God versus G-d

Major said:
Larry, from the people I know personally who are Jewish, their answer would be.....
It is a Jewish custom to leave the -o- out of G-d and L-RD. The main reason is :
Because it makes the words G-d and L-RD unpronounceable. They can read the names and know Whom what they mean, but cannot pronounce them. The misuse and abuse of any of G-d's Names is anathema [“accursed”] for a Jew. During the third century A.D., the Jewish people stopped saying this name in fear of contravening the commandment .........
"Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain" (Exd 20:7).
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I thought there was more background on that besides this. I remember in Jewish school this was typical, but I thought there was more beyond it. I could be wrong.

Though I don't see how this is a bad thing either if it is intended with sincere reverence.
 
LysanderShapiro said:
I thought there was more background on that besides this. I remember in Jewish school this was typical, but I thought there was more beyond it. I could be wrong.

Though I don't see how this is a bad thing either if it is intended with sincere reverence.
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There maybe more.....but that is what I know.

The bad thing IMO goes back to calvins comment where it can and usually does lead to more of a pride thing than a reverence thing. From what I have seen, most do it out of ritual habit and not of respect or reverence at all.
 
Yep... The idea is to make it "Unpronounceable"....

There are a couple obscure references in the OT about not making mention of the Name of the Lord, not swearing oaths in the Name of the Lord, not profaning the Name of the Lord.... These were all judgements the Lord cast upon those who were "Taking His Name in vain"....

And... I have a feeling this is also (at least in part) why we don't specifically invoke the divine name in our own scriptures - where the original Hebrew leaves no question....

For example... "God" and "The Lord" are not the proper names for our God... Kinda like Adonai is not the Hebrew word for our God either....
 
So my question would be- If you're praying, how does any other god know your praying to The Almighty Creator, or to another god?

It reminds me of the planet of the apes movie where people where praying/worshiping a missile/nuke.

I further more ask myself/you, why did they take Gods name out of the bible?

And, I would rather be closer to the true truth, than whimsical.
 
TH420X said:
So, basically, for many folks writing G-d has exactly the opposite effect of what the writer is trying to accomplish. They are trying to accomplish being respectful but some see it as one of the most disrespectful terms around and a direct violation of Commandment 3. !"

What are your thoughts on this?
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I see it as a personal thing, that is, a vertical relationship: man and his Creator.

If there is opposite effect: one is offended : speaker and listener : man and man : horizontal relationship.

Can we, man, judge on violation to vertical relationship? thus, makes we wonder the basis for a blasphemy laws.... thus, intent needs to be establish if man takes the role to be the judge...

Although as I understand it is Jewish tradition, there must be a wisdom behind it....
 
dUmPsTeR said:
Not that they don't exist, but if one isn't specific, how does satan, or some other so called god, allah, know if you're not praying to them?
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ahh your very quick to quote, I just deleted it : )

i plan to post the verse below, but am currently contemplating on it... : )

"for even if" is a scenario, "yet for us" seems we identified ourselves who we pray...


1 Corinthians 8:4-6New King James Version (NKJV)
4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.
 
Major said:
There maybe more.....but that is what I know.

The bad thing IMO goes back to calvins comment where it can and usually does lead to more of a pride thing than a reverence thing. From what I have seen, most do it out of ritual habit and not of respect or reverence at all.
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Granted, that could easily be true for some (or even many) cases, but one reason why I think it's bad form to jump to that conclusion based on nothing other than "what it COULD be" is that when we decide it is now bad because of some reason (which could be valid), we've now judged everyone who does it rather than judging the action of pride itself.

Let's take prayer in public for example. Let's say you and your family go out to dinner one night and sit around the table. The server comes out with the food and everyone's got their plates in front of them. Right before you all dig in, you fold your hands or take each others' hands, bow your heads, and bless the food. It would be easy for anyone to say that you guys are all showing off and trying to look holy in public even though all you meant to do was bless the food as a family as it is what you always do.

Sometimes one's pride can be very transparent, but something like this, it's just not so obviously. It could be pride for some, but we can't say that's how it is even generally speaking. And if it's how it can begin as pure and lead to pride, we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater their either. Otherwise we ought not do so many things like bless food in public, make donations, or even helping someone with anything. Anything can lead to pride, but it doesn't follow everything will lead to it.

To quote Freud, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
 
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I think one of the most difficult things is if someone really does mean to do something to offer glory and honor to God and someone calls that person out as being a show-off, that puts that original person in such an unfair and compromising position. "Do I continue to do what I meant was honoring to God or do I stop because of what that person thinks of me even though that's not true?"

Those of us who receive communion while kneeling are now going through this struggle even from priests who aren't doing what they're supposed to do.
 
