 23:7-8).  Don’t worship them!  Don’t have them around you!  Don’t even talk about them or mention them in conversation!

In the New Testament, we find similar warnings for Christians, who are alerted to the dangers and “the unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph. 5:11).  Not only does God command us to have no fellowship with the works of darkness in this world but even to expose them.  God reveals that “it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret” (Eph. 5:12).  The ways of this world are so disgraceful that they must not have any part in our lives at all.