Comments on: Should “God” Be Capitalized? http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/03/30/should-god-be-capitalized/ by Hemant Mehta Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:36:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: jd http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/03/30/should-god-be-capitalized/#comment-791251 jd Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:03:00 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=9772#comment-791251 *ahem*,  Atheism isn't a religion. It shouldn't be capitalized. *ahem*,  Atheism isn’t a religion. It shouldn’t be capitalized.

]]> By: Max B http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/03/30/should-god-be-capitalized/#comment-328141 Max B Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:34:45 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=9772#comment-328141 It is a name, so it should be capitalized. I don't care whether you're mad at religion for some stupid reason, maybe you were molested by your dad when you were growing up, but either way, you are supposed to capitalize the G. It is a name, so it should be capitalized. I don’t care whether you’re mad at religion for some stupid reason, maybe you were molested by your dad when you were growing up, but either way, you are supposed to capitalize the G.

]]> By: Mike http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/03/30/should-god-be-capitalized/#comment-296254 Mike Sat, 11 Apr 2009 03:24:12 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=9772#comment-296254 "God" is a proper name and refers specifically to the Abrahamic god; there are other monotheistic religions, and their religions have other proper names. Capitalizing the word is not a mark of respect or a recognition that the entity exists, it's just a simple grammatical convention; after all, we also capitalize both Hitler and Santa Claus. Personally, I think the concept of God has caused a lot more harm to humanity than any other god. “God” is a proper name and refers specifically to the Abrahamic god; there are other monotheistic religions, and their religions have other proper names. Capitalizing the word is not a mark of respect or a recognition that the entity exists, it’s just a simple grammatical convention; after all, we also capitalize both Hitler and Santa Claus. Personally, I think the concept of God has caused a lot more harm to humanity than any other god.

]]> By: E.S. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/03/30/should-god-be-capitalized/#comment-295278 E.S. Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:50:45 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=9772#comment-295278 <strong>Wow, someone hates religion...</strong> Or maybe you only like your religion, Atheism, *ahem*, I mean atheism. You have faith in an idea that no God exists. And as for "fixing our rules for capitalization", I guess names shouldn't be capitalized anymore. So, johnny when to paris and saw a painting of god's son jesus. Wow, someone hates religion…
Or maybe you only like your religion, Atheism, *ahem*, I mean atheism. You have faith in an idea that no God exists.
And as for “fixing our rules for capitalization”, I guess names shouldn’t be capitalized anymore.
So, johnny when to paris and saw a painting of god’s son jesus.

]]> By: Hypatia http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/03/30/should-god-be-capitalized/#comment-293134 Hypatia Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:29:43 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=9772#comment-293134 Grammatically speaking "god" used as a name of a god should be capitalized, I agree; but reading through the posts I am beginning to have a problem with how it came to be capitalized this way. Why should the Judeo-Christian god use a perfectly good word as his name? It goes along with the mindset that their god is the only god. This has created a sub-conscious understanding that monotheism is the only real or true way to think about deities. It is the attitude “ours is the top dog” (no pun intended;-); therefore, we get to use everyone’s perfectly good generic term that applies to the deities who still use their own names as if it ONLY means OUR god. This has embedded thought patterns in our language that I personally find annoying and would like to deconstruct. As a kind of “political” action then I think I am going to go along with using the real name, never saying “God” for the Judeo-Christian god, and instead taking the extra time to say the “Judeo-Christian” god or the god of the Christians, or something to that effect, if not just using the name “Yahweh.” That way I can put these haughty usurpers back into their place and begin to remove such subtle, embedded thought-forms that prevent and preclude other viewpoints on such subjects as myth, religion, magic, spirituality, you have it. I am typically very strict regarding grammar, but the language has been changed to reflect a thought-form that has become tyrannical. Grammatically speaking “god” used as a name of a god should be capitalized, I agree; but reading through the posts I am beginning to have a problem with how it came to be capitalized this way. Why should the Judeo-Christian god use a perfectly good word as his name? It goes along with the mindset that their god is the only god. This has created a sub-conscious understanding that monotheism is the only real or true way to think about deities. It is the attitude “ours is the top dog” (no pun intended;-); therefore, we get to use everyone’s perfectly good generic term that applies to the deities who still use their own names as if it ONLY means OUR god. This has embedded thought patterns in our language that I personally find annoying and would like to deconstruct. As a kind of “political” action then I think I am going to go along with using the real name, never saying “God” for the Judeo-Christian god, and instead taking the extra time to say the “Judeo-Christian” god or the god of the Christians, or something to that effect, if not just using the name “Yahweh.” That way I can put these haughty usurpers back into their place and begin to remove such subtle, embedded thought-forms that prevent and preclude other viewpoints on such subjects as myth, religion, magic, spirituality, you have it. I am typically very strict regarding grammar, but the language has been changed to reflect a thought-form that has become tyrannical.

