# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![IzzyR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@IzzyR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IzzyR)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/41 "2000-08-29T13:02:35Z")
Nen, I asked my wife last night, and she says that Sefardic Jews do not make an aufruf. So that would suggest that the custom is of (relatively) recent origin. While I’m at it, I would like to comment on the folowing: > [@](#): > > 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. Are you some sort of Halachic authority? If not, what is the point of expressing your “opinion” on such matters? ---
**Author:** ![Pixoid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pixoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixoid)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/42 "2000-08-29T13:25:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by IzzyR \* > \*\*The word auf (or uyf, or oof, depending on what country you’re from) means on, or up. The word ruf means to call. The word aufruf means calling up. (It’s probably the same in German as well, though I can’t vouch for this). The affair that takes place on Saturday prior to the wedding is called an aufruf because the groom is called up to the Torah reading. > \*\* In German, the verb _rufen_ is to call. _auf_ is a preposition having slightly different meanings based on context, but I don’t think it’s generally up…more on or onto or to. So call to, perhaps…anyway, German is not my native language, so feel free to elucidate further, anyone. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/43 "2000-08-30T02:36:03Z")
Personally, I don’t get it. I see “god” as a title, not a name. The Christian god’s name is Yaweh, Jehovah, etc. Not “God”. Calling god “God” is like calling the queen “Your Majesty” or referring to your mom’s sister as “Auntie”… it isn’t a NAME it’s a TITLE. Just like “Lord” is a title. I accept your right to write it “g-d” but you’ll have to accept my right to think it’s silly. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/44 "2000-08-30T03:00:20Z")
I am of the belief that the less you hear of God’s name, and the glory related to the name, the more likely that the common term devil and the name Satan becomes a factor in one’s life. So making the name Jehovah taboo can be counterproductive in terms of spiritual growth. He said not to use his name in vain, or as part of a profane swear; there is nowhere in the Torah or the Bible that I can see where He advocates not saying his name at all. This taboo gets a little ridiculous in regards to censoring on TV. When one says “Goddamn” on an edited TV show, the “God” part is silenced, leaving the “damn” audible. Anybody want to comment on this. ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/45 "2000-08-30T03:52:38Z")
Maybe it is just my mind after a few beers, but why remove the vowel. Why G\_D. Why not G^D, or GO@. Why not just use a nickname like “higher authority.” There is some precedence and history for doing this and if I look through the SDMB archives I may find answers. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/46 "2000-08-30T05:00:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I am of the belief that the less you hear of God’s name, and the glory related to the name, the more likely that the common term devil and the name Satan becomes a factor in one’s life. So making the name Jehovah taboo can be counterproductive in terms of spiritual growth. He said not to use his name in vain, or as part of a profane swear; there is nowhere in the Torah or the Bible that I can see where He advocates not saying his name at all. I am of the belief that this is the silliest thing I have read since _Jennifer McCarthy’s guide to Astrophysics_. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/47 "2000-08-30T05:01:12Z")
The important part of the _aufruf_, from whence the term arises, is the groom’s being “called up” or “called to” the Torah to read part of the daily Torah portion on the _Shabbat_ prior to his wedding. It is basically synonymous with the the Hebrew term _aliyah_, which is used more generally to refer to being called to the Torah to read during services (_aliyah_ is also used in a slightly more figurative sense to mean emigrating to Israel). Having an _aliyah_ is considered an privilege, and is typically accorded to persons in the congregation who have some special event to celebrate or who are being honored for some reason, hence the custom of calling the groom to the _bimah_ in this way just before his wedding. Credentials: passed my grad school reading proficiency exam in German, converted to Judaism after years of study four years ago, and had an _aufruf_ in my wife’s home _shul_ the day before my own wedding. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/48 "2000-08-30T05:57:12Z")
weirddave, why is that so? “The nations shall know that I am Jehovah” is kind of straightforward utterance about his intention to make his word known throughout the earth. ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/49 "2000-08-30T06:13:44Z")
Well, it is not part of my belief system, but I do it out of respect for others faith. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/50 "2000-08-30T11:26:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by andros \* > \*\*Why on earth would anyone care how others spell the name of their deity? C’mon, who gives a rat’s ass, really? > > -andros- > (proper name, not capitalized) \*\* Abso-fucking-lutely. ---
**Author:** ![ignatiusjreilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@ignatiusjreilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatiusjreilly)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/51 "2000-08-30T20:35:52Z")
Like it or not, the development of the modern English language is closely tied to Christianity. Addressing the Christian deity as “God” is just good English, regardless of whether or not you have issues with the religion itself. And besides, that’s the name that He told us to use. And as far as the OP goes - I always thought that the use of G-D was just an nice abbreviation for saying god-_damn_. Maybe I’m missing the reference. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/52 "2000-08-31T16:14:01Z")
Why the hell would anyone waste their time worshipping a god who would care about how his name was spelled? Or, whether you wore a stupid skull cap, or any other type of foolishness? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/53 "2000-08-31T16:20:12Z")
