"I'm a tribal woman and our people come from the heart of the forest. For us, the well-being of the forest is all that matters."

'The Elephant Whisperers' show on Netflix.

At around 22:23 minutes into The Elephant Whisperers, a character on the show is guilty of the crime of speaking the name of a foreign god out loud.

me: what does the bible tell us about not being allowed to speak the name of a foreign god

Google Gemini: 

The Bible, particularly the Old Testament, contains clear instructions regarding the worship of foreign gods. While it doesn't explicitly say "you are not allowed to speak the name of a foreign god" in a direct command, several passages strongly discourage any association with them, which logically extends to not invoking their names in worship or reverence.

Here are some key points and relevant verses:

The First Commandment: The most fundamental instruction is found in the Ten Commandments:

Exodus 20:3 (NIV): "You shall have no other gods before me."

Deuteronomy 5:7 (NIV): "You shall have no other gods before me." This establishes the exclusive worship of the God of Israel (Yahweh) and prohibits acknowledging or worshiping any other deities.

Prohibition Against Mentioning Their Names: Some verses go further and explicitly discourage even speaking the names of other gods in a context that might imply recognition or worship:

Exodus 23:13 (NIV): "Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips." This verse suggests that even uttering their names could lead to or reflect a lack of exclusive devotion to the one true God. The intent is to create a clear separation from pagan practices.

Warnings Against Following or Serving Them: Numerous other passages warn against following the customs, practices, and gods of the nations surrounding Israel:

Deuteronomy 6:14 (NIV): "Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you."

Joshua 23:7 (NIV): "Be very careful to observe everything written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them; do not serve them or bow down to them." This verse explicitly links not invoking their names with not serving or bowing down to them.

Emphasis on God's Uniqueness: The Old Testament consistently emphasizes that Yahweh is the one true God, and all other so-called gods are false and powerless:

Isaiah 45:5 (NIV): "I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God."

In summary: While there isn't a single verse that says, "You shall not speak the name of a foreign god," the overall tenor of the Old Testament strongly discourages any recognition, worship, or association with other deities. Exodus 23:13 comes closest by explicitly telling the Israelites not to invoke their names or let them be heard from their lips. This was a measure to prevent idolatry and maintain exclusive devotion to the God who delivered them. The focus was on complete loyalty and separation from the religious practices of other nations.