# "G-d" for "god" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 7, 2002, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d-for-god/112844 "2002-06-07T15:03:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d-for-god/112844/1 "2002-06-07T15:03:19Z")
I understand that some people believe, for a variety of reasons, that the word “god” should not be written. Many of them substitute instead something like “G-d.” I’m not sure I understand why, if it is not okay to write “God” why it would be okay to write “G-d.” Language and writing is based on a mutual agreement regarding the meaning of otherwise arbitrary symbols. If the writer intends “G-d” to be a substitute for “God,” and all the readers understand “G-d” to be “God,” then “G-d” is just an alternative spelling of “God.” If “G-d” is just an alternative spelling of “God,” then “G-d” _is_ the word “God.” Then, following the logic of those who believe the word “God” should not be written, should the word “G-d” then also not be written? ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d-for-god/112844/2 "2002-06-07T15:12:58Z")
This has been discussed before. Use the search. Oh, wait… you can’t search on three-letter terms. Never mind. [sub]Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I’ll take any opportunity to mention the need to get three-letter terms brought back to the search.[/sub] Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d-for-god/112844/3 "2002-06-07T15:33:47Z")
Let’s see if I can beat **cmkeller** and **zev\_steinhart** to the punch…\* _Writing_ G-d or the name of G-d is not what is forbidden, it is _erasing_ or _defacing_ the name that is forbidden. Also, it only applies to permanent forms such as print, not typing into a computer. If a document is typed in and then printed, it becomes permanent and should not be defaced or destroyed. [Judaism 101](http://www.jewfaq.org/name.htm) [S.C.J. FAQ](http://www.shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/faq/11-03-01.html) [sub]\*- Nope, I can’t[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d-for-god/112844/4 "2002-06-07T16:18:16Z")
Hmm … okay. But that doesn’t really address my point. Whatever rule applies to the word “God,” should also apply to the word “G-d,” because they are, in practice, the same word. What am I missing? ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d-for-god/112844/5 "2002-06-07T17:17:28Z")
Out of curiousity, did you read the second link? The answer, if I interpret it correctly, seems to be there. The “rule” to which we’re referring only applies to the _Hebrew_ names for G-d, and in a permanent medium. According to the SCJ FAQ, the rule, in a strict sense, does not apply to “G-d,” thus one could write “G-d” or “God” and not violate any rules. It has just become customary to extend the rule to terms for God in languages other than Hebrew. If, however, you’re looking for a debate on semantics and language, and why “G-d” became the custom, instead of “G–”, “—”, or “:)”, I’m not sure I can help there. **Zev?** ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d-for-god/112844/6 "2002-06-07T19:03:43Z")
I don’t think I can provide much more help than the second link that you provided **av8rmike** which really sums it up. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Victory\_Candescence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Victory\_Candescence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Victory_Candescence)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d-for-god/112844/7 "2002-06-07T23:13:38Z")
It would seem that adding dashes _does_ make it a separate word. In the same way that writing “s—” is much less offensive than writing “shit”. I am, of course, not comparing God’s name to a cuss-word. I’m just saying that the same process of “the dash destroys the effect” works in both cases. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d-for-god/112844/8 "2002-06-10T12:42:39Z")
Links to prior discussions: [Why is it G-d but not L-rd?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=38689) [G-d](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=38689) Zev, the reason we don’t allow three-letter searches is that the process of searching slows the boards down for everyone else. And a search on “god” would turn up every occurrence of “god”, “godly”, “godliness”, “dogodor”, “pagoda” etc. Almost every three-letter word combination will turn up lots and lots of unwanted cites. I had no trouble finding these earlier discussions with a more-than-three-letter search. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d-for-god/112844/9 "2002-06-10T16:43:06Z")
Jewish people do not use the term “God” outside of prayer, so they write it “G-d.” ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d-for-god/112844/10 "2002-06-10T16:54:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven \* > \*\* > Zev, the reason we don’t allow three-letter searches is that the process of searching slows the boards down for everyone else. And a search on “god” would turn up every occurrence of “god”, “godly”, “godliness”, “dogodor”, “pagoda” etc. > Almost every three-letter word combination will turn up lots and lots of unwanted cites. > > \*\* I know, I know. I’m just harping on it because I used to be able to search for my name and can no longer do so… ☹ Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d-for-god/112844/11 "2002-06-10T20:39:49Z")
“Steinhardt” is way more than three letters…? :::: ducking ::: ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d-for-god/112844/12 "2002-06-10T20:42:18Z")
Where’s the smashie smiley when you need him… 😃 Zev Steinhardt