]]> By: Wendy http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/03/30/should-god-be-capitalized/#comment-292761 Wendy Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:45:15 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=9772#comment-292761 I NEVER capitalize the "g". And I have the habit of trying to make the rest of my writing as correct as possible, so it's very clear that I mean what I'm doing when I write "god" instead of "God". I don't capitalize the "b" in "bible", either. For some reason though, I do still capitalize Koran or Qur'an and Allah... They feel more like proper nouns to me..... I should make an effort to stop doing that, I think. I NEVER capitalize the “g”. And I have the habit of trying to make the rest of my writing as correct as possible, so it’s very clear that I mean what I’m doing when I write “god” instead of “God”. I don’t capitalize the “b” in “bible”, either. For some reason though, I do still capitalize Koran or Qur’an and Allah… They feel more like proper nouns to me….. I should make an effort to stop doing that, I think.

]]> By: Sophie's Ladder. Christian theology, philosophy, world religions, science. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/03/30/should-god-be-capitalized/#comment-292717 Sophie's Ladder. Christian theology, philosophy, world religions, science. Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:47:55 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=9772#comment-292717 [...] Agreeing to Speak on a Religious Panel?;   Update: Duped on the Religious Panel Discussion;  Should God Be Capitalized? A New Way to Capitalize gOd;  When Children Become Christians, Should They Proselytize to Their [...] [...] Agreeing to Speak on a Religious Panel?;   Update: Duped on the Religious Panel Discussion;  Should God Be Capitalized? A New Way to Capitalize gOd;  When Children Become Christians, Should They Proselytize to Their [...]

]]> By: Jesi http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/03/30/should-god-be-capitalized/#comment-292147 Jesi Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:28:26 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=9772#comment-292147 I do it out of respect because apparently it's important to people. And we capitalize names, and they think he's real so yeah. But f it from now on I'm going for gOd. LMFAO I do it out of respect because apparently it’s important to people. And we capitalize names, and they think he’s real so yeah. But f it from now on I’m going for gOd.
LMFAO

]]> By: Cafeeine http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/03/30/should-god-be-capitalized/#comment-292058 Cafeeine Wed, 01 Apr 2009 10:12:31 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=9772#comment-292058 <blockquote>[...]I don’t think that Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu fit in the same category as atheist, agnostic, and antitheist. [...] Really, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu are proper adjectives because they derive from proper sources, while atheism, theism, agnosticism, antitheism are not.</blockquote> Moreover I would venture to say that all of the above (as well as the Mormons and the Scientologists etc.) describe the members of organized groups. If I ever become a member of the Most Secular Internet Order of Atheists (est. never), when referring to my status as such, I would be an Atheist. In that vein, "I either only accept Jesus and that makes me a non-denominational christian believer, or I belong in XYZ church which makes me a Christian Protestant/Catholic etc." is a good example. "God" requires the same kind of treatment. When referring to the particular name, you capitalize it. Otherwise you don't. When I want to drive home the point that I am not discussing my interlocutor's specific god, I go with indirect pronouns and plurals ("A god/gods can do" as opposed to "God can do")

[...]I don’t think that Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu fit in the same category as atheist, agnostic, and antitheist. [...] Really, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu are proper adjectives because they derive from proper sources, while atheism, theism, agnosticism, antitheism are not.

Moreover I would venture to say that all of the above (as well as the Mormons and the Scientologists etc.) describe the members of organized groups.

If I ever become a member of the Most Secular Internet Order of Atheists (est. never), when referring to my status as such, I would be an Atheist.

In that vein, “I either only accept Jesus and that makes me a non-denominational christian believer, or I belong in XYZ church which makes me a Christian Protestant/Catholic etc.” is a good example.

“God” requires the same kind of treatment. When referring to the particular name, you capitalize it. Otherwise you don’t. When I want to drive home the point that I am not discussing my interlocutor’s specific god, I go with indirect pronouns and plurals (“A god/gods can do” as opposed to “God can do”)

]]> By: Rose http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/03/30/should-god-be-capitalized/#comment-291897 Rose Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:12:06 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=9772#comment-291897 I've been <a href="http://jewmanist.com/2009/03/31/good-god" rel="nofollow">asking this</a> for years :) I’ve been asking this for years :)

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