How do you spell "God"?

[rhu]

Twice recently I've seen non-Jews writing "G-d" instead of "God". So I'm curious enough to do an informal poll (since I have a free LJ account and can't do real polls :-)

* Do you write "God" always, "G-d" always, or do you mix them?
* Why is that your practice?
* What is your religious background?
* Narf?

Comments

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

God.
I see no reason to elide the 'o' as God is a job description, not a name.
Jewish, more observant now than before.
Narf.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

* Do you write "God" always, "G-d" always, or do you mix them?

God, always.

* Why is that your practice?

As a wise man once told me (in fact, the much-venerated rabbi who performed beckyfeld and osewalrus's wedding), writing "G-d" has as much validity as saying "ginger kail." The prohibition is against writing out shem Hashem, and "God" is not it.

* What is your religious background?

Jewish, quasi-FFB.

* Narf?

Narf!

[rikchik.livejournal.com]

I actually don't write "God", meaning the monotheistic god, very often. When I do, I don't elide the o.

In contrast to mabfan, I consider God to be "the god named God" so I capitalize it like I would any name (Eris, Thor, Amaterasu). I consider not writing the name of God a Jewish law that I'm not subject to. (I also capitalize any pronoun referring to any deity.)

Raised Unitarian Universalist, now identifying as Discordian. I got a little Jewish culture from my ex-Jewish father but never followed Jewish laws (my matzo brei recipe is actually not kosher for passover).

Narf!

[rikchik.livejournal.com]

Also, I mentioned this issue to a Jewish coworker, who said he thinks that writing "G-d" is beyond silly and launched into a tirade about references to references and abbreviations for abbreviations, and people treating the name as something that is spreading out through name space (I came up with "swimming upstream through references like a salmon" which he didn't disagree with). "With the help of the sky" was mentioned.

[jadelennox]

Most of the non-Jews I know who write "G-d" have dated Jews at some point.

I write "God" always. When I was a little girl I wrote "G-d", until my Orthodox Jewish father told me it was an affectation, because God's real name is not spelled with the English letters G-O-D. At which point I stopped. At the time, I still identified as an Orthodox Jew, although I believe I was probably agnostic by then.

[toonhead-npl.livejournal.com]

Most of the non-Jews I know who write "G-d" have dated Jews at some point.

Ha! Guilty! :)

On a related note, can you folks tell me if this inscription atop the Columbia University seal is a no-no? I've heard various accounts depending on whether it was written or spoken and some saying it should be out all together.

[jadelennox]

I don't know if it's halachically a no-no (I'm sure somebody else will be able to answer that question) but it sure as hell is tacky -- you're just a University, Columbia, you don't get to put the ineffable name of God on your seal.

Also, it puts anyone observant in a very uncomfortable position when it comes to disposing of any material (e.g. letterhead) which has the seal imprinted on it.

[toonhead-npl.livejournal.com]

I think they've finally started downplaying it. The only place I ever remember seeing it is (unfortunately) on all the university ID cards, big as life.

[tahnan.livejournal.com]

...until my Orthodox Jewish father told me it was an affectation...

Because you never use affectations.

And because Dad never uses language-based affectations, either, so there'd be no reason for him and me to argue over "It's me"/"It is I" at a seder a few years ago.

I mean, for Y-WH's sake!

[violetcheetah.livejournal.com]

God
Since I'm not Jewish, the whole issue never came up.
Southern Baptist the first half of my life, atheist the second half.
Poit!

[bookishfellow.livejournal.com]

I don't write "God" very often—but I never write "G-d" (thus making a liar out of myself right off).
Why? Never really gave it much thought, but I'll go with the consensus that G-O-D doesn't spell the actual name of God.
I was raised not very observant: went to Conservative temple until about age 11, then nothing but the Haggaddah each Passover.
Poit.

[leighjen.livejournal.com]

G0d (with a zero). I used to type G-d but I started to feel silly.

I am not Jewish but as Jade says, I married Jewish. It is what Tahnan does, so I started doing it out of deference to him. Now, it is kinda a habit.

I was raised basically Methodist.

But if you replace the P with an O, my name would be Oinky, wouldn't it?

[tahnan.livejournal.com]

Oh, good, I get to be the only G-d-fearing Jew commenting here. Because, yes, I write "G-d"; even though I was raised Reform until about 10, when I became Conservative (and my family started referring to me as "the rabbi"). I also stopped eating pork around then.

Why? Well, why, on Passover, do I eat roast beef and cheese on matzo? Why do I ask to make sure there's no bacon in the clam chowder before I order it? Why do I freely and easily use "tchotchke" and "shlemiel" and "mazel tov" but not "halachic"? And, conversely, why do other Jews wear those funny little hat thingies?

Well, OK, so the hat-thingies have a technical religious reason, but I recall being taught that the other reason for the laws about food and clothing and doorposts was that they were constant reminders, to ourselves and others, that we're Jews. And that's what "G-d", and avoiding bacon, and avoiding leavening at Pesach, do for me. I'm not a very good Jew; I'm not very observant, and I'm not always very theistic. But I also never forget.

Narf.

[rubrick.livejournal.com]

I write "God" except when I decide not to capitalize the "G". It doesn't come up that often.

I was raised as Reform Jewish, and am now a committed athiest.

[ertchin.livejournal.com]

"God" always. Well, when I'm not writing "god" or "gods".

It just comes naturally--I've never had any influence any other way.

Grew up rather lazily Methodist/Baptist, and am now an agnostic atheist or an atheist agnostic, depending on what day it is.

Quiet, Pinky.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

"G-d" always. (Not counting "gods" as in "Greek gods.")

Not writing shem Hashem is drilled in bone-deep; even though there's a question as to whether English counts, it just feels more respectful.

FFB

Poit!

[fauxklore]

I always write "G-d" also. Basically, it's force of habit, ingrained over the years of Conservative Jewish Hebrew school. I know it is not really halachically necessary, but I feel uncomfortable otherwise.