the use of G-d instead of God

[maiku]

I've seen this here and other places on occasion and was wondering, is replacing the "o" with a hyphen done to avoid repetition of God's name or to avoid taking the name of God in vain?

I was curious to see what others think about this as my thoughts are that God is more a title than a name, which means that replacing God with G-d, which is simply another title, is self-defeating.

[Vort]

I agree with you.

[pam]

I do know it's a Jewish tradition to do this so that they can erase or dispose of the writing without showing disrespect to God.

[dahlia]

I do know it's a Jewish tradition to do this so that they can erase or dispose of the writing without showing disrespect to God.

This. I've been a bit surprised to see it on LDS boards and didn't know if this was the preferred way of writing the word. Apparently not.

[Guest Sachi001]

Why is it it vain? If that were the case than Elo-him should be hyphenated as should Je-sus Chr-ist.

[ADoyle90815]

Why is it it vain? If that were the case than Elo-him should be hyphenated as should Je-sus Chr-ist.

If that were the case, then the signs outside of buildings should change the capital letters of Jesus Christ because capital letters signify shouting, which could be seen as taking the Lord's name in vain.

[LittleWyvern]

People have differing definitions of what "taking the name of God in vain" means. Some feel that it means that you shouldn't use the name of God for no reason: essentially, don't toss it around like it's candy, but feel free to use it for official or worthwhile purposes. Others feel that simply using the name of God too many times at once (the threshold for this can vary wildly depending on who you ask) no matter the circumstances is bad, or in a sense cheapening the name via repetition. So, I suppose it's really just personal prefrence.

As far as the Jewish practice goes, they viewed the name Jehovah (or however you want to transliterate it) so holy that they forbade anyone to say the name. This, incidentally, is why nobody is sure exactly how you're supposed to pronounce Jehovah, because saying it was so forbidden. For the Jewish the name Adoni was generally subsituted, which translates roughly to " the Lord" as we see it used in the KJV Bible.

Edited July 14, 2011 by LittleWyvern
spelling fail. :(

[maiku]

People have differing definitions of what "taking the name of God in vain" means. Some feel that it means that you shouldn't use the name of God for no reason: essentially, don't toss it around like it's candy, but feel free to use it for official or worthwhile purposes.

This is what I mean though, the word God isn't the name of God, it's just a title given to Him, just like Dad is a title and not a name (pardon me if any of you are named Dad ).

Therefore using the title God isn't the same using God's NAME in vain, since God's name isn't God.

I've seen a few folks on this site who hyphenate God like G-d. What do you have to say on this matter?

[Just_A_Guy]

Traveler will have to answer for himself (he's the main person here I've seen using this convention), but I seem to remember his once explaining that it had something to do with ensuring that his posts don't get snagged by internet filters in eastern countries that try to censor discussions of Judeo-Christian theology.

[LittleWyvern]

This is what I mean though, the word God isn't the name of God, it's just a title given to Him, just like Dad is a title and not a name (pardon me if any of you are named Dad ).

Therefore using the title God isn't the same using God's NAME in vain, since God's name isn't God.

Often the Jewish people viewed the name of God as equal holiness as God Himself. The distinction between God and the name of God makes sense on paper but is rarely paid much attention to in practice throughout Judaism and Christianity. We as Christians have inherited the concept of "name-title" from the Jews, which means "God" is both a title and a name for the purposes of "taking the name of God in vain" arguments.

I've seen a few folks on this site who hyphenate God like G-d. What do you have to say on this matter?

I suppose, to those who fall under the second category I mentioned in my earlier post, using the "G-d" form allows somebody to refer to God without using the name of God, thereby not taking the name of God in vain to those who follow that philosophy.

Edited July 14, 2011 by LittleWyvern

[Guest mysticmorini]

I've used it a few times, I do it out of habit ( from posting on Jewish forum, where I use the _ to show respect for their beliefs.)

[mrmarklin]

I've seen this here and other places on occasion and was wondering, is replacing the "o" with a hyphen done to avoid repetition of God's name or to avoid taking the name of God in vain?

I was curious to see what others think about this as my thoughts are that God is more a title than a name, which means that replacing God with G-d, which is simply another title, is self-defeating.

My opinion is that it is extremely annoying.........

[prisonchaplain]

There is a powerful Christian contrast to this Hebrew tradition...Jesus has given us his name. It is in his name that we pray for the sick, cast out demons, and express faith. We love The Name, not by avoiding it out of fear, but by invoking it out of conviction.

[LDSJewess]

There is a powerful Christian contrast to this Hebrew tradition...Jesus has given us his name. It is in his name that we pray for the sick, cast out demons, and express faith. We love The Name, not by avoiding it out of fear, but by invoking it out of conviction.

