# G-D **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 20, 2001, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d/88629 "2001-10-20T21:03:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![McStain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@McStain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McStain)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d/88629/1 "2001-10-20T21:03:48Z")
Could someone please explain this convention to me? Thanks? Chris ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d/88629/2 "2001-10-20T21:23:15Z")
[http://www.jewfaq.org/name.htm](http://www.jewfaq.org/name.htm) You’re welcome? ---
**Author:** ![McStain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@McStain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McStain)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d/88629/3 "2001-10-20T21:43:27Z")
Right Thanks. I was asking because Yue Han, who I don’t know, but who mentioned being raised a fundamentalist Christian, had written it “G-D.” Thought it might have been something broader. There’s my explanation. Thank you. Chris. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d/88629/4 "2001-10-20T21:46:52Z")
IANA;j So G-D is exclusively a Jewish thing? ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d/88629/5 "2001-10-20T21:50:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rsa \* > \*\*IANA;j > > So G-D is exclusively a Jewish thing? \*\* WAG, but I bet it’s something like a Yiddishism that’s been picked up by us goy. Like kibbutz or klatch. ---
**Author:** ![Yue\_Han](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/eada6e/32.png) [@Yue\_Han](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yue_Han)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d/88629/6 "2001-10-20T21:54:26Z")
Here I am. I do it out of respect to Jewish posters here, some of whom I know employ the G-d standard. I forget sometimes, though; I tend to remember it mostly when I am involved in something theological, when I am actually talking about G-d as I have personally experienced him. –John ---
**Author:** ![McStain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@McStain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McStain)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d/88629/7 "2001-10-20T21:55:55Z")
Well thanks for clearing that up, John. Chris ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d/88629/8 "2001-10-21T01:14:57Z")
This thread has to be unusual in that so far not one post actually mentions the subject. ---
**Author:** ![dingleburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@dingleburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dingleburg)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d/88629/9 "2001-10-21T01:50:33Z")
God is a doublet of “good,” I believe. Mentioning the name of God profanes it in the minds of certain religious folks. In the bible, it’s spelled yhwh and never pronounced. Do you think that might be the origin of “yahoo” used by Swift to refer to the completely debased humanity on the last island Gulliver visited before returning to England? Anyway, we “Christians” have used God and Yahweh and Jehovah endlessly, draining them all, certainly, of whatever magic they once held. A science fiction story, maybe by Kurt Vonnegut (memory doesn’t serve me well) concerned a group of lamas who employed a computer to speak the 1,000,000 names of God and thus ended life on earth. Sadly, Kurt didn’t include a list of the names in the story, but they can be found at [http://members.aol.com/marchst/bn.html](http://members.aol.com/marchst/bn.html). Every time you click on the interface, a new name of God will appear. It’s only a matter of time now. ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d/88629/10 "2001-10-21T02:13:01Z")
Actually, the story you’re thinking of is “The Nine Billion Names of God,” by Arthur C. Clarke. Interesting story, that… ---
**Author:** ![dingleburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@dingleburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dingleburg)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-d/88629/11 "2001-10-21T02:19:29Z")
the nine billion names of God. you are right. Arthur C. Clarke. Excellent. I’d recommend anything by Clarke to any reader. He’s brilliant.