LysanderShapiro said:
I think one of the most difficult things is if someone really does mean to do something to offer glory and honor to God and someone calls that person out as being a show-off, that puts that original person in such an unfair and compromising position. "Do I continue to do what I meant was honoring to God or do I stop because of what that person thinks of me even though that's not true?"

Those of us who receive communion while kneeling are now going through this struggle even from priests who aren't doing what they're supposed to do.
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But Jesus gives us the liberty to kneel if we feel moved to do so. We have several men who kneel when they pray and some raise their hands.
Personally I find that to be an act of the Holy Spirit moving that person to do those things.
 
LysanderShapiro said:
Granted, that could easily be true for some (or even many) cases, but one reason why I think it's bad form to jump to that conclusion based on nothing other than "what it COULD be" is that when we decide it is now bad because of some reason (which could be valid), we've now judged everyone who does it rather than judging the action of pride itself.

Let's take prayer in public for example. Let's say you and your family go out to dinner one night and sit around the table. The server comes out with the food and everyone's got their plates in front of them. Right before you all dig in, you fold your hands or take each others' hands, bow your heads, and bless the food. It would be easy for anyone to say that you guys are all showing off and trying to look holy in public even though all you meant to do was bless the food as a family as it is what you always do.

Sometimes one's pride can be very transparent, but something like this, it's just not so obviously. It could be pride for some, but we can't say that's how it is even generally speaking. And if it's how it can begin as pure and lead to pride, we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater their either. Otherwise we ought not do so many things like bless food in public, make donations, or even helping someone with anything. Anything can lead to pride, but it doesn't follow everything will lead to it.

To quote Freud, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
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I would tend to agree with you unless that family always did just as you suggested. Then it becomes the accepted thing that they do to worship God and not bring attention to themselves. It would just be the normal accepted thing that they do without pretence or attention.
 
Glomung said:
I understand the motivation behind using "G-d", but IMNSHO, it is straining at gnats, and pointless.
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Amen! Just another "rule" to follow. If God says to call Him "Daddy", I'm 1000% certain He won't be offended by "GOD". It's all about the heart. If you mean ill, you could say "G-D" and He'll still take exception because of the attitude. But if you thank Him every day and have a personal relationship, He doesn't care. To me, the more or the less, respect is in English - when referring to God, use the capital letter as in "God" "Him" "His" "Son" "Word" "Spirit" etc... but again that's just me a preference and applies just as much as "God" and "G-d" does. It's all about what's in the heart.
 
Major said:
But Jesus gives us the liberty to kneel if we feel moved to do so. We have several men who kneel when they pray and some raise their hands.
Personally I find that to be an act of the Holy Spirit moving that person to do those things.
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This might be for another discussion, but when it comes to the liturgy, the point is to practice what is reverent, sacred, and strictly for directing worship to God. Practices that avoid these things or that interrupt them are called liturgical abuses.

The Church has a preferred method when receiving the Eucharist, and it is kneeling and on the tongue. However, they have permitted standing and reception in the hand (though it is not preferred even though most Catholics in western countries do this). But for some Catholics, they have been bullied out of kneeling because "it doesn't look right" or "it makes others feel uncomfortable." And not only laity, some priests bully faithful Catholics -- it has happened to me sadly.

Another thing I've heard before is "When you do it, you're trying to bring attention to you and make yourself look holy." But that's not the case for many of us who do this. And when this is said, the irony is how judgmental it is.

So while I do believe the liturgy must be done as it was intended--strictly for God's glory--I do have a problem when people act outside of it or demean it.

But let's back to the subject ;) God vs. G-d -- holy vs. pride.
 
Major said:
I would tend to agree with you unless that family always did just as you suggested. Then it becomes the accepted thing that they do to worship God and not bring attention to themselves. It would just be the normal accepted thing that they do without pretence or attention.
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Indeed.
So for that same reason, that's why I say people who use a different means of spelling or pronouncing God's or Jesus' name, they should be free to do so without judgment.
 
LysanderShapiro said:
I think one of the most difficult things is if someone really does mean to do something to offer glory and honor to God and someone calls that person out as being a show-off, that puts that original person in such an unfair and compromising position. "Do I continue to do what I meant was honoring to God or do I stop because of what that person thinks of me even though that's not true?"

Those of us who receive communion while kneeling are now going through this struggle even from priests who aren't doing what they're supposed to do.
Click to expand...

"Do I continue to do what I meant was honoring to God or do I stop because of what that person thinks of me even though that's not true?"
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Keep kneeling until you must choose between pain and God then I think He'll understand if you stop. :D

calvin said:
Sydney S/W
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I lived in Parramatta for a short time years back. Sydney's a bit busy for me.
 
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