**Loserboy** : > [@](#): > > Why the hell would anyone waste their time worshipping a god who would care about how his name was spelled? Or, whether you wore a stupid skull cap, or any other type of foolishness? Why the hell would anyone waste their time being a total fucking asshole? No, honestly, I’m asking. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/54 "2000-08-31T16:50:41Z")
Although it was phrased rather insensitively, there is a question worth addressing in Uzi’s post. Why would an omnipotent god care how you spelled certain things, or what you ate, or whether you ate a cracker every Sunday, etc…? One of the many reasons I’m an atheist. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/55 "2000-08-31T17:15:22Z")
Oh, you’re right **Revtim**. There could be a legit question there. But IMO the medium is the message. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/56 "2000-08-31T17:47:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by andros \* > \*\ ***Loserboy** : > > > [@](#): > > > > Why the hell would anyone waste their time worshipping a god who would care about how his name was spelled? Or, whether you wore a stupid skull cap, or any other type of foolishness? > > Why the hell would anyone waste their time being a total fucking asshole? > > No, honestly, I’m asking. \*\* Well, it’s a talent that I have nurtured for quite a while now and I thought I was in the BBQ pit and didn’t think I had to make nice to make my point. If I was posting to a more general news group I might have been kinder. That doesn’t change the fact that I think that any god worth his salt wouldn’t make his worshippers look and act like goofs to all the rest of the world. It kinda cuts down on conversions. Think of it, 11th commandment, “Thou shalt wear funny looking headgear”. It seems to me that if you all developed a secret hand shake you would get the same results, not piss off the neighbors, and still be comfortable in the summer. I have a picture in my head of some long dead priest sitting up in heaven elbowing god in the ribs laughing, “Look! Look, they are still wearing that stupid hat down there that I wore one day as a joke to amuse my kids! Hah, hah, hah!”. God then snorts coffee out his nose. ;j ---
**Author:** ![IzzyR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@IzzyR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IzzyR)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/57 "2000-08-31T17:51:45Z")
If you were merely interested to know what possible rationale there could be in an omnipotent deity wanting you to do anything, that is certainly a very legitimate question. But if you have made up your mind concerning things that you **know nothing about** that they are silly and foolish, than there’s nothing to discuss. This may be the point already made by the previous two posters, but I thought I’d clarify. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/58 "2000-08-31T18:09:06Z")
OK, **Uzi** , when you frame it that way (that is, not deliberately offensive to all sects in general and to Jews in particular), I understand your point. I just don’t see how a god’s being omnipotent automatically means that it wouldn’t ask certain behavior from its worshippers. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2000, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/59 "2000-08-31T19:15:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by andros \* > \*\*OK, **Uzi** , when you frame it that way (that is, not deliberately offensive to all sects in general and to Jews in particular), I understand your point. I just don’t see how a god’s being omnipotent automatically means that it wouldn’t ask certain behavior from its worshippers. \*\* There are all sorts of groups who wear different types of hats and other assorted paraphenalia. I actually didn’t have jews in mind when I was posting. I was thinking turbans, actually. But in either case it’s the same. I agree god could tell you to jump off bridges, or drink purple cool-aid, too. People do all sorts of things to prove their beliefs. Which is why I mentioned the secret handshake thing. People are proving to other humans in that particular group that they have the same beliefs and attitudes as they do. Like any other club. It’s one of the reasons for uniforms in the army, so that you can tell people of one group from another. More importantly, did god tell you to act in a certain way, or did someone in the past say that to prove your faith you should act this way? Knowing a little bit about human nature, it seems to me that if I was starting a religion I would state the rules that god set down (kinda nice of him to talk to me and not you, huh) and one of those rules would be to that you need to follow god’s messenger on earth (me) to get any updates. For example: The Pope. Does he talk to god to get the scoop, or does he make it up himself? He reads the same bible as you do, so what insight does he have that you do not? If he states that you have to do something not specified in the bible where is he getting that information from? If god is omnipotent as many claim he is why couldn’t you be placed on the same mailing list as the pope is? As you are not on that mailing list you have to rely on what is written down (holy texts) and what your preacher tells you to do. This is what faith is all about. Relying on the word of others as to the way things are. With all the different religions, each one claiming to have the one and only truth, is seems that god doesn’t care which group you belong to. If he did he would clear the situation up once and for all and we would all be wearing turbans, or whatever else. So, the question remains. Why would god want you to do a certain thing when he won’t expend the effort to make sure that everyone was on the same page doing the exact same thing? As I’ve stated before. All this could be cleared up so easily, those of you who talk to god and get answers (cookoo!) ask him to give me a call. In otherwords, all I want is the Straight Dope. I won’t hold my breath. (Ugh, I shut up now!) ---
**Author:** ![chadg033](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@chadg033](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chadg033)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978/60 "2000-09-01T03:15:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by milroyj \* > \*\*Hey SPOOFE, I’m with you. But are you sure itsn’t FR-D? \*\* I’m in with you guys too, however I think that it should be F-D. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-s-god-not-g-d/30978.md?page=4)