why do people type "G-d" instead of God? serious question.?

Question

I know, I should know this. I don't.

Is it related to respect? Is it related to not saying his (or should I say, His) name improperly?

surely it doesn't mean the other g.d.

do tell. i'm actually curious.

Answer 1

Hello =)

Most Jews believe that the name of God should not be written out, because if it is, it can be defaced or destroyed in some way.

If, for example, I printed out a question that included the word GOD in it, and then scribbled it out, it would be offensive to God, and the person who allowed this defacement to have occurred (the writer of the name of God) would have committed a sin, as well as the one who defaced it.

Namaste, and Happy New Year,

--Tom

Answer 2

The reason goes back to the ancient Hebrew tradition. In the original Hebrew, there were no vowels, and in the book of Exodus, the name of God is given as "YHWH." For centuries thereafter, the name of God (and how to pronounce it) was closely guarded by the priesthood, and could only be spoken aloud in the Holy of Holies on one day of the year -- The Day of Attonement (Yom Kippur).

After the destruction of the second temple, the priesthood was scattered, and the certainty of how to pronounce the name was lost. The Name is considered sacred by Orthodox Jews and is NEVER to be uttered. When they come to it in scriptures they substitute the phrase (Ha Shem -- "The Name"). Others over the centuries have followed this tradition. And instead of saying "God," they, like the ancient Hebrews, remove the vowel, as a sign of reverence for the Name that is not to be uttered.

Hope this answer helps. Cheers.

Answer 3

I had seen someone write God like that a few days ago on this forum & I wrote him an email asking him why he did it like that. I thought it might have been a sign of disrespect, but I wanted to first get his reason. However, he never wrote back. And then the question came out, the day before yesterday, I think. This person named David T. gave an excellent informative answer and I was going to tell you to write him as most of the answers I was reading had no idea & some thought it was also a sign of disrespect.

I was going to jot you a note to tell you about this person & how you could email him later to get the real reason when all of a sudden there was his name.

HOWEVER, WHEN I WENT BACK TO READ HIS ANSWER BECAUSE I HAD NOTICED IT WAS SHORTER THAN THE ONE I HAD SEEN, I REALIZED THAT IT WAS NOT THE SAME PERSON.

THIS DUDE HAS BEEN IMPERSONATING THE REAL DAVID T. AND HE IS NASTY WHILE DOING SO. THE REAL DAVID T. IS NOTHING LIKE THIS SO CALLED CLONE AS HE CALLS HIMSELF.

I WISH EVERYONE ON THIS SITE, ESPECIALLY THE ONES WHO THINK ITS A SIGN OF DISRESPECT COULD SEE THE ANSWER THE REAL DAVID T. GAVE.

It does have to do with Jewish religion but not as the imposter is saying. I am going to find the real answer and come back & edit mine.

THE FOLLOWING IS BY THE ONE & ONLY TRUE DAVID T. tHESE ARE ALL HIS WORDS GIVEN TO ANOTHER ON THE SAME QUESTION. i WILL WRITE & TELL HIM WHAT i'VE DONE.

AS FOR THE IMPOSTER & DON'T EVEN CALL YOURSELF A CLONE BECAUSE CLONES ARE AN EXACT RELPICA & YOU ARE NO WHERE NEAR LIKE THE REAL DAVID T. CAN'T YOU BE ORIGINAL OR IS THE REAL YOU NOT WORTH BOTHERING WITH?

By David T. (The real one)

Jews do not casually write any Name of God. This practice does not come from the commandment not to take the Lord's Name in vain, as many suppose. In Jewish thought, that commandment refers solely to oath-taking, and is a prohibition against swearing by God's Name falsely or frivolously (the word normally translated as "in vain" literally means "for falsehood").

Judaism does not prohibit writing the Name of God per se; it prohibits only erasing or defacing a Name of God. However, observant Jews avoid writing any Name of God casually because of the risk that the written Name might later be defaced, obliterated or destroyed accidentally or by one who does not know better.

The commandment not to erase or deface the name of God comes from Deut. 12:3. In that passage, the people are commanded that when they take over the promised land, they should destroy all things related to the idolatrous religions of that region, and should utterly destroy the names of the local deities. Immediately afterwards, we are commanded not to do the same to our God. From this, the rabbis inferred that we are commanded not to destroy any holy thing, and not to erase or deface a Name of God.

It is worth noting that this prohibition against erasing or defacing Names of God applies only to Names that are written in some kind of permanent form, and recent rabbinical decisions have held that writing on a computer is not a permanent form, thus it is not a violation to type God's Name into a computer and then backspace over it or cut and paste it, or copy and delete files with God's Name in them. However, once you print the document out, it becomes a permanent form. That is why observant Jews avoid writing a Name of God on web sites like this one or in newsgroup messages: because there is a risk that someone else will print it out and deface it.

Normally, we avoid writing the Name by substituting letters or syllables, for example, writing "G-d" instead of "God." In addition, the number 15, which would ordinarily be written in Hebrew as Yod-Heh (10-5), is normally written as Tet-Vav (9-6), because Yod-Heh is a Name. See Hebrew Alphabet for more information about using letters as numerals.

by David T. (the real one)

Answer 4

It's a Jewish thing. It was disrespectful to write the name of God on paper etc because it could be destroyed. And that would be dissing god.

In addition, the original hebrew (the Old Testement) doesn't use vowels. No, really, it doesn't. So you just have to fit the vowel in where you see fit. So the OT names for god, Yahweh, Jehovah. are really, in hebrew YHWH and JHVH, etc. It's where the guy who did "the bible code" book had so much fun, filling in the blanks of vowells and getting whatever he wanted.

Some people, myself chiefly, have fun busting on Davids chops. Because he's a git. He used to type GOD out just fine, but got a hardon for jewish people a few months ago and went all "G-d" on us and started being meaner. Also, he's stalked a few of my female friends on here. So, it's why I clone him. Because GOOD intelligent christians are drowned out by ashwipes like him.

Answer 5

depends on who uses it, some people do it because they may not believe in God some others do it out of respect, others do it as not to offend those who do not believe.

One Friend of mine always wrote it "Gawd" out respect for his beliefs.

I personally have no problem with GOD as a word.

Answer 6

I was wondering that too, I thought it was just blocked out by Yahoo answers but look,GOD. Hope someone gives a real answer of why

Answer 7

They don't write god's name lightly because if the write it out and it gets deleted of defaced thats an insult to god, so they avoid writing it in the first place.

Answer 8

It's the persons own reverence to god. Looks to me like they have low expectations though.

Answer 9

I agree with the trebs, though some may be simple typos.

Answer 10

It is not showing respect to God and His name is GOD

God Bless You