The word "god" should not be capitalized...

Discussion in 'Religion Archives' started by marv, Jul 8, 2006.

  1. marv Just a dumb hillbilly... Registered Senior Member

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    ...because "god" is generic.

    You and I can look at an oak tree, and interpret it in only one fashion. That's true with everything within range of our senses. The idea of a "god" is a concept not within the range of our senses, but only within our belief systems. Therefore "god" must be interpreted by everyone who believes in a "god".

    Jews, Christians and Muslims all worship different interpretations of "god". Even denominations and sects within those groups interpret "god" differently. That, in and of itself, must be taken as proof that "god" is a generic term.

    Since "god" must be generic by logical inference, it stands that "god" must also be an invention of man conforming to a particular set of standards within a user selected belief system.

    Therefore, "God" does not exist. There is only some "god", by whatever name it's called; Yahweh, Jehovah or Allah, or whatever, as imagined by those who choose to believe in one.

    Comments?
     
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  3. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Allah is not a name; it is Arabic for God
     
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  5. wsionynw Master Queef Valued Senior Member

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    Agreed, but I only type it as God out of habit.
     
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  7. marv Just a dumb hillbilly... Registered Senior Member

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    ...a god that is interpreted quite differently from the Jewish and Christian interpretations.

    So why do Muslims say "Allah" instead of "god" when speaking languages other than Arabic? In fact, most Muslims can neither read, write or speak Arabic. Jews and Christians call it "god" (meaning variously Yahweh or Jehovah), but Muslims do not.
     
  8. Absane Rocket Surgeon Valued Senior Member

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    This is an example of asking a question without thinking.
     
  9. (Q) Encephaloid Martini Valued Senior Member

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    It is also the Muslim/Arabic name for God.
     
  10. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Ilah - a God (as in one of many)
    Allah - the God ( as in only one)

    We also say Rab instead of Allah
     
  11. Cris In search of Immortality Valued Senior Member

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    The word god should not be capitalised except when it is a name. E.g. The Christian god is named God. It has a bunch of other names as well of course.
     
  12. Medicine*Woman Jesus: Mythstory--Not History! Valued Senior Member

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    *************
    M*W: And that is a habit you would be wise to control.
     
  13. marv Just a dumb hillbilly... Registered Senior Member

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    Yahweh is a manner to distinguish the Israelite god from others. Jehovah is a manner to distinguish the Christian god from the Jewish god from which it sprang. Al-ilah is a manner to distinguish the Arabic god from others in their pantheon.

    All of these names mean "god" in respective languages. But that does not mean that they are the same god. The prayers are different. The rituals are different. The appropriate days for worship are different. Even the terminal destination for the respective believers/non-believers are different.

    Using the logic that Jews, Christians and Muslims worship the same god; it can also be said that Buddhists, Jainists, Shintos, Hindus, etc. also worship that same god. Only calling it by different names.
     
  14. Absane Rocket Surgeon Valued Senior Member

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    I am not sure about the others, but the Buddhism religion doesn't have a god. I am not sure if it is even a religion, but just a way of life.
     
  15. lightgigantic Banned Banned

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    lol - actually most the time I spell it "god" because I am lazy at the keyboard - maybe I should get my act together

    God is generic? So is the President.
    What to speak of if you use personal terms like George Bush or Bill Clinton.

    I guess you can lodge an argument if you ultimately consider God impersonal, bereft of personal characteristics or as a source of all phenomena,.... otherwise God is considered a lot more than a phenomena (such as wind and sunshine are also uncapitalised phenomena)

    Even if you don't believe in God you should still capitalise it , like we do with Santa Claus - but then it depends on which aspect of God you are acting as the anti-thesis of - for instance if you are atheistic with an impersonal God in mind perhaps it should be "god"
     
  16. Lawdog Digging up old bones Registered Senior Member

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  17. baumgarten fuck the man Registered Senior Member

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    Or else...?
     
  18. Guru Registered Senior Member

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    Correct me if I am wrong here
    But Pre-Islam Allah was the Moon goddess and Mohammed's tribe used to worship Allah as their "God" ..and the rest is History..

    I agree ..god is nothing but very relative term ... down with the capital G ...
     
  19. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    This is a new one for me

    http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ISLAM/PRE.HTM
     
  20. (Q) Encephaloid Martini Valued Senior Member

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    From the link:

    "The pre-Islamic Arabs worshipped three goddesses, al-Lat, al-Uzza, and Manat, who were all daughters of one god, Allah—this one god was probably derived from the monotheistic religions of Judaism and Christianity. "
     
  21. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    And then came Mohammed...
     
  22. (Q) Encephaloid Martini Valued Senior Member

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    ...who created Islam from the monotheist religions of Judaism and Christianity.
     
  23. Cris In search of Immortality Valued Senior Member

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    Lawdog,

    LOL. There are thousands of different definitions of what a god might be.

    No. The later two do not justify a capital, and a cap G in god indicates a name not a common noun.
     

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