``Jehovah'' This, ``Jehovah" That: Respect...

by Room 215 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  Room 215

  I know, I know, the JWs love to boast about ``honoring Jehovah'' and having ``restored the Divine Name to its rightful place.'' But my question is: is such casual off-hand use of the Divine Name really respectful? I mean, the vast majority of us well know the names of our parents; but just how respectful would it be to go around referring to them as ``Harry'' and ``Alice?"

  In the respect department may I submit that less is more, and that judicious use of a sacred name pays it homage, whereas a than a desultory bantering about, or using asa sort of talisman actually trivializes and demeans it.

  Anyway, just my 2 cents.
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  Matty

  I thought God's name WAS Harry!

  "Our father who art in heaven Harold be thy name."
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  joannadandy

  Well the Dub's would disagree. They think they are doing him a service by yelling his name at the top of their lungs.

  Actually I do call my parents by their first names, and they hate it and this it disrespectful, but I just tell them they don't call me daughter, so why would I call them mother and father then...I dunno, I'm insane tho...
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  joannadandy

  HAHAHA Matty! I like that one!
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  writerpen

  Interesting point Room 215. I wonder, did Jesus ever refer to God by his name? I don't recall that he did. So I guess the Witnesses are above Jesus and thus allowed to use the name of God.
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  Matty

  Joanna, too true. Witnesses love the exclusivity of the name, and they feel they are the only ones using it as it really should be used!

  If it's used elsewhere they kinda feel like it's been stolen from them! My ears prick up when I hear the name Jehovah from a secular source, or another religion; its a typical dub reaction!

  My favourite non-dub reference:

  "Look. I, I'd had a lovely supper, and all I said to my wife was, 'That piece of halibut was good enough for Jehovah!"

  "Blasphemy! He's said it again!"
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  bonovox

  I think we do well to remember that the JWs hardly have the market cornered on calling God "Jehovah". There are many other translations of the bible that refer to this pronounciation or Yahweh as being God's personal name, in fact over 6000 times in the Old Testament according to the Catholic Encyclopedia. I once observed on another board completely unrelated to JWs that someone asked what God's name was, and some nonJW scholarly type came up with an impressive list of all the variations, here is a partial list:

  Elohim - Plurality in Unity
   El - The Strong One
   Elah - An Oak
   Eloah - The Adorable One
   El Elyon - God Most High
   El Roi - The Lord That Seeth
   El-Elohe-Israel - God of Israel - Genesis 33:20
   El Olam - God of Eternity
   El Shaddai - The Almighty, All Sufficient God
   Adon-Adonai - Jehovah Our Ruler
   Jah - The Independent One
   Jehovah - The Eternal, Ever-loving One
   Jehovah-Elohim - The Majestic Omnipotent God
   Jehovah-Hoseenu - The Lord Our Maker
   Jehovah-Jireh - The Lord Will Provide - Genesis 22:14
   Jehovah-Rophi - The Lord, The Physician
   Jevovah-Nissi - The Lord our Banner
   Jehovah M'Keddesh - The Lord Doth Sanctify
   Jehovah-Eloheenu - Lord our God
   Jehovah-Eloheka - Lord Thy God
   Jehovah-Elohay - The Lord My God
   Jehovah-Shalom - The Lord Our Peace
   Jehovah-Tseboath - The Lord of Hosts
   Jehovah-Rohi - The Lord My Shepherd
   Jehovah-Tsidkenu - The Lord Our Righteousness
   Jehovah-Makkeh - The Lord Shall Smite Thee
   Jehovah-Gmolah - The God of Recompenses
   Jehovah-Shammah - The Lord is There
   Jehovah-Whose name is Jealous - Exodus 34:14
  
  I think it stands to reason that IF there IS a God, one of the ways to say His name is likely Jehovah, and in light of that, unless you've become an out and out atheist, you should be careful about blaspheming his name like some posters on this board like to do with their supposedly humourous pronunications which usually in some way deride the JWs somehow.

  I wont repeat examples here, because I do find them offensive and blasphemous.
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  Room 215

  Bonovox,

  Thanks for sharing your research; most interesting. However one pronounces the Dvine Name, and quite apart from the debate over which is the closest to the original, I persist in my feeling that overuse of it is a detraction, especially in casual daily conversation.

  Isn't it a standard JW rejoinder to the rest of Christendom that too-frequent obervances of the Mass or Lord' s Supper takes away rather than enhances its significance? I believe the same logic applies here.
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  Matty

  bonovox, I'm sorry if I offend. Most people here see Jehovah's Witnesses as fair game, but those of us here who still respect God can often be affronted by the language used by others. These others are people who are still upset by the way they were treated while they were still "in the truth", so they lash out, they condemn everything they have been taught, including God himself. If we try and see it as an insult to the witnesses perception of God rather than an insult to God himself, it puts it into perspective.
  
  Likewise some people find Life of Brian very funny, some people don't, it depends how you see the point of the movie - either as just something designed to offend, or a satirical jab at religion. I have my limits too, I wouldn't say some of the stuff Naeblis does!
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  bonovox

  I persist in my feeling that overuse of it is a detraction, especially in casual daily conversation.

  Yes, especially in casual daily conversation on message boards where the obvious intent is to be as disrespectful to God as is possible by creating one's own own bastardized supposedly humorous version of it.

  I guess totally agree with each other. I'll look out for similar sentiments from you when these 'detractions' pop up on other threads. You won't have long to wait, I guarantee it.