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Does God have a proper name? What for?

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
As I was taught, deities prefer they be referred to with capital letters. Even if you’re using pronouns.
Do deities also hate articles?

Even with weird capitalization rules for deities, phrases like "I believe in God" are still structured like "God" is a name.

If it weren't a name, we would say "I believe in a God" or - for monotheists like @firedragon - "I believe in the God."

Edit: unless "God" is a mass quantity, I guess. Then it wouldn't need an article, like "I bathed in water" or "I have gravel."
 

RabbiO

הרב יונה בן זכריה
There's no need for me to call my coffee maker "Chester Coffeepot," but that doesn't change the fact that this is its name.
Naming a coffeepot seemed like a silly idea, so I asked about. Teddy Toaster agreed with me, but Bobby Blender and Morty Microwave had no problems with it.
 
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Samael_Khan

Goosebender
You think being the only human being on earth, with no other whatsoever, one would want to name himself with a proper name? If you dont like the word Need, how about Want?

I agree with your statement if the human is the only being in the world with no other being to communicate to. Then the person wouldn't have the need or want to speak unless they want to communicate with voices in their head or figments of their imagination.

If there are other beings to communicate with, then the want, maybe even the need, can indeed manifest itself.

Also something to note, is that YHWH is a word in a human language. Since it is made a human language, maybe he only came up with it to communicate with humans?
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Naming a coffeepot seemed like a silly idea, so I asked about. Teddy Toaster agreed with me, but Bobby Blender and Morty Micfowave had no problems with it.
Hasn't anyone here seen Goonies? Chester Copperpot? I thought it was funny.

Never mind - I'm just old.
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
I agree with your statement if the human is the only being in the world with no other being to communicate to. Then the person wouldn't have the need or want to speak unless they want to communicate with voices in their head or figments of their imagination.

If there are other beings to communicate with, then the want, maybe even the need, can indeed manifest itself.

Also something to note, is that YHWH is a word in a human language. Since it is made a human language, maybe he only came up with it to communicate with humans?

See, God communicating with Humans is a completely different thing to God communicating with other Gods.
 

Samael_Khan

Goosebender
According to Judaism, Adam is the ancestor so he was way before the Pentateuch and Moses. Thus, Genesis calling him YHWH means that he was always YHWH, not only with Moses or after him. Thus there cannot be a question of religions of Israel etc. God was always YHWH. In my understanding YHWH means he exists.

Another thought: Since the OT god has foresee the future, he could have given himself a name in a human language in anticipation of people worshipping other "gods" so that he could distinguish himself from them.
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
Moses....with tablets in hand....did ask

the people will want to know....Whose law this is
what Name shall I give them?

say to them....I AM!....and they with understanding will know Whose law this is
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
Moses....with tablets in hand....did ask

the people will want to know....Whose law this is
what Name shall I give them?

say to them....I AM!....and they with understanding will know Whose law this is

See, there is no question that the Tanakh names God.
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
Referring to the God of Judaism and Islam, which conceivably defines monotheism, why would God have a name?

If there is only One God, does "THE GOD" need a name? A proper name? Is it a sociological aspect of humans wanting to anthropomorphise God? Or does God really have a proper name? If so, what for?

Names of God are a human construct of time and culture of the Revelation and scripture.' God does not have a name, but may be described as the attributes of God reflected in Creation.

What is God? God is a three letter word describing the 'Source' of our existence.
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
Names of God are a human construct of time and culture of the Revelation and scripture.' God does not have a name, but may be described as the attributes of God reflected in Creation.

What is God? God is a three letter word describing the 'Source' of our existence.

Interesting.

Do you think that YHWH is an attribute of God that got seasoned as his proper name?
 

King Phenomenon

Well-Known Member
Referring to the God of Judaism and Islam, which conceivably defines monotheism, why would God have a name?

If there is only One God, does "THE GOD" need a name? A proper name? Is it a sociological aspect of humans wanting to anthropomorphise God? Or does God really have a proper name? If so, what for?
Yeah he’s called infinity
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
OK. So then I would say that I have no idea how gods communicate with each other because it depends on how they communicate, they communicate like humans for all I know.
nay.....

Man uses words
I post
you read

I speak
and the next closest guy might listen

God and heaven can see the way you dream
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
If there is only One God, does "THE GOD" need a name? A proper name? Is it a sociological aspect of humans wanting to anthropomorphise God? Or does God really have a proper name? If so, what for?

I'll address the last question: "what for" first. The name of God is a prayer intended to evoke nearness in the context of mantra. It has a physical effect that can be measured. http://www.ijastems.org/wp-content/...tific-Analysis-of-Mantra-Based-Meditation.pdf

Beyond that, repeating a name of God changes awareness and experience of the immanence of the divine in the every day world. It thus can be a method to, as the book of this name puts it "Practice the Presence of God".

Looking at "does God really have a proper name",
if one wants to use the Bible, we have the famous "I am That I am" ("I am who I am" and so forth) I Am that I Am - Wikipedia which was the answer to Moses' question.
 
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