Why do people write G-d in their posts, what, is 'God' offensive or something?

a reply to: Wrabbit2000
Wow, totally different world to the pretty much godless watersport society I live in on the coast of South West England.

Thanks for the replies (everyone) so far, this is really a question topic for me and as one who does not believe in gods I won't be replying in opposition to anyone really, I'm just trying to understand how deep the faith goes to drop an 'o' when referring to G-d.

I may not be as industrious with my thread management in this topic because the views of believers in this case are more important than my opinion of the belief, so please do share your thoughts on presenting the written name of your particular god and I am sure to gain some new understanding. Thanks to all again in advance.

It's how some people show respect to God just like how Muslims often add peace be upon him or pbuh when they write about their religious figures.

originally posted by: grainofsand
a reply to: Wrabbit2000
Wow, totally different world to the pretty much godless watersport society I live in on the coast of South West England.

Thanks for the replies (everyone) so far, this is really a question topic for me and as one who does not believe in gods I won't be replying in opposition to anyone really, I'm just trying to understand how deep the faith goes to drop an 'o' when referring to G-d.

I may not be as industrious with my thread management in this topic because the views of believers in this case are more important than my opinion of the belief, so please do share your thoughts on presenting the written name of your particular god and I am sure to gain some new understanding. Thanks to all again in advance.

Who knows, the more people enjoying activities by the sea would mean more a chance of seeing some deity/god walk on water!

a reply to: ketsuko
Would a person who writes G-d consider themself respectfully superior to one who writes God?
Would such a person then perhaps think that their choice of dropping the 'o' provides some benefit or extra benevolance from their god because they didn't use all the letters?

originally posted by: grainofsand
a reply to: ketsuko
Would a person who writes G-d consider themself respectfully superior to one who writes God?
Would such a person then perhaps think that their choice of dropping the 'o' provides some benefit or extra benevolance from their god because they didn't use all the letters?

If I really had to use the word then always lowercase. No exception for this fiction. And lowercase would mean I hold the character in no special regard.

a reply to: grainofsand

Not being one of those people and not ever having asked them, I couldn't tell you. All I know is that it's a sign of respect and a belief that you shouldn't use God. I suspect it wouldn't be much different than Catholics who think all none Catholics are destined for Hell because they aren't Catholic and haven't received the Catholic sacraments though. Whatever, we all have our beliefs and it doesn't bother me much.

a reply to: LarryLove
I always use lower case as well because 'god' is attributed to most religions.
Capital letter 'G' indicates a name, and as one who does not believe in the existence of gods it would be a lie for me to indicate that any particular alleged god has claims to the word through my use of a preceding capital letter.

a reply to: well I think g-d, pretty much much means god damn like, example like if someone were to say god damn Jesus f'cking Christ life sucks or god damn sensitive p.o.s that get offended when u curse an evil god or something like that.

In some traditions the NAME of God is not allowed to be spoken, so this is a ridiculous modern "evasion" of that, even though the ancient name of God was not God.

a reply to: grainofsand

The Helenized Jews had a superstition against pronouncing the true name of God, 'Yehwah'. Instead, of pronouncing it, they replaced the name with 'adonai' meaning 'lord'. Some legalistic genius thought it would be a great idea to apply a similar principle to the the english word 'God'. Apparently, the superstition became so strong, that the Masorets rarely placed vowel points under the tetragrammaton, which leads to the Yahweh vs Yahuwah vs Yehwah vs Yehowah debate. Since Jesus' proper name was Yahoshua, I feel that Yehwah is the proper pronounciation. The presence of 'shua' changes the 'vav' from a 'w' sound to an 'o' sound. Therefore, 'Yehwah-shua' becomes 'Yahoshua'.

I prefer to call God by His revealed name, Yehwah.

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest
Thanks for the interesting reply, I was aware of the Yehwah debate, but didn't realise it had similar issues to the English language G-d concern that some people type online these days.

I think it is Christians trying to seem "Jewish" somehow, as if this gives them brownie points with God, or they can just feel superior to people around them who do not follow this practice.

originally posted by: ParanoidAmerican
a reply to: Akragon

I would say God (capitalized) is the Anglican name for the Creator, like Allah, Yahweh, or Jah. As stated God's 'true' name is unpronounceable.

