Overzealous Mom Bans Kids From Saying “Good”, So Guest Outsmarts Her With Fancy Synonyms

There’s strict parenting, and then there’s banning your kids from saying “good” because “only God is good.” When one man encountered this level of religious overreach, he decided not to argue but to have a little linguistic fun instead.

Armed with a thesaurus and a mischievous grin, he dropped words so grand and archaic that the family had no clue what he was talking about. The result? A masterclass in passive-aggressive vocabulary that would’ve made even Shakespeare proud. Scroll down to read this gloriously petty encounter.

Religious mom bans “good” and visitor gets creative with words

Faith, language, and freedom of expression often intertwine in curious ways and this story shows how strict beliefs can unintentionally create absurd situations.

The original poster (OP) describes a “super religious” family who forbids their children from saying common words like “good,” “awesome,” or “great,” claiming that “only God is good.” OP’s response, delivered with dry humor, involves using elaborate synonyms like “sublime” and “pietistic” to expose the absurdity of such restrictions.

At its core, this story highlights the tension between faith-based boundaries and everyday human expression. On one hand, the sister’s extreme control reflects her deep desire to live righteously, perhaps shaped by religious anxiety or fear of moral impurity.

On the other hand, OP’s reaction represents a natural pushback against dogmatism, using intellect and humor as a coping mechanism. This emotional contrast between control and rebellion captures a universal truth: when beliefs become rigid, they can suppress rather than guide meaningful communication.

From a psychological standpoint, this behavior can be linked to scrupulosity, a form of obsessive-compulsive behavior centered on moral or religious fears.

According to psychologist Dr. David H. Rosmarin, founder of the Center for Anxiety and an expert on religion and mental health, “Scrupulosity involves an exaggerated sense of sin and guilt, where individuals overestimate the moral consequences of everyday actions.”

For the sister, forbidding her children from saying “good” may feel like spiritual protection but in reality, it imposes unnecessary rigidity that isolates them from normal social interaction.

OP’s witty defiance, though mischievous, serves as an expression of autonomy. Humor often acts as an emotional release in situations where logic can’t bridge understanding. By turning frustration into wordplay, OP transforms irritation into empowerment, a harmless yet pointed reminder of how language policing can border on the absurd.

Here’s how people reacted to the post:

These Redditors corrected the theology, explaining that forbidding words like “good” or “great” actually contradicts core Christian and Jewish teachings

This group found humor in the absurdity of banning everyday words

These commenters mocked the extreme piety and performative religiosity

This user offered nostalgic reflection

This commenter closed with dry sarcasm

Do you think OP’s wordplay was clever or condescending? And would you have kept a straight face through that entire divine conversation?