# It;s God, not G-D **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 28, 2000, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978 "2000-08-28T00:42:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/1 "2000-08-28T00:42:02Z")
Why do people insist on typing GOD as G-D? Do religious beliefs overide the use of proper English? ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/2 "2000-08-28T00:43:20Z")
OK, I screwed up. It’s ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/3 "2000-08-28T01:07:56Z")
Because every time someone mentions God, it ends up in **G** reat **D** ebates. But seriously, folks… I’ve seen this mostly from the Jewish posters. I had thought that they were only prohibited from writing G-O-D in Hebrew, but that it was OK to write it in any other language. I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![Osip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Osip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osip)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/4 "2000-08-28T01:28:40Z")
So what about people who write it “god” ? people who refuse to capitalize? just wanna know. Osip ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/5 "2000-08-28T01:34:37Z")
From [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=32414](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=32414) > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by cmkeller_ > Many Orthodox Jews (myself included) write “G-d” rather than the full word because it would desecrate the name if it were to be thrown away. Now, I will admit that a) there’s some dispute as to whether this concept applies to the English translation as well as to the Biblical Hebrew name of G-d, and b) there’s some dispute as to whether or not the prohibition of writing can be applied to entering it on a computer. However, I feel “better safe than sorry.” ---
**Author:** ![Lazarus7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@Lazarus7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazarus7)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/6 "2000-08-28T01:43:00Z")
Is that like spelling women like this: womyn ? ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/7 "2000-08-28T03:19:16Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s God, not G-D Why? If I wanted to, I can spell it F-R-E-D. Who are you to tell me otherwise? Heck, I can spell it in Klingon if I really cared to. I take it you’re trying to muscle in on Webster’s work. I can see it now… “Milroyj’s New World Dictionary, Third Edition”. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/8 "2000-08-28T03:22:28Z")
In that case, feminists don’t want to leave any vestige of “man” or “men” in the term for female human. ---
**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:** [August 28, 2000, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/9 "2000-08-28T03:38:22Z")
Also, plenty of us Christian types try to use G-d out of respect to out Jewish brethern. Get bent, descriptivist.(\<–linguistics class showing) –John ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/10 "2000-08-28T03:39:31Z")
Hey SPOOFE, I’m with you. But are you sure itsn’t FR-D? ---
**Author:** ![bj0rn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@bj0rn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bj0rn)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/11 "2000-08-28T08:59:51Z")
this is interesting. bj0rn - dog… ---
**Author:** ![NiceGuyJack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/niceguyjack/32/3069_2.png) [@NiceGuyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NiceGuyJack)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/12 "2000-08-28T09:06:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kat \* > \*\*From [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=32414](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=32414) > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by cmkeller_ > > Many Orthodox Jews (myself included) write “G-d” rather than the full word because it would desecrate the name if it were to be thrown away. Now, I will admit that a) there’s some dispute as to whether this concept applies to the English translation as well as to the Biblical Hebrew name of G-d, and b) there’s some dispute as to whether or not the prohibition of writing can be applied to entering it on a computer. However, I feel “better safe than sorry.” > > \*\* This is news to me. I am shocked! I actually learnt something new today. So much for my theory that no one can tell me anything new because I already know it all. I feel humbled. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/13 "2000-08-28T09:17:32Z")
> [@](#): > > So much for my theory that no one can tell me anything new because I already know it all. Hey, Jack, didja know that an Imperial Star Destroyer can beat the Enterprise in a fight? It’s true! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tzel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzel)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/14 "2000-08-28T12:09:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by milroyj \* > \*\*Why do people insist on typing GOD as G-D? Do religious beliefs overide the use of proper English? \*\* I’m not one to defend religion in any way, but the answer to your question is yes. Yes, they do. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/15 "2000-08-28T13:11:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by capacitor \* > \*\*In that case, feminists don’t want to leave any vestige of “man” or “men” in the term for female human. \*\* Make that “some feminists,” please. Almost all feminists spell it “women.” ---
**Author:** ![Nen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Nen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nen)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/16 "2000-08-28T15:10:56Z")
I read cmkeller’s post around the time it was originally posted. I found it to be the most convincing argument anyone has presented thus far; however, I still don’t buy it. In my opinion, the spelling (or lack thereof) is limited to Hebrew. Adonai, Elohim, et cetera are alternate spellings of god; the writing of which is permitted. It is only YHVH or Yahweh which is deemed to be a name not permitted in writing. Pertaining to the capitalization of the word god, I find it most amusing. Of all the various religions, gods and goddesses have names. The Shinto kami and the Greek pantheon provide wonderful examples of _names_ for gods and goddesses. Why is it that Christianity elects to name god “God”? Isn’t it a bit like naming your dog “Dog”, or cat “Cat”? It seems less than original. I don’t capitalize the word god because the word is not a proper noun. When I speak of god I use the generic male form because I include all gods and goddesses of all religions in this term. In my opinion, no god or goddess is any greater or lesser than any other. I don’t recognize the existence of such entities. I intend no disrespect toward individuals religiously inclined, but the word I will use is god. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/17 "2000-08-28T15:12:29Z")
Hey Jack, here’s something else you can learn. Some people hold their cherished fictions tightly. They refuse to look objectively at things, feeling that admitting that two things aren’t competative demeans the one they prefer. As an example-I personaly admire the six month WWII history of the carrier _Yorktown_, sunk at the Battle of Midway. I did a disertation on it in school, and can prove that no other WWII ship of the same time had a more destiguished war record. I would not be so foolish as to opine that _Yorktown_ and Task Force 17 would have a chance against the modern Sixth Fleet in a battle. I know this in no way demeans _Yorktown_, but some others repeatedly demonstrate their inability to grasp such a simple concept. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![John\_Corrado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@John\_Corrado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Corrado)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/18 "2000-08-28T15:15:57Z")
> [@](#): > > . Why is it that Christianity elects to name god “God”? Isn’t it a bit like naming your dog “Dog”, or cat “Cat”? It seems less than original. And the heavens parted, and THE LORD looked down at Moses, and said unto him: “I am the ONE, the true GOD, thou shalt call me LARRY.” No. Nope, just doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Nen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Nen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nen)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/19 "2000-08-28T15:21:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Corrado \* > And the heavens parted, and THE LORD looked down at Moses, and said unto him: > > “I am the ONE, the true GOD, thou shalt call me LARRY.” “…and this is my brother Darryl, and my other brother Darryl.” ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2000, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/20 "2000-08-28T16:35:24Z")
> [@](#): > > It is only YHVH or Yahweh which is deemed to be a name not permitted in writing. Now here’s something that has bothered me for a while. I used to subscribe to Biblical Archaeological Review [BAR] and I read once that God’s name was spelled YHVH specifically to make it unpronouncable, because mere mortals shouldn’t sully His name by speaking it. Yet I have been hearing people do just that: try to pronounce it and say “Yahweh.” Am I the only person who find that arrogant and/or presumptuous? Eh, probably; I’m just easily irritated. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978.md?page=2)