Neither God Nor Allah is a name.... Allah means "the God"...

I find it much easier to realise we don't know Gods name... Thus we give him the appropriate title...

That being God, Or Father...

originally posted by: jmdewey60
I think it is Christians trying to seem "Jewish" somehow, as if this gives them brownie points with God, or they can just feel superior to people around them who do not follow this practice.

I had wondered the same thing myself but would not want to make such an assertion because without mind-reading capabilities it could just be the case that someone who types G-d is doing so as an act of perceived respect.
I remain curious as to the particular reason they may feel typing 'God' is somehow less than respectful though.

originally posted by: hellobruce
The "O" key on their keyboard is faulty?

Just the "O" key? I think a little more is..

Now I might jest there.. but not when it comes to the great Ud-n. Oh never take thy lord pasta's name in vain. His sauciness will smite thee with meatballs from mars and rain holy cheese sauce down upon thee and thine slobbering slurpy sinners..

a reply to: sn0rch
Aw let's all be nice in this thread at least.
I'm genuinely hoping to understand the thinking behind some folks faith and how it influences the way they refer to their deity in online posts.
I've been active in enough dead end/circular threads discussing 'which god is true' 'spaghetti monster' etc, but in this topic I am sincere in wanting to stick to the OP and discovering why dropping the 'o' in god is deemed as some kind of respect.
I am curious, but not wishing to ridicule here, there are plenty of other threads to find amusement in that regard.

originally posted by: Skyfloating
In some traditions the NAME of God is not allowed to be spoken, so this is a ridiculous modern "evasion" of that, even though the ancient name of God was not God.

Yes and even the bible new and old tells us there are many Gods, as in "Thou shalt have no other gods before me"Exodus 20:3

A god can be anything if someone worships it, and object a movie star, a golden calf. God is a TITLE it is like calling everyone you know by a title and not their name, this does not distinguish one from another.

The biblical writings used the name and it has been replaced by man because of their fear. Changing "a word of the writings is forbidden yet they took out the name and replaced it, clearly it was supposed to be known and used. Now not many even know "The God" has a Name.

Names are important, the bible even says so and the bible mentions many gods by name, so removing the name seems very wrong to me, misusing the name is what should be wrong.

And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the Children of Israel, YHWH God of your fathers ... hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. (Exodus 3:15)

Originally written
"Thou shalt not take the name of YHWH thy God in vain; for YHWH will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."
The name was replaced by the word Lord.Exodus 20:7

The translators of the King James Bible replaced God's name with an ALL CAPS TITLE. The name for God, "YHWH" (Hebrew word #3068] originally appeared in the Old Testament texts 6,519 times, being printed YH, YW, YHW, and YHH also! But God's name was replaced, at some point in history, with a title. When you see the word "GOD" or "LORD" in all capital letters in the King James Bible, it means this was where the name for God, "YHWH," originally appeared in the Hebrew texts.

The primary reason for the use of LORD in place of God's Hebrew name is to follow the tradition of the Israelites in not pronouncing or spelling out God's name. So, when God's Hebrew name "YHWH" is used in the Old Testament, English translations usually use "LORD" in all caps or small caps. Also, since ancient Hebrew did not use vowels in its written form, it is not entirely clear how God's name should be spelled or pronounced. It could be Yahweh, or Jehovah, or Yehowah, or something else.

Read more: www.gotquestions.org...

a reply to: grainofsand

People that are Jewish don't write god

a reply to: grainofsand

I remain curious as to the particular reason they may feel typing 'God' is somehow less than respectful though.

I am using my powers of mind reading.
I works like this.
You ask the person why they do it and they give you no answer.
Then I cancel the "benefit of the doubt", and go to default mode, suspecting they have less than honorable motives or irrational drives that they either cannot, or are not willing to, articulate.

a reply to: Char-Lee
Ah that is interesting, thank you.
It would seem then that if 'god' is more of a title than a name then the whole 'g-d' thing typed on internet forums is unnecessary?