In Hebrew, God's name is pronounced a number of ways. It is not that Jews do not know or refer to the name of God. The first name used for God in scripture was Elohhim. God is also known as El Shaddai. This Name is usually translated as God Almighty, and is the name imprinted on the scrolls inside a mezuzah ans attached to the door post of a Jew's home. Another is Ha-Shem which is most often pronounced Ha-shame and means "the name."

The Jewish tradition has nothing to do with God's name or the pronouncing of God's name. It also has nothing to do with fear. Rather it has to do with the writing of God's name.

Traditional Judiasm teaches to not casually write any Name of God. This practice does not come from the commandment not to take the Lord's Name in vain, as many non-Jews assume. In Jewish thought, that commandment refers solely to oath-taking, and is a prohibition against swearing by God's Name falsely, (the word normally translated as "in vain" literally means "for falsehood").

Judaism does not prohibit writing the Name of God per se; it prohibits only erasing or defacing a Name of God. However, observant Jews avoid writing any Name of God casually because of the risk that the written Name might later be defaced, obliterated or destroyed accidentally or by one who does not know better.

The commandment not to erase or deface the name of God comes from Deut. 12:3. In that passage, the people of Israel are commanded that when they take over the promised land, they should destroy all things related to the idolatrous religions of that region, and should utterly destroy the names of the local deities. Immediately afterwards, they are commanded not to do the same to their God. From this, the rabbis inferred that we are commanded not to destroy any holy thing, and not to erase or deface a Name of God.

As for Jesus, his name at birth and his bris (circumcision) as a Jewish baby boy was named Yeshua bar Yosef (Yeshua, son of Joseph) is the original Aramaic name for Jesus. His parents, siblings, disciples, and followers called him by that name. The name "Jesus" is a misspelling and mispronunciation that resulted from the translation of Yeshua's name after his death, first into the Greek Iesous, (pronounced "ee-ay-SUS"), and then from the Greek Iesous into the Latin Jesus. No one during Yeshua's life (prior to 30 CE) ever uttered the name, "Jesus." The letter "j" wasn't in the English language until the seventeenth century, so even in English, no one spoke the name "Jesus" until after that time.

In any event we often get caught up in symantics and spellings, pronounciations etc: which history shows have more to do with culture and language of the times. And in our modern times many of the traditions are carried forward.

[prisonchaplain]

In my desire to highlight the privilege we have in using Jesus' name, I may have been over-zealous in contrasting this trust with the caution surrounding the use of the Father's name amongst the Hebrews. The paradigm shift is still powerful, though.

[LDSJewess]

In my desire to highlight the privilege we have in using Jesus' name, I may have been over-zealous in contrasting this trust with the caution surrounding the use of the Father's name amongst the Hebrews. The paradigm shift is still powerful, though.

Very powerful that is for sure.

[Guest mysticmorini]

so onto a related question, is it more proper to use an underscore (G_d) or a hyphen (G-d)? I've seen it both ways.

[Blackmarch]

I've seen this here and other places on occasion and was wondering, is replacing the "o" with a hyphen done to avoid repetition of God's name or to avoid taking the name of God in vain?

I was curious to see what others think about this as my thoughts are that God is more a title than a name, which means that replacing God with G-d, which is simply another title, is self-defeating.

both yesw to the first parts. and yes to the second. we also have some people that post from some middle eastern areas, where it's against the law or local culture to speak of God casually.

[Blackmarch]

so onto a related question, is it more proper to use an underscore (G_d) or a hyphen (G-d)? I've seen it both ways.

I don't think that one is more important than the other, at least i havent seen enough to come to a conclusion one way or the other in that respect.

[LDSJewess]

so onto a related question, is it more proper to use an underscore (G_d) or a hyphen (G-d)? I've seen it both ways.

It makes no difference whether it is a hyphen or an underscore. Prior to typing and a key board there was no hyphen or underscore just a missing letter.

Just as a reference, in the Torah scrolls there are no vowels. This makes for a challenge for anyone who is called to read from the Torah in a synagogue. In Hebrew school or when reading Hebrew in other texts, vowels are present, but in the Torah scrolls there are no vowels, in ANY words not just those referring to God. It is assumed that the reader knows the words to keep in their hear for memory.

Also there are some organizations that since they are considered secret I will not mention by name. However, their ritual work involves memorization of verses or texts where there are missing letters so that the person who participates in the ritual recites from memorizing the words translated from abbreviated words that are missing letters.

Edited July 17, 2011 by LDSJewess